Transcription
A Hymn of Liberty
Ye sons of Freedom, wake to glory!
Hark! hark! what myriads bid you rise!
Your children, wives, and grandsires hoary,
Behold their tears and hear their cries.
Shall hateful tyrants, mischiefs breeding,
With hireling host a ruffian band
Affright and disolate the land,
While peace and liberty lie bleeding?
To arms, to arms! ye brave!
The avenging sword unsheath:
March on, march on, all hearts resolved,
On victory or death.
Now, now, the dangerous storm is rolling,
Which treacherous kings confederate raise
The dogs of war, let loose are howling,
And lo! our fields and cities blaze.
And shall we basely view the ruin,
While lawless force with guilty stride
Spreads desolation far and wide,
With crimes and blood his hands embracing?
Chorus-
With lunary and pride surrounded,
The vile insatiate dispots dare
Their thirst of power and glod unbounded,
To mete and vend the light and air.
Like beasts of burden would they load us,
Like gods would bid their slaves adore
But man is man and who is more,
Then shall they longer lash and goad us?
Chorus-
Oh! liberty can man resign thee,
Once having felt thy generous flame?
Can dungeons, bolts, and bars confine thee?
Or whip thy noble spirits tame?
Too long the world has wept, bewailing,
That false woods dagger tyrants wield,
But freedom is our sword and shield,
And all their arts are unavailing,
Chorus-
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