FOR THE ANTI-SLAVERY STANDARD.

ON THE PASSAGE OF THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

TO-DAY God smiles upon our cause;
The Nation's heart beats high!
To-day the Heaven-defying laws
(Long cursed) of slavery,
Are blotted from our Nation's page
By Freedom's royal hand,
While grateful, throbbing hearts presage
Peace to our war-worn land.

The shackles from four million slaves
Fall, broken, to the ground!
Our starry banner proudly waves,
Our bells exultant sound!
From town to town, from sea to sea,
By loyal breezes fanned!
The joyous peal of liberty
Rings out through all the land.

The Freedman, kneeling on the soil
Bedewed with the tears and blood,
Wrung out by unrequited toil,
Breaks forth in praise to God!
His long, long life of agony,
And concentrated wrong,
Exchanged for rapt'rous Liberty!
Oh! raise the grateful song!

Thank God! our country now is free!
Redeemed from Slavery's blight!
Ring out, O joy bells, merrily!
RIng in an age of light!
From North to South, from East to West,
Swell high the loud acclaim!
Dark Slavery's curse no more shall rest
Upon our Nation's fame!

Triumphant let the shout be heard,
"Freedom for coming years!"
While distant Nations catch the words,
And echo back our cheers!

Newbern, N.C., Feb. 15,* 1865. A.G.

(c) Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield MA. All rights reserved.
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There is currently no available "Beginner" label. The following is the default level label: The National Anti-Slavery Standard was the American Anti-Slavery Society's official newspaper. It was published from 1840 to 1870. This ode was written in response to the passage of the 13th amendment to the Constitution abolishing slavery which was passed by the House of Representatives on January 31, 1865. It had already been passed by the Senate on April 8, 1864, and was ratified by the states in December, 1865. The writer was in New Bern, North Carolina, a city that had seen much action during the Civil War.

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