FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   196   197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220  
221   222   >>  
otion by desolate hearth and darkened homestead,--by the blood of sons, husbands, and brothers. In many of our dwellings the very light of our lives has gone out; and yet we accept the life-long darkness as our own part in this great and awful expiation, by which the bonds of wickedness shall be loosed, and abiding peace established on the foundation of righteousness. Sisters, what have _you_ done, and what do you mean to do? In view of the decline of the noble anti-slavery fire in England, in view of all the facts and admissions recited from your own papers, we beg leave in solemn sadness to return to you your own words:-- "A common origin, a common faith, and, we sincerely believe, a common cause, urge us, at the present moment, to address you on the subject" of that fearful encouragement and support which is being afforded by England to a slave-holding Confederacy. "We will not dwell on the ordinary topics,--on the progress of civilization, on the advance of freedom everywhere, on the rights and requirements of the nineteenth century; but we appeal to you very seriously to reflect and to ask counsel of God how far such a state of things is in accordance with His Holy Word, the inalienable rights of immortal souls, and the pure and merciful spirit of the Christian religion. "We appeal to you, as sisters, as wives, and as mothers, to raise your voices to your fellow-citizens, and your prayers to God for the removal of this affliction and disgrace from the Christian world." In behalf of many thousands of American women, HARRIET BEECHER STOWE. WASHINGTON, _November_ 27, 1862. THE SOLDIERS' RALLY. Oh, rally round the banner, boys, now Freedom's chosen sign! See where amid the clouds of war its new-born glories shine! The despot's doom, the slave's dear hope, we bear it on the foe! God's voice rings down the brightening path! Say, brothers, will ye go? "My father fought at Donelson; he hailed at dawn of day That flag full-blown upon the walls, and proudly passed away." "My brother fell on Newbern's shore; he bared his radiant head, And shouted, 'Oh! the day is won!' leaped forward, and was dead." "My chosen friend of all the world hears not the bugle-call; A bullet pierced his loyal heart by Richmond's fatal wall." But seize the hallowed swords they dropped, with blood yet moist and red! Fill up the thinned, immortal ranks, and follow where they led! For right is mig
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   196   197   198   199   200   201   202   203   204   205   206   207   208   209   210   211   212   213   214   215   216   217   218   219   220  
221   222   >>  



Top keywords:

common

 

rights

 

England

 

chosen

 

appeal

 

immortal

 

brothers

 

Christian

 

brightening

 

glories


despot

 

November

 
WASHINGTON
 

SOLDIERS

 

BEECHER

 
thousands
 

behalf

 

American

 

HARRIET

 
clouds

banner

 

Freedom

 

Richmond

 

pierced

 
bullet
 

friend

 

hallowed

 
follow
 

thinned

 

dropped


swords

 

forward

 
disgrace
 

hailed

 

father

 

fought

 

Donelson

 
proudly
 
passed
 

shouted


leaped

 

radiant

 

brother

 

Newbern

 

decline

 

slavery

 

foundation

 
established
 

righteousness

 

Sisters