A poem, on reading president Washington's address, declining a re-election to the presidency. (Written in October, 1796.) / By S.J.H. Esquire, one of the federal electors of the state of New-York,[.]

A poem, on reading president Washington's address, declining a re-election to the presidency. (Written in October, 1796.) / By S.J.H. Esquire, one of the federal electors of the state of New-York,[.]

Table of contents

Title page

A POEM.

[Page]

A POEM.

AS the rude Zemblian views with anxious eyes

The sun fast rolling from his wintry skies,

While gathering clouds the shaded vaults deform,

And hollow winds announce the impending storm,

His anguish'd soul recoils with wild affright,

From the dread horrors of the tedious night;

Such fears alarm'd—such gloom o'ercast each mind,

When WASHINGTON his sacred trust resign'd,

And open'd to his much lov'd country's view,

The instructive page which bid the long adieu.

So erst Nunnides, of prophetic tongue,

Chief, victor, seer, to Juda's list'ning throng,

Gave his last blessings: So long ages since,

Mild Solon and the stern Laconian prince,

[Page] Those boasts of fame, their parting counsels gave,

When worn with toil they sought the peaceful grave.

COLUMBIANS! long preserve that peerless page,

Stamp'd with the precepts of your warrior-sage;

In all your archives be the gift enroll'd,

Suspend it to your walls encas'd in gold;

Bid schools recite it, let the priestly train

Chant it on festal days, nor deem the task profane;

When round your knees your infant offspring throng,

To join the matin prayer or evening song,

Those rites perform'd, invite them to attend

The farewel counsels of their good old friend,

And say, he left you, as his last bequest,

These golden rules to make a nation blest.

O land, thrice blest, if to thy interest wise,

Thy Senates learn this precious boon to prize;

While guilty Europe's blood-stain'd empires fall,

While Heaven incens'd, lets loose the infuriate Gaul,

Thy States in phalanx firm, a sacred band,

Safe from the mighty wreck, unmov'd shall stand:

But if—may Heaven avert that shameful day!

By base intrigues or factions led astray,

With servile fondness for some foreign state,

[Page] We join their quarrels and espouse their hate,

Thenceforth farewel to dignity and fame,

For Independence dwindles to a name.

Would those who counsel kings these rules attend,

Romantic wish! for kings have ne'er a friend:

But were these rules on royal minds impress'd,

Monarchs might reign, and subjects would be blest;

Dantons and Robespierres had died unknown,

And the mild CAPET still had grac'd a throne,

Behold the man! ye crown'd and ermin'd train,

And learn from him the royal art to reign:

No guards surround him, or his walks infest,

No cuirass meanly shields his noble breast;

His the defence which despots ne'er can find,

The love, the prayers, the interests of mankind.

Ask ye what spoils his far fam'd arms have won,

What cities sack'd, what hapless realms undone?

Tho' MONMOUTH'S field supports no vulgar fame,

Tho' captur'd YORK shall long preserve his name,

I quote not these—a nobler scene behold,

Wide cultur'd plains, fast ripening into gold!

There, as his toil, the cheerful peasant plies,

New marts are opening, and new spires arise;

Here commerce smiles, and there en groupe are seen,

[Page] The useful arts, and those of sprightlier mein:

To cheer the whole, the Muses tune the lyre,

And INDEPENDENCE leads the white rob'd choir.

Trophies like these, to vulgar minds unknown,

Were sought and priz'd by WASHINGTON alone.

From these, with all his country's honors crown'd,

As sage in councils as in arms renown'd;

All of a piece, and faithful to the last,

Great in this action as in all the past,

He turns—and urges as his last request,

Remote from power, his weary head to rest.

ILLUSTRIOUS MAN, Adieu!—yet ere we part,

Forgive our factions, which have wrung thy heart;

Still with indulgent eyes thy country see,

Whose ceaseless prayers ascend the Heavens for Thee,

Go, midst the shades of tranquil VERNON stray,

In vain attempt to shun the piercing ray

Of circumambient glory, till refin'd

All that could clog to earth the heaven-lent mind,

Then soar triumphant to the blest abodes,

And join those Chiefs whom virtue rais'd to GODS.

YE who have fought in Freedom's sacred cause,

[Page] Who grace our Senates, or expound our laws,

Freemen, who deem your country's honors dear,

Indulge the Muse, and lend a patient ear:

Say, if on you the rights of suffrage wait,

Whom hail we next as FATHER of the STATE?

To each hath Heaven peculiar gifts assign'd,

And men, like stars, to certain spheres confin'd;

In paths excentric few allow'd to stray,

Drawing a splendid train and bright'ning all the way.

Saturnine souls, who think and move by rule,

Excel in grave debate, and reasonings cool;

Impetuous minds, of more impassion'd form,

"Ride in the whirlwind and direct the storm."

Hence these in councils, those in arms excel,

But few indeed are those who govern well;

For in his breast who sways the rod of state,

Must centre ev'ry gift supremely great:

And as the stars which gild the vault of night,

Unnumber'd pour effulgence on the sight,

So Chiefs and Senators in crowds abound,

But rare as comets Washington's are found.

Is there a man thro' thrice ten years well tried,

Who ne'er has crouch'd or meanly chang'd his side,

[Page] Ardent and foremost in his country's cause,

The friend of order and of equal laws,

Who views with stern contempt a clam'rous throng?

Strife in their heart, and freedom on their tongue;

A whiffling tribe who at their leader's nod,

Would sell their souls, their country or their GOD;

Who, had they liv'd in Jove's impartial reign,

Had join'd the giants, and enthron'd a Paine.

Is there a man, in whose capacious mind,

A MURRAY, LOCKE and CHATHAM live combin'd;

Who joins to all that men or books have taught,

The fire of genius and the force of thought?

Is there a man, who in these changeful days,

Unaw'd by censure, unallur'd by praise,

True to his aim, and obstinately good,

While factions rag'd, unmov'd as Atlas stood?

Whose ancient virtues Stoics might revere,

And Rome reviv'd, behold her Censor here;

Such, as ere Grecian spoils her temples grac'd,

And solid virtue sunk to attic taste.

Should such a man preside the land were blest—

Advert your eyes, and ADAMS stands confest.

Fir'd at the name, enraptur'd fancy flies,

Old time rolls back, and years long past arise;

To memory fresh unfolds the solemn scene,

[Page] Columbia's Sires in high Divan convene,

Of dread concerns, commission'd to consult,

And chains or empires wait the grand result:

Full in the front I see the Patriot stand,

All fire his eye, all energy his hand—

Such graceful majesty round Tully shone,

When Rome's proud master trembled on his throne.

"Ye guardian powers of eloquence divine,

"Prepare each soul to grasp the grand design!

"Inspire my tongue the glorious cause to plead,

"Impel each hand to sign the deathless deed"—

He ceas'd—Assent remurmur'd thro' the throng,

"While INDEPENDENCE thunder'd from his tongue."

FINIS.

§

§

[Page]

[Page]

A POEM, ON READING President WASHINGTON'S Address, DECLINING A Re-Election to the PRESIDENCY. [WRITTEN IN OCTOBER, 1796.]

By S. J. H. ESQUIRE, ONE OF THE FEDERAL ELECTORS of the STATE of NEW-YORK,

ALBANY: Printed by CHARLES R. and GEORGE WEBSTER, AT THEIR BOOKSTORE, In the White House, corner of State and Pearl-Streets.

Information about this book

Title statement

A poem, on reading president Washington's address, declining a re-election to the presidency. (Written in October, 1796.) / By S.J.H. Esquire, one of the federal electors of the state of New-York,[.]

Honeywood, St. John, 1763-1798.

Publication

Publisher

Text Creation Partnership,

Place of publication

Ann Arbor, MI :

Date

2011-05.

ID [DLPS]

N23136

ID [TCP]

N23136

ID [STC]

Evans 30579

ID [NOTIS]

APV5702

ID [IMAGE-SET]

30579

ID [EVANS-CITATION]

99001113

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Series

Early American Imprints, 1639-1800 ; no. 30579.

Notes

(Evans-TCP ; no. N23136)

Transcribed from: (Readex Archive of Americana ; Early American Imprints, series I ; image set 30579)

Images scanned from Readex microprint and microform: (Early American imprints. First series ; no. 30579)

Source

— A poem, on reading president Washington's address, declining a re-election to the presidency. (Written in October, 1796.) / By S.J.H. Esquire, one of the federal electors of the state of New-York,[.], Honeywood, St. John, 1763-1798..

Extent

8 p.

Printed by Charles R. and George Webster, at their bookstore, in the white house, corner of State and Pearl-Streets.,. Albany: :: [1796]. (By St. John Honeywood.) (Parentheses substituted for square brackets enclosing "Written in October, 1796." in title transcription.)

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