Bless'd with as little sense as God e'er gave, Slave to wrong schemes, dupe to a noble knave. So odd a monarch heaven in wrath would plan, And such would be the fury of a man. See far and wide o'er long Canadia's plains, Old popish fraud and superstition reigns; The scarlet whore long hath heaven withstood, Who cries for murder and who thirsts for blood, Establish'd there, marks down each destined name, And plants the stake impatient for the flame, With sanguinary soul her trade begins, To doom her foes to hell or pardon sins; Her crafty priests their impious rites maintain, And crucify their Saviour once again; Defend his rights, who, scatt'ring lies abroad, With shameless front usurps the seat of God: Those are, we fear, who his vile cause assert, But half reform'd and papists at the heart. Bear me, some power, as far as the winds can blow, As ships can travel, or as waves can flow, To some lone island beyond the southern pole, Or lands round which pacific waters roll, There should oblivion stop the heaving sigh, There should I live at least with liberty. But honour checks my speed and bids me stay, To try the fortune of the well fought day. Resentment for my country's fate I bear, And mix with thousands for the willing war; See Washington New Albion's freedom owns, And moves to war with half Virginia's sons, Bold in the fight, whose actions might have aw'd A Roman Hero, or a Grecian God. He, he, as first his gallant troops shall lead, Undaunted man, a second Diomede; As when he fought at wild Ohio's flood, When savage thousands issu'd from the wood, When Braddock's fall disgrac'd the mighty day, And Death himself stood weeping o'er his prey, When doubting vict'ry chang'd from side to side, And Indian sod with Indian blood was dy'd, When the last charge repuls'd th' invenom'd foe, And lightnings lit them to the shades below. See where from various distant climes unites A generous council to protect our rights, Fix'd on a base too steadfast to be mov'd, Loving their country, by their country lov'd, Great guardians of our freedom, we pursue Each patriot measure as inspir'd by you, Columbia, nor shall fame deny it owes Past safety to the counsel you propose; And if they do not keep Columbia free, What will alas! become of Liberty? Great souls grow bolder in their country's cause, Detest enslavers, and despise their laws. O Congress fam'd, accept this humble lay, The little tribute that the muse can pay; On you depends Columbia's future fate, A free asylum or a wretched state. Fall'n on disastrous times we push our plea, Heard or not heard, and struggle to be free. Born to contend, our lives we place at stake, And grow immortal by the stand we make. O you, who, far from liberty detain'd, Wear out existence in some slavish land, Fly thence from tyrants, and their flatt'ring throng,