'Twas his ambition, generous and great
A life to life's great end to consecrate.

'Twas his ambition, generous and great
A life to life's great end to consecrate.

O Washington! thrice glorious name,
What due rewards can man decree--
Empires are far below thy aim,
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O Washington! thrice glorious name,
What due rewards can man decree--
Empires are far below thy aim,
And scepters have no charms for thee;
Virtue alone has your regards,
And she must be your great reward.

The purely Great
Whose soul no siren passion could unsphere,
Thou nameless, now a power and mixed read more

The purely Great
Whose soul no siren passion could unsphere,
Thou nameless, now a power and mixed with fate.

Since ancient Time began,
Ever on some great soul God laid an infinite burden--
The weight of read more

Since ancient Time began,
Ever on some great soul God laid an infinite burden--
The weight of all this world, the hopes of man,
Conflict and pain, and fame immortal are his guerdon.

Where may the wearied eye repose,
When gazing on the Great;
Where neither guilty glory glows,
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Where may the wearied eye repose,
When gazing on the Great;
Where neither guilty glory glows,
Nor despicable state?
Yes--one the first, the last, the best,
The Cincinnatus of the West
Whom envy dared not hate,
Bequeathed the name of Washington
To make man blush; there was but one.

Our common Father and Deliverer, to whose prudence, wisdom and
valour we owe our Peace, Liberty and Safety, now read more

Our common Father and Deliverer, to whose prudence, wisdom and
valour we owe our Peace, Liberty and Safety, now leads and
directs in the great councils of the nation . . . and now we
celebrate an independent Government--an original Constitution!
an independent Legislature, at the head of which we this day
celebrate, The Father of his Country--We celebrate Washington!
We celebrate an independent Empire!

Simple and brave, his faith awoke
Ploughmen to struggle with their fate;
Armies won battles when he read more

Simple and brave, his faith awoke
Ploughmen to struggle with their fate;
Armies won battles when he spoke,
And out of Chaos sprang the state.

His work well done, the leader stepped aside
Spurning a crown with more than kingly pride.
Content read more

His work well done, the leader stepped aside
Spurning a crown with more than kingly pride.
Content to wear the higher crown of worth,
While time endures, "First citizen of earth."

There's a star in the West that shall never go down
Till the records of Valour decay,
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There's a star in the West that shall never go down
Till the records of Valour decay,
We must worship its light though it is not our own,
For liberty burst in its ray.
Shall the name of a Washington ever be heard
By a freeman, and thrill not his breast?
Is there one out of bondage that hails not the word,
As a Bethlehem Star of the West?