Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

AN ODE:

(Composed by B. Bidwell, Esq.)

For the celebration of Independence, at RICHMOND, (Massachusetts,) July 4th, 1796

ONCE more, on Freedom's holiday,
Columbia's sons rejoice ;
Once more we join the festive lay
And tune our grateful voice.

Come ye, who love the smiling train,
That hover o'er this land,
With one accord, adopt the strain
And let our joys expand.

Hail Independence ! Glorious hour,
When one sublime decree
Unloosed the grasp of British power
And spoke a nation free!

Columbia felt the inspiring shock,
Yet trembled, till she saw
Her empire founded on the rock
Of Government and law.

See distant Asia bound in chains ;
See Afric sunk in glooms;
See Europe bleed, at all her veins,
And armies throng her tombs:

While here sweet Peace maintains her stand,
Here plenty spreads her charms;
And Washington still rules the land,
Which once he sav'd by arms.

Come then and let us all rejoice,
Nor fear a tyrant's rod,
But join to bless, with heart and voice,
Columbia's guardian God.

And, while we quaff the stream that flows,
To cheer the freeborn mind,
Let's drop a tear o'er others' woes,
And pray for all mankind.

Composed by MR. ALLEN, the young Gentleman who pronounced the Oration in Providence, Rhode-Island.