Wythe, Mason, Pendleton with Henry join'd, Rush, Rodney, Langdon, friends of humankind, Persuasive Dickinson, the former's boast, Recording Thomson, pride of all the host, Nash, Jay, the Livingstons, in council great, Rutledge and Laurens held the rolls of fate, O'er wide creation turn'd their ardent eyes, And bade the opprest to selfexistence rise; All powers of state, in their extended plan, Spring from consent, to shield the rights of man. Undaunted Wolcott urged the holy cause, With steady hand the solemn scene he draws; Stern thoughtful temperance with his ardorjoin'd, Nor kings nor worlds could warp his steadfast mind. With graceful ease but energetic tones; And eloquence that shook a thousand thrones, Majestic Hosmer stood; the expanding soul Darts from his eyebeams while his accents roll. But lo! the shaft of death untimely flew, And fell'd the patriot from the Hero's view; Wrapt in the funeral shroud he sees descend The guide of nations and the Muse's friend. Columbus dropt a tear; while Hesper's eye Traced the freed spirit mounting thro the sky. Each generous Adams, freedom's favorite pair, And Hancock rose the tyrant's rage to dare, Groupt with firm Jefferson, her steadiest hope, Of modest mien but vast unclouded scope. Like four strong pillars of her state they stand, They clear from doubt her brave but wavering band; Colonial charters in their hands they bore, And lawless acts of ministerial power. Some injured right in every page appears, A king in terrors and a land in tears; From all his guileful plots the veil they drew, With eye retortive look'd creation thro, Traced moral nature thro her total plan, Markt all the steps of liberty and man; Crowds rose to reason while their accents rung. And INDEPENDENCE thunder'd from their tongue. Columbus turn'd; when rolling to the shore Swells o'er the seas an undulating roar; Slow, dark, portentous, as the meteors sweep. And curtain black the illimitable deep, High stalks, from surge to surge, a demon Form, That howls thro heaven and breathes a billowing storm. His head is hung with clouds; his giant hand Flings a blue flame far flickering to the land; His blood-stain'd limbs drip carnage as he strides, And taint with gory grume the staggering tides; Like two red suns his quivering eyeballs glare, His mouth disgorges all the stores of war, Pikes, muskets, mortars, guns and globes of fire. And lighted bombs that fusing trails exspire. Percht on his helmet, two twin sisters rode, The favorite offspring of the murderous god, Famine and Pestilence; whom whilom bore His wife, grim Discord, on Trinacria's shore; When first their Cyclop sons, from Etna's forge, Fill'd his foul magazine, his gaping gorge: Then earth convulsive groan'd, high shriek'd the air. And hell in gratulation call'd him War.