ADAMS AND LIBERTY

words by Thomas Paine, 1798 tune "Anacreontic Song"

Ye sons of Columbia, who bravely have fought,
For those rights which unstaine'd from your Sires had decended,
May you long taste the blessings your valor has bought,
And the sons reap the soil, which your fathers defended.
Mid the reign of mild peace,
May your nation increase,
With the glory of Rome, and the wisdom of Greece
And ne'er may the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

In a clime, whose rich vales feed the marts of the world,
Whose shores are unshaken by Europe's commotion
The Trident of Commerce should never be hurl'd,
To incense the legitimate powers of the ocean.
But should Pirates invade
Though in thunder array'd,
Let your cannon declare the free charter of Trade.
For ne'er may the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

The fame of our arms, of our laws the mild sway,
Had justly ennobled our nation in story,
Till the dark clouds of Faction obscur'd our young day.
And envelop'd the sun of American glory.
But let Traitors be told,
Who their Country have sold,
And barter'd their God, for his image in gold.
That ne'er will the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

While France her huge limbs bathes rucumbent in blood,
And society's base threats with wide dissolution;
May Peace, like the Dove, who return'd from the flood,
Find an Ark of abode in our mild Constitution!
But though Peace is our aim,
Yet the boon we disclaim,
If bought by our Sov'reignty, Justice or Fame.
For ne'er shall the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

"Tis the fire of the flint, each American warms;
Let Rome's haughty victors beware of collision!
Let them bring all the vassals of Europe in arms,
We're a WORLD by ourselves, and disdain a division!
While, with patriot pride,
To our Laws we're allied,
No foe can subdue us - no faction divide.
For ne'er shall the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

Our mountains are crown'd with imperial Oak
Whose roots, like our Liberties, ages have nourish'd;
But long ere our nation submits to the yoke,
Not a tree shall be left on the field where it flourish'd.
Should invasion impend.
Every grove would defend
From the hill-tops they shaded, our shores to defend.
For ne'er shall the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

Let our Patriots destroy Anarch's pestilent worm,
Lest our Liberty's growth should be check'd by corrosion;
Then let clouds thicken round us, we heed not the storm;
Our realm fears no shock, but the earth's own explosion,
Foes avail us in vain
Though their fleets bridge the main,
For our alters and laws with our lives we'll maintain!
And ne'er shall the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

Should the Tempest of War overshadow the land,
Its bolts could ne'er rend Freedom's temple assunder
For, unmoved, at its portal, would WASHINGTON stand,
And repulse, with his Breast, the assaults of the Thunder!
His sword, from the sleep
Of its scabbard, would leap,
And conduct, with its point, every slash to the deep,
For ne'er shall the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

Let Fame to the world sound America's voice;
No Intrigue can her sons from their Government sever;
Her Pride is her ADAMS - his Laws are her Choice,
And shall flourish, till Liberty slumber forever!
Then unite, heart and hand,
Like Leonidas' band,
And swear to the God of the ocean and land,
That ne'er shall the sons of Columbia be slaves,
While the earth bears a plant, or the sea rolls its waves.

This song was one of the most popular of 1798, second only to "Hail Columbia". The Thomas Paine who wrote these words is not the same Thomas Paine who wrote "Common Sense" This T Paine was commissioned by the Massachusetts Charitable Fire Society. It is reported that he may have had a drinking problem. Perhaps that helps fit the words to the tune. He also got $750 for the song, no small amount in those days. Sigmund Spaeth describes him as "the most handsomely paid literary hack of his day." Spaeth also suggests that this song was one of the earliest reasons that political meetings became so long. In 1828 essentially the same song was recycled under the title "Adams and Clay" with the substitution of the couplet:

With hearts tuned to rapture, let's hail this bright day,
Beneath the bland influence of Adams and Clay.

rich r