OF the victory won over tyrannys power, | |
Since, brethren, weve met for a glad celebration, | |
Let this we now spend be festivitys hour, | |
While we hail with acclaim the birth-day of our nation. | |
Come, friends, let us fill, | 5 |
And drinkLiberty still: | |
Its guards and its basis the whole peoples will; | |
And so long as the earth in her orbit shall roll, | |
May Americas sons own no other control! | |
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The freedom of conscience our ancestors sought, | 10 |
When oppression they spurnd and with terrors contended: | |
For their rights, when invaded, our fathers have fought, | |
And to us the rich boon, seald with blood, has descended. | |
Let each freeman then swear | |
That no fetters hell wear, | 15 |
While his heart freely beats, and he breathes the free air, | |
Nor ever, while earth in her orbit shall roll, | |
Will Americas sons bow to foreign control. | |
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See the fair fields of Europe still blasted with war, | |
And the ties, which connect man to man, torn asunder! | 20 |
In safety we view the red flame from afar, | |
And hear at a distance the burst of the thunder. | |
But should foes gather round, | |
Were on Libertys ground, | |
Too wise to be trappd, and too strong to be bound; | 25 |
Nor ever, while earth in her orbit shall roll, | |
Will Americas sons brook a foreign control. | |
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The foe of our youth marks with dread our increase; | |
Across the Atlantic with envy she glances; | |
Her witherd arm shakes, as she threatens our peace, | 30 |
Or with serpent-like cunning insidious advances. | |
But her arms we defy; | |
To her arts we reply, | |
That in Freedom we live, or for Freedom we die, | |
And never, while earth in her orbit shall roll, | 35 |
Will Americas sons bend to Britains control. | |
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Though traitors, assuming the patriots name, | |
Would guile us, our honour and rights to surrender; | |
Will freemen thus forfeit their countrys fair fame, | |
While a voice can be heard, or arm move to defend her? | 40 |
Once more let us tell, | |
That we never will sell | |
Those blessings we know how to value so well; | |
And as long as the earth in her orbit shall roll, | |
Well disdain all submission to lawless control. | 45 |
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