"And as the coming time advances, There shall upon this flag appear Its light shall shine, and be more dear "Kansas the name 14 child of the wind That sweeps her grassy fields, and brings "But ere that time shall come the flail Thus said, the goddess flung her robe Upon the breeze, and took her flight Path a blazing meteor's light, With heavenly train, shone round the globe. THE NATAL HOUR. Decorate the Thirtieth of May! 15 Shall we now the great act deplore Which gave us Kansas?-nevermore. Of Time; she came; hail mighty day! All hail! Kansas this day was born; Not full-fledged and armed, like fair Minerva from the matted hair Of Jove, to wing her flight in air, And chant "Ad astra" to the morn; But in the dark and sullen storm Of civil strife; like one without Of ruffian bands in demon's form. Sweet Kansas of the fragrant plain! Thy natal hour shall mark a day Wreathed in flowery love; whose bright ray Shall gild the world, and whose sweet lay Shall charm like some Æolian strain. III. THE STRUGGLE IN KANSAS WITH FREEDOM AGAINST THE GREAT HYDRA-AMERICAN SLAVERY. AND now we turn the sable leaf Of that great book where Time records The wrongs, the strifes, the bitter words, Where Vice with Error's heart accords, And read the story of our grief. Quaff then the darker drink, brought fresh Has waged the wrong. Quaff and forget, 16 That slavery is right. Here then Slavery, like the great Python Apollo slew;- bred in the slime Of earth; whose birth was the first crime Against mankind, and that sublime. Iniquity of hell to dethrone The rights of man, now crawling winds Or like the dragon great of old, On Thebes' rich plain in story told, Great Cadmus slew, and wond' rous finds That from his teeth sown in the earth, A race of men comes forth from clods, For civil strife; and whom the gods Turned man to man, barring all odds, Against his equal man by birth. Python and dragon both, with fierce And bloody mouth, crawling it came;- Glared round for prey; and naught could tame The gloated beast of hell, nor pierce Its flinty scales, till it had fed And fattened on the blood and flesh Of Freedom's sons. This past, then fresh From ample meal the vengeful mesh He slipped, and wounded, writhing fled. But e'er that time let me recall, And briefly note, some deeds of crime, And Slavery's banner now unfurled Dark on the breeze of Kansas floats. Strange flag! on which foul Treason dotes; Whereon is writ: "Missouri votes On Kansas soil, or bursts a world!" Classical in the third degree! But what does Slavery care? her flag Floats not o'er classic halls; her rag Was made in Freedom's blood to drag, And blazon forth iniquity. And this strange flag herein they send, Then Slavery's champions these words Proclaim: "Come direful War and whet Thy sword; and let no freeman set His foot on Kansas soil,-17 forget That he is man, ye ruffian hordes ! 18 |