1861 March 15 New York, N.Y.

A POEM COMPRISING A FEW THOUGHTS SUGGESTED BY THE Assault on our glorious Flag IN 1860-'61.
TO MISS JOSEPHINE VAN BUREN, WHOSE INTELLIGENCE AND MORAL WORTH ARE ONLY EQUALLED BY HER UNASSUMING GOODNESS AND LOVELINESS, This Little Volume IS RESPECTURLLY DEDICATED BY HER FRIEND, THE AUTHORESS

THE FLAG OF OUR UNION

Our glorious flag was waving,
'Twas floating in the air,
Amid songs of victory
When Washington was there....

Farewell of our glorious dead,
In solemn tone we hear:
Preserve that flag, our Union,
Ever to freemen dear....

Oh! let that banner ever wave
On yonder southern shore;
Oh! do not stain its history
In Christian brother's gore.

The country Washington left us
In freemen's sacred name---
Dare we destroy this great fabric,
Defile his spotless fame?....

The patriot Webster asked
With love of greatness true,
The veil might not in his day rise
His country's shame to view.

Crittenden with heroic zeal
And holy ardor pleads,
To save his wreck'd country's honor
Till hope unblest recedes.

Scott asks the aid of an armed host
Many brave hearts to chill;
Ambition often prompts a chief
The scroll of fame to fill....

To Douglas hopeful trust now looks,
The one of giant mind,
The statesman bold, our country's friend,
A healing balm to find....

These trial days of our country
Bring no sunshine morrow;
Once bright its national sky,
Now o'ercast in sorrow....

Has party strife dimm'd the brightness
Of the heroic past,
Rushing like a storm our country
On destruction fast?....

That Union flag is trailing
Its memories in the dust,
One by one its stars are going
An unknown fate to trust....

Are our statesmen degenerate?
Unequal to the issue,
A country to save or perish,
Or an abstract issue?

As Americans, we know no
Locality, no Southern,
But America, our country,
Americans, our brethren.

No party, no shrine no section,
Of one Union part,
But invincible royalty,
Love of country in heart.

E.B.R.

Barrett PS 586 .Z93 .P84 1861