"All America's" (1896)
New National Hymn
Poem by John F. Cahill
Music by Emile Karst

St. Louis, MO: James Logan Printing Co.
[Source: photocopy from Scott K. Williams]

1.
GREAT GOD! PROTECT THIS GLORIUS LAND!
  Its people bless and save!
From Behring's and Superior's strand
  To south Atlantic's wave!
And from its orient seagirt isles
  To western gates of gold,
Stretch forth thy allpreserving hand.—
  Great Shepherd! guard thy fold!
Whilst o'er New England's pineclad hills
  The morning sunbeams rise,
His evening ray completes the day
  That gilds Alaska's skies!

CHORUS [sung after each verse]
Defend the glorious heritage
  'Gainst ev'ry threat'ning foe!
'Tis wisdom's light— 'tis freedom's right!
  'Tis Doctrine of Monroe!

2.
Bright land of Day! Last heir of Time!
  Heaven's light, unending, shines
From freedom's sun, through school and press,
  O'er all thy broad confines!
Columbia! Beacon of mankind!
  Thy torch through darkness rose
To safely lead each martyr'd creed
  To refuse and repose!
'Twas here the sword of WASHINGTON
   A home to freedom gave!
And here the stroke of LINCOLN'S pen
  Set free the fettered slave!

3.
Here Liberty's potential band
  Our radiant flag unfurled,
Whose stars, like that at Bethlehem,
  Brought new light to the world!
Here wisdom chartered human rights
  And valor freedom won!
Here genious filled with lightning's rays
  Our lantern's from the sun!
Hence Morse and Fulton grasped the globe
  In their all-embracing plan,
Through land and sea spread God's decree
  The brotherhood of man!

4.
Our country! mankind's cherished hope,
  And Freedom's holiest shrine!
Let every foe thy power know
  Who risks the danger line!
Aye, more-- where'er beneath the sun
  Man bears a tyrant's sway.
Oh! savior land! stretch out thy hand
  And tear his chains away!
The patriot blood of Seventy-six
  That flowed from Bunker Hill
At Yorktown broke the Briton's yoke
  And freed a nation's will!

5.
Once more, when Albion's vengeful ire
  Relit war's lurid scenes,
Her vandal deeds at Washinton
  Were venged at New Orleans!
The fires that, then, for freedom burned
  In blood of millions glow!
And now, though late, will vindicate
  The Doctrine of Monroe!
Its sea-born strains from heroes veins
  Through Neptune's realms will ply
While Barry's and Decatur's sons
  "Old Glory's" pennants fly!

6.
Here sons who clashed, like Greeks in war,
  On stormy wave and field.
United now in brotherhood
  Bear high our nation's shield!
Here enterprize to progress lends
  Invention's tireless wings;
While labor's light and labor's might
  Defy the craft of kings!
Electric nerves and psychic rays
  Bring Godlike powers near;
The race foretold by bards of old--
  "The Coming Race" is here!

7.
The Monroe Doctrine? First of Laws!
  That rose from virgin ground,
Is portal guard of Liberty
  This continent around!
Minerva-like from Zeus' brain
  Full panoplied it springs
With hair-hung sword of Damocles
  Above the heads of kings!
'Tis law supreme in nature's code!--
  Heaven bless thee, mother state!--
It makes thy Fortress more than strong--
  The Monroe-- more than great!

8.
It nerved the arm of Mexico--
  Broke Europe's dreamful spell,
Of empires, crowns and monarchies,
  When Maximillion fell!
Once freedom's aegis in the south,
  When rolls the Spanish main.
It now lights up her sacred torch
  For Cuba's sons again!
Be just!-- Fear not!-- What mortal foe--
  What sea-proud power alarms?
The brave and free are still for thee
  'Gainst all the world in arms!

9.
When Patrick Henry's burning words
  Aroused the northern ire,
The Andes from the Blue Ridge caught
  The spark of freedom's fire!
Great Bolivar first heard the cry
  That rose from Concord's slain
And Yorktown's record wrote in blood
  On Carabobo's plain!
Breathren of the generous south!--
  'Tis truth my muse inspires--
The glorious deeds of Marathon
  Were rivaled by your sires!

10.
Junin[1], Maipu[2] and Buenes Ayres,
  Where freedom's martyrs fell,
And Ayacucho[3]-- Popayan[4]--
  Of Spartan valor tell!
Americans! Republics all!
  Your glories are our own!
Through blood and tears, our brave compeers,
  Your liberties were won!
An era of fruition nears
  Presaging deeds sublime
Reserved for thee, America!
  In the fruitful womb of Time!

11.
Today, though six-score millions stron,
  No hect'ring cannons roar--
Thy message still is PEACE-- good will--
  To ev'ry distant shore!
The grander types of nobler men--
  Thy women's heart and brain
Will wrest the brand from wav'ring hand,
  And end its curs'd reign!
Thy mission is to break the sword,
  And heal its cruel scars;
And be the nation's Irenarch--
  Great conqueror of Mars!

12.
'Tis thus the prophecies of old
  Fulfillment here will find,
And Justice be, through Liberty,
  The Umpire of mankind!
Jehovah! Builder of the spheres!
  This New World Thou didst plan
Where Love and Freedom shall restore
  Lost Pardise to man!
Great Father! then, with fost'ring care,
  To glory's summit lead
America-- Thy chosen Land,
  Where God in Man is creed!

[1] Hoo-nin'.  [2] My-poo'.  [3] Lyah-koo'-cho.  [4] Po-pi-yan'.