Mark modern Europe with her feudal codes, Serfs, villains, vassals, nobles, kings and gods, All slaves of different grades, corrupt and curst With high and low, for senseless rank athirst, Wage endless wars; not fighting to be free, But _cujum pecus_, whose base herd they'll be. Too much of Europe, here transplanted o'er, Nursed feudal feelings on your tented shore, Brought sable serfs from Afric, call'd it gain, And urged your sires to forge the fatal chain. But now, the tents o'erturn'd, the war dogs fled, Now fearless Freedom rears at last her head Matcht with celestial Peace,--my friends, beware To shade the splendors of so bright a pair; Complete their triumph, fix their firm abode, Purge all privations from your liberal code, Restore their souls to men, give earth repose, And save your sons from slavery, wars and woes. Based on its rock of Right your empire lies, On walls of wisdom let the fabric rise; Preserve your principles, their force unfold, Let nations prove them and let kings behold. EQUALITY, your first firm-grounded stand; Then FREE ELECTION; then your FEDERAL BAND; This holy Triad should forever shine The great compendium of all rights divine, Creed of all schools, whence youths by millions draw Their themes of right, their decalogues of law; Till men shall wonder (in these codes inured) How wars were made, how tyrants were endured. Then shall your works of art superior rise, Your fruits perfume a larger length of skies, Canals careering climb your sunbright hills, Vein the green slopes and strow their nurturing rills, Thro tunnel'd heights and sundering ridges glide, Rob the rich west of half Kenhawa's tide, Mix your wide climates, all their stores confound, And plant new ports in every midland mound. Your lawless Missisippi, now who slimes And drowns and desolates his waste of climes, Ribb'd with your dikes, his torrent shall restrain, And ask your leave to travel to the main; Won from his wave while rising cantons smile, Rear their glad nations and reward their toil. Thus Nile's proud flood to human hands of yore Raised and resign'd his tide-created shore, Call'd from his Ethiop hills their hardy swains, And waved their harvests o'er his newborn plains; Earth's richest realm from his tamed current sprung; There nascent science toned her infant tongue, Taught the young arts their tender force to try, To state the seasons and unfold the sky; Till o'er the world extended and refined, They rule the destinies of humankind.