Mr. Tupper on Abolition

Hear reason, O brother hear reason and right, 
     It's better to hear than to strike;
I'm sure that, as freemen and children of light, 
     We think pretty nearly alike:
My answer is, Yes! and my answer is, No! 
     Then listen, as all of you will, 
While shortly, sincerely, and simply I show 
     My judgment, for good or for ill.

Who would not feel happy, the home of the free, 
     The star spangled flag of the brave, 
Unsoil'd by the stains of oppression to see, 
     Undimm'd by the tears of the slave ?
And who will not hope that America's name 
      (For progress the front of the van,)
Must soon be delivered from sin and from shame
     As buyer and seller of man!

Yet, who cannot fear there is peril and wrong
     In suddenly breaking the bands, 
So rusted for ages, and riveted strong, 
     On millions of manacled hands?
By wantonness, ignorance, crime and unthrift,
     Starvation, and vengeance, and sloth, 
If owner and slave cut each other adrift,
     Abolition—abolishes both!

Be just and merciful: under the laws
     The master his bargain has bought;
Unwisely you plead for humanity's cause 
     By setting that bargain at nought;
In sickness and age to be kept and be nurst—
     The slave has his privilege there,
Wherewith many loiterers liberty-curst 
     Would gladly compound for a share.

Aye, friend, if you wish to cure Africa's curse,
     Begin it at home with her chiefs,
The tithes of whose mercies is fouler and worse 
     Than all anti-slavery griefs ;
For, gently thro’ commerce, and wisely by stealth,
     In peacefulness conquering strife,
Liberia’s ??? is Africa’s health[?]
     Her hope of returning to life!

America’s bondmen! [indecipherable]
     And taught to be patient [indecipherable]
Tale this to your brothers, [indecipherable]
     The blessings of knowledge and art;
While as the bondswoman’s children ???
     No longer, for shame, let it be,
Henceforward, that any poor babe can be ????
     A slave on the soil of the Free!

These, these be the means to be righteous at end
     Which all will be glad to secure,
The slave and his master alike to befriend,
     And Africa’s weal to assure;
Abolition? Yes, yes!—it is wise, it is right,
     If prudence develop the plan;
Abolition? No, no! It is folly and blight,
     If forced on bother master and man