"THERE BE HIGHER THAN THEY."
By L. C. Hutchins
Dost thou see oppression,
Boldly stalking forth;
Claiming for possession,
E'en our favored "North"—
While a host of statesmen,
Pliant, bow the knee,
Proving that though freemen,
Scarcely are they free? See their love of lucre,
Love of power, and gold;
For the love of these, are they,
Freemen, bought and sold.
Hear the "Declaration,"
"Every man is free,"
While the "Constitution,"
Warrants liberty. Yet the downcast slaveman,
Clanks his galling chain,
In this land of freemen—
(Such alone in name.)
Hear the voice of captives,
Groaning 'neath the chain,
See the blood of martyrs,
Slavery hath slain.— Men, of Sumner's wisdom,
Grappling with the foe,
Meet, for using freedom,
Brutal overthrow.
In the halls of justice,
Freemen are enthralled;
"In the place of judgment,"
Tyranny's entailed.— Peaceful homes are plundered
By the ruffian hand;
Dearest ties are sundered,
In "Columbia's land,"—
Sadly maid and mother,
Seek their daily bread,—
Husband—father—brother—
With the martyr'd dead. Parents, too, and children,
Fondest hopes to mock,
Sold by rank oppression,
At the auction block.
Pines thy heart in sadness,
O'er oppression's power?—
Lift thy head in gladness,
For the coming hour. "Higher than the highest,"
Sits the Holy One;
Of the poor, the humblest,
May approach his throne.
And their wail of sadness,
With the voice of blood,
Tells the oppressor's madness,
In the ear of God. Slow, but sure, his anger,
With oppressing man,
And judgment will not linger,
In his righteous plan.
"Clouds of dew"—"in harvest,"
Blast the standing grain;—
"Heat on herbs" doth wither,
Blackening all the plain.— Thus doth he "consider,"
"In his dwelling place;"
Ne'er the vile oppressor,
Can endure his face.
What though slavery's minions,
Vaunt their power, and pay?—
Joy to the oppressed—"there be
Higher far, than they."
L. C. HUTCHINS.