Sisters in nature as well as in name;

Sisters in loyalty, true to that claim.

Freedom your breath is, O broad-shouldered North!
Turn from the subtle miasma gone forth
Out of the South land, from Slavery's fen,
Battening demons, but poisoning men!

Still on your Rock, my New England, sit sure, Keeping the air for the great country pure! There you the "wayward" ones yet shall enfold : There they will come to you, out in the cold!

SONNET.

"THE VOICE WITHOUT AN ECHO."

BY C. K. TUCKERMAN.

When that distinguished defender of constitutional liberty, JOHN BRIGHT, M. P., of England, uttered his eloquent sentiments in behalf of the Federal Government, the "London Times" pronounced his address "a voice without an echo."

AVOICE went up in England, and was crowned

With dust and ashes. Baffled, blinded, lone,

It sunk upon the city's pavement-stone,

Where trampling Commerce all its utterance drowned.

THE PRAYER OF A NATION.

229

Anon, by windy Prejudice 't was blown Into the stately chambers of the throne For Parliamentary wisdom once renowned ; But there by red-taped Sophistry 't was bound, Bleeding and helpless, friendless and alone. For England knew not what she yet shall own That where the wings of Justice once have flown,

They still shall fly, though beaten to the ground, Bearing through Error's depths Truth's trumpet

tone,

Vital as light and boundless as the zone.

THE PRAYER OF A NATION.

BY WILLIAM H. BURLEIGH.

GOD of our fathers, hear our earnest cry!

Our hope, our strength, our refuge is with

Thee!

Confound our foes and make their legions fly!
Strengthen our hosts and give them victory!
Victory-victory-

Oh, God of Armies! give us victory!

Not for exemption from the toil and loss,

The pains, the woes, the horrors of the strife,

230

THE PRAYER OF A NATION.

But that with strong hearts we may bear the cross,

And welcome death to save our nation's life :

Oh, God of Battles! give us victory!

For this no costliest gift would we withhold ;
For this we count not dear our loved repose,
Our teeming harvests, and our gathered gold,
Our commerce fanned by every wind that blows.
Victory-victory-

God of our fathers! give us victory!

Sons, brothers, sires, our bravest and our best,

The dearest treasure love has sanctified, These have gone forth at Liberty's behest, And on her altars have augustly died! Victory victory

God of our martyrs! give us victory!

God! have they poured their priceless blood in vain?

Shall treason triumph in our nation's fall? Shall Slavery weld once more her broken chain, And o'er a prostrate land hold carnival?

Oh, God of Freedom! give us victory!

THE PRAYER OF A NATION.

231

Nerve with new strength the patriot soldier's arm !
Fill with new zeal the hero-souls that stand,
Pillars of fire, to save from deadliest harm
Their children's birthright in this goodly land!
Victory - victory

God of our heroes! give us victory!

For the sad millions of the groaning earth,

Helpless and crushed beneath oppression's rod,For every hope that hallows home and hearth, For heaven-born Liberty, the Child of God,

. Victory

victory

God of the nations! give us victory!

From war's red hell, involved in smoke and flame,
From up-piled altars of our noblest dead,
We cry to Thee! Oh, for Thy glorious name,
Make bare Thine arm and smite our foes with

Oh, God of Battles! give us victory!

Arm for your country and fly to defend her,

Arm!