"United Forever" (1861)
A
Patriotic Song,
As Sung with Immense Success
by
Mme. Elisa Biscaccianti
Words by T. G. Spear, Esq.
Music Composed by
G. T. Evans.

San Francisco: Gray & Herwig, No. 613 Clay Street
[Source: 200001055@LoC/IHAS/CWS]

1. Oh, wherefore that cry on the pitiless gals,
Of secession and ruin, and States in dissension?
Is the league of our fathers begining to fail?
Have their children lost sight of their godlike intention?
Has the work most divine of all hu man design
Ceased to animate men,
Or keep States from decline?
Ah no! it still lives, and forbids them to sever
Their American Freedom and Union forever!

CHORUS [sung after each VERSE]
Marching on, Marching on,
In the vanguard of nations, United forever!

2. The hearts of the People are sound to the core,
And cleave to the landmarks immortal in story,
And need but true wisdom to guide, as of yore,
When emerging from the bondage to peace and to glory;
And the great and the brave
Still command us to save
The fabric they wrought and the rights that they gave.
And onward to march, in fraternal endeavor,
For America, Freedom and Union forever—

3. Ye patriot sons of the land we adorn,
Whose sires bequeath’d us Columbia’s dominion,
Arise! and the track of this serpent explore,
That the eagle may swoop with his talon and pinion,
Till, strangled and crush’d, Secession is hush’d,
And Loyalty triumphs where Liberty blush’d,
And Harmony reigns, with fraternal endeavor
For America, Freedom and Union forever—

4. Fair Gem of the West! California, shine
In that cluster of stars, without stain of Disunion,
And never be writ on excutcheon of thine
An act that denies thee a nation’s communion.
Still hold on thy way,
As benign in thy sway
As the Evening Star on the west verge of day,
Illuming the path of fraternal endeavor
For America, Freedom and Union forever—