Equal justice, right and law, Sign of a nation, great and strong Hats off! Along the street there comes A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums; Hats off! The flag is passing by! DEAR LAND OF ALL MY LOVE1 SIDNEY LANIER Sidney Lanier (1842-1881) lived to produce only a small body of poetry, but one notable for rich melody and spiritual intensity. In spite of ill health and distracting duties he attained high place as a poet. It was in April, 1861, that Lanier entered the Confederate Army. In 1863 he was captured, and spent five months in prison before being exchanged. Then with his precious flute and a twentydollar gold piece found in his pocket when he was captured, the poet turned homeward, to resume once more his literary pursuits. The stanza below is from the cantata set to music by Dudley Buck and sung at the Centennial Exposition in 1 From Poems by Sidney Lanier. Charles Scribner's Sons. Used by permission. 1876. After the rendition of Lanier's work President Grant declared the Exposition open, and from the first great crowds were in attendance. These are the words of the Good Angel in reply to the Chorus questioning in regard to the future of America. LONG as thine Art shall love true love, INAUGURATION DAYT RICHARD WATSON GILDER The first inauguration day was Thursday, April 30, 1789, the ceremonies taking place in the old Federal Hall, New York City, the first capital of the United States. A few months later, Philadelphia, then the most important city in the Union, became the seat of our government. But ten years later another change seemed necessary. In the autumn of that year the District of Columbia was created, with the new capital, Washington, as the permanent home of our governmental departments. Jefferson was the first president to be inaugurated in Washington, March 4 having been set by an act of Congress as the legal inauguration day. 1 From The Complete Poetical Works of Richard Watson Gilder. Used by permission of Rodman Gilder, and by special arrangement with Houghton Mifflin Company. ON THIS great day a child of time and fate Tho' heavy-burdened shall his heart rejoice, Dowered with a nation's faith, an empire's choice. Who hath no strength but that the people give, On this one day, this, this, is their one man, Whose people are his brothers, fathers, sons: Whose power is mightier than the mightiest crown, Because that soon he lays that power down. Whose wish, linked to the people's, shall exceed Whose voice, in friendship or in warning heard, Brings to the nations a free people's word; And, where the oppressed out of the darkness grope, 'Tis as the voice of freedom and of hope. Oh, pray that he may rightly rule the state, LIBERTY ENLIGHTENING THE WORLD1 EDMUND CLARENCE STEDMAN Edmund Clarence Stedman (1833-1908), though best known as a poet and literary critic, was also a successful man of business. He aided in the construction and financing of the first Pacific railway, and was for many years an active member of the New York Stock Exchange. The present poem refers to the Bartholdi statue, a gift to America from the people of France, which was unveiled on Bedloe's Island, New York Harbor, October 28, 1886. WARDER at ocean's gate, Thy feet on sea and shore, When time shall be no more! "My name is Liberty! At ocean's gate I stand 1 From The Complete Poetical Works of Edmund Clarence Stedman. Used by permission of, and by special arrangement with, Houghton Mifflin Company. "The dark Earth lay in sleep, Her children crouched forlorn, Ere on the western steep I sprang to height, reborn: Then with a joyous shout The quickened lands gave out, And all the choir of morn Sang anthems deep. "Beneath yon firmament, The New World to the Old My sword and summons sent, My azure flag unrolled: The Old World's hands renew Their strength; the form ye view Came from a living mould In glory blent. "O ye, whose broken spars Across your pathway set; "But ye that hither draw To desecrate my fee, |