Page:Printed song lyrics- "The Proclamation Day," approximately 1863.jpg



Come my friend and let us sing,

Let us make the welkin ring,

For it is a glorious Celebration Day,

When one dash of Lincoln's pen,

Made Four Million Chattels, Men,

And their yoke and galling fetters wiped away.

—Hark! Hark! Hark! the Trumpet's sounding,

Hear ye the echo on the breeze?

"Ninety days and you shall be,

From your yoke of bondage free,

And may labor for just whom and where you please."

When the Rebel hordes with might,

Were preparing for the fight,

O, how gloomy was our sad condition then;

We could see no glimmering ray,

Not a cheering hope of day,

Till we saw Old Father Abraham raise his pen.

—Hark! Hark! Hark! &c.

When the rebels took their stand,

With their muskets in their hand,

And declared the Stars and Stripes should cease to wave,

Father Abraham replied,

If the Union you divide,

You shall cease to hold the Negro as a slave.

—Hark! Hark! Hark! &c.

Now we'll join the merry lay,

This is Abr'am Lincoln's day,

And we'll let the Nations know that we are free,

While this banner proudly waves,

We will never more be slaves;

O, how thankful to our God we ought to be.

—Shout! Shout! Shout! the Trumpet's sounding

"All men from bondage now are free,"

On Columbia's pleasant soil,

We no more as slaves shall toil,

Now we'll join in the general jubilee.