Their power abused! that power may soon descend:
Years, not remote, may see their glory end:—
The british power, the avaricious crown,
Pull'd every flag, hurl'd every standard down;
Columbian ships they seized on every sea,
Condemn'd those ships, nor left our sailors free.—
So long a tyrant on the watery stage,
They thought to tyrannize through every age;
They hoped all commerce to monopolize;
Europe, at sea, they affected to despise;
They laugh'd at France contending for a share
Of commerce, one would think, as free as air.
They captured most, without remorse or plea,
And grew as proud as arrogance could be.
Stung by a thousand wrongs, at length arose
The Western States, these tyrants to oppose;
With just resentment, met them on the main,
And burnt, or sunk their ships, with hosts of slain.
The blood ran black from every english heart
To see their empire from the seas depart,
To see their flag to thirteen stripes surrender,
And many an english ship made fire and tinder;
They swore, they raged; they saw, with patience spent,
Each last engagement had the same event—
What could they do? revenge inspired their breasts,
And hell's sensations seized their swelling chests.—
All to revenge, to Maryland they came,
And costly works of art assail'd with flame;
In Washington they left a dismal void,—
Poor compensation for their ships destroy'd!—
We burn, where guns their frigates poorly guard;
They burn, where scarce a gun is seen or heard!