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George Lansing Taylor.

Ulysses S. Grant: conqueror, patriot, hero, an elegy; and other poems

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Conqueror. Patriot, Hero,



Hn l£le<3\>;



fl)tbcr poems.



J3i? (Kfco. JUnsfnij Canlor.








FUNK & WAGNALLS. Publishers.

NEW YORK : LONDON :

10 & 12 Dey Street. 44 Fleet Street.

158,1.






Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 18S5 by

FUNK & WAGNALLS,

In the Office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington, D. C.



(Contents.



] M.E



Proem, ........ 5

Elegy, 7

"Push Things," a Campaign Song, . .21

Hymn for President Grant's Inauguration, 23
"Pax Vobiscum," on the Great Treaty, 25

General Grant Restored to Rank, . . 29



grocm.



2] N VINCIBLE chief ! The Joshua of the West !
^j Thy conquering might our Union's Canaan

won,
And shared the land ! Then sank to glorious
rest,
Renowned through every land beneath the sun !
The whole world's heartfelt homage speaks —
" Well done !"
And Glory rises from her throne of flame,
Among time's grandest peers to write thy name, —
A splendid star, whose course has but begun !
Whose arc shall upward climb while brightening
centuries run !



UnsettingOrb ! Not Nimrod's, — first renowned, —
Nor Cyrus' name, that awes the Orient world ;

Nor Alexander's, who to India's bound

His steel-clad Macedonian phalanx hurled ;
Nor Hannibal's, with flags o'er Alps unfurled ;



6 PROEM.

Nor Caesar's, master of imperial Rome ;
Nor his who slept on lone Saint Helen's dome ;
Nor thine, his Conqueror, — coronet - im-

pearled ! —
Shall dim the name that shines o'er Hudson's
ripples curled.



Great Shade ! May I, unboastful, on such shrine
This victor's wreath of simple parsley lay ? —

Not daring, from Parnassus' steeps, to twine
The fadeless laurel and immortal bay !
But ah, when pine shall wither, oak decay,

When granite crumbles, brass corrodes to dust,

Then they who stood for Freedom's holy trust,
And fought her fight in Time's brief agony.
Shall live in song sublime, through Right's
eternity !



cfttvisscB JF. (Strati t :

CONQUEROR, PATRIOT, HERO.



AN EI.EGY.



I
MID A T>t? i.U„ U,



RAPE the banner,— toll the knell,
Fire the solemn minute-gun ; —
Let a nation's requiem swell
O'er a nation's hero gone !



North and South and East and West
Gather 'round his mighty bier ;

Onward to its glorious rest
Bear the dust to millions dear.



Side by side march friend and foe,

States and cities in array ;
Mingling, in one mighty woe,

Conquering Blue and conquered Gray



ULYSSES S. GRANT :



Let the war-worn veterans come,
'Neath their tattered battle-flags ;

To the throb of muffled drum

Proudly bear those glorious rags !



5-

Let the spirits of the brave,

From an hundred fields of fame,

Start from glory's deathless grave,
In these ranks their place to claim.



Hark ! From Montezuma's halls,
Lit by many a flaming cone,

Mexic's ancient empire calls,

First her conqueror's arm to own.



Then Columbia's fields sublime
Swell the mighty muster-cry !

Call the rolls that ring through time !
Hark, the thrilling, thundering AYE !



CONQUEROR, PATRIOT, HERO.



Belmont ! Henry ! Donelson !

Pittsburg ! Jackson ! Champion's Hill !
Vicksburg, — Freedom's birthday won ! —

Crown of genius, valor, will !



Chattanooga's cloud-capped crag !

" Wilderness," with carnage dire !
Richmond, where Rebellion's flag

Fell, 'mid Treason's shroud of fire ! —



10.



Hark ! From every heaving sod
Where the hero's footsteps fell,

Where his conquering legions trod.
How the ghostly murmurs swell !



1 1,



O'er yon line of living men,

Statesmen, heroes, comrades true,

Hid from mortals' clay- wrapt ken,
Lo, a mightier train in view !



IO



ULYSSES S. GRANT :



12.



Horse and foot, with standards furled,
Silent drums, and trumpets crost,

Stream above the fleshly world.
One unfleshed, unnumbered host !



Ranks on ranks, on all the air,
March the spirits of the brave !

Godlike Washington is there !

Martyred Lincoln, tall and grave !



14.

Meade and Lee their Master own ;

Hooker, Jackson* blend renown ;
O'er the column, stern and lone,

Strides the soul of old John Brown !



15.

Hark ! Columbia's rivers, grand,
Rolling fetterless and free,

Hymn the hero strong, whose hand
Sent them, chainless. to the sea ;



CONQUEROR, PATRIOT, HERO. II

1 6.

Bright Ohio, clear from blood,

Cumberland, and Tennessee,
Mississippi's mighty flood, —

Empire's vastest artery, —

17.

Join to ask Potomac wide,

Rappahannock's blood-dyed wave,

James, Virginia's ancient pride : — ■

" Whete shall be our Rescuer's grave ?

18.

Not by bright Ohio's shore,

Where his infant breath began,

Should be laid when life is o'er
He who grew not there to man.



19.

Not by Rio Grande's side,

Where he fleshed his maiden sword ;
Nor where Mississippi's tide

Burst its barriers at his word.



12



ULYSSES S. ('.RANT :



20.



Not where Washington's great shade
Brooks no rival's homage nigh,

Shall this awful dust be laid,

Peer of proudest 'neath the sky !



21.



Lay him by grand Hudson's wave,

Where his youthful mind was taught ;

Where his triumph o'er the grave, —
Life's best victory, — was wrought.



22.



" Lay him where the nation's heart

Throbs its life from shore to shore ;
Where exchange, with empire, art,
Sceptred reign, this New World o'er.



23-

Lay him where the lightning's stroke,
Heaven's approving answer, clove

Yonder heavemvard-towering oak,
Rent like him, — the sign of Jove !



CONQUEROR, PATRIOT, HERO. 1 3

24.

Lay him where yon classic stream, —
Young Columbia's grander Rhine, —

Foams with commerce's endless gleam,
Dreams in storied sons/ divine.



25-

Lay him where Old Ocean's tide
Meets the mighty river's shore ;

Meets his glory, bears it wide
As his everlasting roar !



26.

Where the levelled lance of morn
Flames from lands beyond the sea,

And the shaft from sunset borne
Gilds a continent made free !



-/•

Where the sons of East and West,
Of the Old World and the New,

Oft shall meet around his rest, —
Meet and pledge alliance true."



14 ULYSSES S. GRAM]



28.



Thus Columbia's rivers sing,

Murmuring down each seaward track ;
Hudson, from his farthest spring,

Rolls his royal welcome back !



29.

Thus we bid our hero sleep,

Where his latest longings urge ;

Where the nation's pilgrims weep,
Where the nation's paths converge.

SO-

Here "Grant Park" his name shall boast ;

On "Mount Grant" his tomb shall tower ;
Landmark of a nation's coast, —

Trophy of a nation's power.

3i-

Pile a granite pyramid,

Simple, stern, sublime, — like him !
There his sacred dust be hid,

Safe, while History's page grows dim.



CONQUEROR, PATRIOT, HERO. 1 5

32.

On its top a temple rear,

Grand as that where Cyrus slept ;
Write his world-famed sayings here,

Here be holy relics kept.

33-

Let his steed's colossal mould

Bear in bronze his hero form ;
'Round him group his chieftains bold,

As they stood in battle's storm.

34-

Aye, and chiefs his generous grace

Spared and saved with knightliest soul, —

Let them stand in this high place,
Stand and sign their grand parole !

35-

Near, on broken fetters, kneel
Afric's children, praising God !

'Neath his charger's hoof of steel
Treason's viper form be trod !



i6



ULYSSES S. GRANT :



36.

Smiling Peace, and Plenty blest,

Chained behind lead frowning Mars ;

Victory, from the temple's crest,
Stretch the Union's crown of stars i



37-

Washington and Lincoln stand

Guardian forms, to flank the whole ;

One, his great " Address" in hand, —
One, Emancipation's scroll !

38.

Let the children's park, below,
Map the hero's grand campaigns ;

There his ransomed rivers flow,

Heave his hills and spread his plains.



39-

There let troops of girls and boys
Storm his forts with martial mirth ;

Gleaning, 'mid their childhood joys,
Gleams of Freedom's cost and worth.



CONQUEROR, PATRIOT, HERo.

40.

Here, when Faction's surges rise,
Strife and Tumult rage around,

Let one glance of those calm eyes
Every foe of peace confound.

4i-

Here, when storms o'er nations lower,
Let the patriot muse and pray.

Gathering from that face of power
Strength to stand, his country's stay



42.

Like an iron tower, whose arms
Swing the quarry's granite block ;

Swing, secure from tilts and harms,
Dahlgrens, at a navy's dock ;



43-

So stood he, with sphinx-like lips,
Based to swing, with hands and pen,

On his left a thousand ships,
On his ri<jht a million men !



ULYSSES S. GRANT



44-



Thus, till victory's goal was won,

Strong he stood for Freedom's cause ;

Then, when war's dread work was done,
Stood as strong to guard her laws.



45-

Great in arms, in peace unstained,
Chaste and temperate, modest, pure,

Firm as granite golden veined, —
Such his fame shall aye endure.

46.

Found his mausoleum deep,
Shrine for millions yet to be ;

Here in glory let him sleep,

'Twixt the continent and sea. *



47-

Spread, for pilgrim feet, its floor
Ample as his soul so broad ;

Bid its sun-bathed summit soar
High as soared his faith in God.



CONQUEROR, PATRIOT, HERO. 19

48.

Thus, through ages long and bright,
More and more his fame shall shine,

Gilding with its aureole light

Freedom's realm with beams divine.



49.

Three have lived, and served, and died,
Since this western world began ;

Three, their country's strength and pride,
Born to crown the name of man.

50.

One by broad Potomac sleeps ;

One by Mississippi's flood ;
One the mighty Hudson keeps,

Till he hears the trump of God.

51.

Hid our foes match these ! Enough !

On such names can scorn be hurled ? —
Tried they stand, the sturdiest stuff

Of that Race that rules the world !



(Elan CSvaut




44 gttSfe gMtlgS r

A Grant campaign song, written by request of the
editor of the New York Tribune, and published with
music in that journal (weekly) of October 28, 1868.

" If things are pushed I think Lee will surrender."—
Sheridan's despatch to Grant, after his victory at Five Forks.

Grant's reply: "PUSH THINGS!"

I.

cypiVE Forks was won, and Petersburg
<3> And Richmond both were taken ;
Old Jeff and Lee were forced to flee,

And ran to save their bacon :
" If things are push'd, the Rebs are ours !"

" Wired " fiery Phil, pursuing :
"Push things!" wired Grant, " we'll make them
pant !"

Cried Phil, " That's what we're doing !"

Chorus.

" Push things, boys, push things !"
Cried our Great Defender ;

" Push things, boys, push things !
Make the Rebs surrender J' 1



22



PUSH THINGS !



1 •'



Lo, now another Five Forks won !

A new rebellion flying !
By ballots now the work is done,

Rebocracy is dying !
Ku-Klux, rebellion, slavery, rum,

And base repudiation,
We'll drive them all to kingdom come,
And save once more the nation !

Push things, boys ! push things !

That's the word, remember !

Push things, boys ! push things !

Till the third o' November !



Behold their camp in wild uproar !

Hear brother cursing brother !
Just like old Gideon's foes of yore,

They're smiting down each other !
Seymour we soon shall see no more !
And Blair'll be done his blare-ing !
Then peace shall reign from shore to shore,
Its blessings all men sharing !

Push things, boys ! push things,

That's the word, remember !
Push things, boys ! push things,
Till the third o' November ! !



gtjmn for tTtc ffirst %tmuQUVKtion
of gvjCBtcUnt <5vant, £*Xavc1x 4,



/g\UR Country's God, to thee
^-^ This day we bow the knee,

Thy grace t' implore
For him, our Nation's choice,
Called by thy mighty voice
While millions, free, rejoice

From shore to shore.



When Freedom's traitor foes
In War's dread carnage rose,

When battles roared,
Thou, by his mortal hand,
Did'st save Earth's beacon land,
Till now, redeemed, we stand,

Praising the Lord !




24 FIRST INAUGURATION OF PRES. GRANT.



Thou whose Almighty power
Shielded in Peril's hour,

Shield him in peace !
Save from Ambition's spell ;
Save from temptation fell ;
Save him from earth and hell ;-

Let love increase.



Now, while he swears God's oath,
While sea and shore peal forth

Freedom's great chant,
Hear, from Heaven's firmament,
With our glad thunders rent,
God bless our President !

God bless our Grant i !



gas ^oMsmm !

On the signing of the great Treaty between Queen
Victoria and President Grant, July 4, 187 1, for the
arbitration of the "Alabama Claims," etc., by which
great act of Christian statecraft war was prevented
between the United States and Great Britain.



I.



"2j^AX VOBISCUM !" Peace be with ye !
& Hark, the Independence bells !

On the breeze of summer morning how their joy-
ous clamor swells !

Let them shout with brazen voices ! Let the
bellowing cannon roar !

Through the Old World, through the New World,
golden Peace is crowned once more !



2.



Pax Vobiscum ! Dark rebellion, sworn to turn

Time's dial back,
Sinks and dies, while Freedom's sunrise flames

along its noonward track !



26



FAX VOBISCUM !



Fiery Gaul and matchless Teuton bleed no more

on Europe's plains,
Torn Italia, throned by Tiber, now from Blanc to

/Etna reicns !



3-



Pax Vobiscum ! Bold Columbia, stern Britannia,

jarring long,
One in blood and speech and fieedom, one in

holy faith, more strong,
Both too great to brook an insult, both too noble

to be wrong,
Yield their strifes to law and justice, sheathe the

sword and join in song !



Pax Vobiscum ! Christ hath conquered ! " Know
all men," writes iron Grant,

" Know all men," writes proud Victoria, " death-
less olive here we plant !"

Glorious Mother ! Glorious Daughter ! Join the
stars and cross on high !

Cheer the Lion ! Cheer the Eagle ! Send the
echo through the sky !



pax vobiscum! 27

5-

Pax Vobiscum ! Hands of blessing part the cloud-
less blue above !

God's great hands of benediction o'er the nations
spread in love !

" Te Deum laitdamus /" humbly swells our grate-
ful, glad refrain ;

"Gloria in txcelsis /" angels whisper, rapturous
Amen !



(general (Grant Restored to Jlann,
Jgftartfr*, 1885,



Gjk YE ! Write that name grandly once more at

^\ the head

Of the legions his genius to victory led !

Write it high, where the sunrise and sunset shall

slant
Their beams on the name and the glory of GRANT !
While from ocean to ocean a continent cheers
Its hero to-day with huzzas — and with tears ! '



Cheers ! Justice and Gratitude, slow but divine,
Have conquered ! The nation has beckoned the

sign ;
And he who the sword of the warrior laid down
To wear for the people the proud civic crown
To-day to this place so well won stands restored,
And proudly Columbia rebuckles his sword !

1 " With tears" on account of the fact of his fatal illness,
from which he was then already known to be beyond hope of
recovery.



30



GEN. GRANT RESTORED TO RANK.



3-

And, wide as the world, through the nations

again
Shall swell and re-echo the thundered Amen !
Where loyal hearts beat in the breasts of the

brave.
And honor all heroes their country who save ;
There, high on humanity's roster of fame,
His work and its worth through the ages shall

flame !



Aye, write, on this day, that strong name in its

place
O'er the heroes he led, and the foes whom his

grace
On the battle-field spared — to revere him in

peace —
As a signal and warning, lest traitors increase ;
The day that intrusts them the sceptre once more,
Once more musters in him who curbed them of



yore !



5-



But oh, nevermore may that masterful hand
Need grasp for his country that dread battle
brand !



GEN. GRANT RESTORED TO RANK. 3 1

May righteousness, union, and sweet peace for

aye
Endure, while that brow shall be circled with bay ;
While nations and ages shall honor the clime
Where WASHINGTON, Lincoln, and Grant rose

sublime !



They fade from our vision, that veteran host !
Their names from the muster of earth must be

lost !
But while Freedom's stars in her firmament blaze
One bright constellation shall draw the world's

gaze ;
The stars in their courses forever shall chant
The names of our Washington, Lincoln, and

Grant.

7-
They fade from our vision, those cohorts sublime,
And leaders and ranks shall soon vanish from

time ;
But while Freedom's mountains unbroken shall

stand.
And her rivers roll free to a continent's strand,
So long shall the Union they rescued endure,
The Freedom they gave to the bondmen be sure !




3ii77-2X






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