Liberty Tree

Foner introduction:

This stirring song was printed in the Pennsylvania Evening Post of September 16, 1775. The last stanza was a definite forecast of Common Sense inasmuch as it openly blamed the king as well as Parliament for the oppressive measures imposed upon the American people.

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Printed in the Pennsylvania Magazine, July, 1775.

A SONG, WRITTEN EARLY IN THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

Tune-The gods of Greece.

IN a chariot of light, from the regions of day,

The Goddess of Liberty came,

Ten thousand celestials directed her way,

And hither conducted the dame.

A fair budding branch from the gardens above,

Where millions with millions agree,

She brought in her hand as a pledge of her love,

And the plant she named Liberty Tree.

The celestial exotic stuck deep in the ground,

Like a native it flourished and bore;

The fame of its fruit drew the nations around,

To seek out this peaceable shore.

Unmindful of names or distinctions they came,

For freemen like brothers agree;

With one spirit endued, they one friendship pursued,

And their temple was Liberty Tree.

Beneath this fair tree, like the patriarchs of old,

Their bread in contentment they ate,

Unvexed with the troubles of silver or gold,

The cares of the grand and the great.

With timber and tar they Old England supplied,

And supported her power on the sea:

Her battles they fought, without getting a groat,

For the honor of Liberty Tree.

But hear, O ye swains (’tis a tale most profane),

How all the tyrannical powers,

Kings, Commons, and Lords, are uniting amain

To cut down this guardian of ours.

From the East to the West blow the trumpet to arms,

Thro’ the land let the sound of it flee :

Let the far and the near all unite with a cheer,

In defense of our Liberty Tree.