Gazette Of The United States And Daily Evening Advertiser

From the STAR.

Best Friend of Human Race—best Friend assign'd
By Heaven's high will! O, Justice, born divine
Thy look, when, meekly awful, at thy shrine
Thou sit'st, with upright, uncorrupted mind,
Sustaining the dread scales of Life and Death!
No gloom, Vengeance lowers on thy brow,
No passion rankles at thy heart: but thou
Art righteous as thine Author! like the breath
Of vernal Eve, when hush'd is the still air,
Gentle thy voice is heard: while, 'neath thy throne,
Kneels Mercy, list'ning to the Captive's moan,
And breathes for Penitence her plaintive pray'r—
Then may my feet approach thine awful seat;
And, if some brother of my kind to die,
Thou doom'st in guilt, in shame, in infamy,
Oh, may thy voice pronounce his dreadful fate!
But, when Ambition—when dark Interest—
When foul Corruption, cringing on her knee
At Guilt's command—when low'ring Hypocrisy
Blasts the fair Virtues blooming at thy breast—
When, basely prostitute to Tyrant Pow'r,
Thine arm the tool of a detested Crew
Thy Vengeance hurls at those illustrious few,
Who Freedom, in her last expiring hour,
Cherish and love—still to their Country just.
'Mid dangers, tortures, and stern Death's alarm!
When these blest Patriots, by thy ruthless arm,
Fall, murder'd, foully murder'd, to the dust,
I weep that—Man should so his nature stain,
Insult his God, and his best gift profane!