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The freedom of Labor, the freedom of Speech,

Is the gift of the nation, to all and to each;

While, to worship his God, in the way he may choose,

Is secured by law, to both Gentiles and Jews.

A plow-boy may rise to the highest position,

And sanctify effort in every condition.

Truth, virtue, and knowledge, with science and art,

Each ply their vocation, some gift to impart,

That all may contribute, each one in his measure,

A tithe of his wealth to the national treasure.

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He entered the Temple, a thief in disguise,

And he glared on the treasure, with envious eyes;

He flew at Free Labor, with terrible spite,

And thought to destroy its charms with a bite;

With the jaws of Oppression he snapped quick and fast,

And Slavery's poison around him he cast;

Free speech, nor free press, nor a free institution,

Escaped the vile curse of the creature's pollution;

So the Rat he grew fat on the plenty around him,

And thought he had triumphed: the rascal! confound him!

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Some said that it was not a Rat, they were sure,

But an angel of mercy, to comfort God's poor—

Sent hither, by Heaven, to do its decrees,

And serve the exclusives, the great F. F. Y. V.;

But the Cat declared plainly, with old-fashioned truth,

That he knew 'twas a rat, by its venomous tooth;

He had seen it in Egypt, in England and France,

Yea, all o'er the world it had led him a dance;

And now, having found him again on his track,

Out! out! went his claws, and up! up! went his back;

His hairs stood like bristles, and he wag'd his huge tail,

As a farmer swings round him his old-fashioned flail;

One bound and one grip, and the Rat was "non est,"

For Tabby too tightly his throttle had pressed!

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A quarrelsome, snarling, aristocrat cur,

'Way down in the South, you may safely infer,

Disgusted with Tabby, now raised quite a fuss,

And blustered and swore he would kick up a muss;

He foamed at the mouth, and he shouted "Secession!"

Till curdom reechoed the hateful expression.

At length so excited the whiffet became,

It was thought by his friends that the dog was insane!

But, when he saw pussy his rage knew no limit;

It drove him stark mad in the very same minute;

He vowed with the shackles of Slavery to bind her,

And worried the Cat wheresoe'er he could find her.

Nay, more: in his madness, with fire and with sword,

He swore not to stop till the last drop was