The Republican Festival[120]

In Compliment to Colonel Munroe, on his return to America, 1797

As late at a feast that she gave to Munroe, Her mark of attention to show, Young liberty gave her libations to flow, To honor where honor is due.

Return'd from the country that trampled on crowns Where high in opinion he stood, Dark malace attack'd him, with sneers, and with frowns, But he met the applause of the good.

To the Knight of the Sceptre unwelcome he came But freedom his merit confess'd-- He look'd at their malice, and saw it was fame, And pity forgave them the rest.

Good humor, and pleasure, and friendship did join, And reason the pleasure increased; And the hero, who captured the British Burgoyne, Presided and honor'd the feast.

On a broomstick from hell, with a quill in his hand, Baal-Zephou came riding the air; He look'd, and he saw that among the whole band Not a single apostate was there.

Disappointed, he sigh'd, but still hover'd about Till the toasts, with a vengeance, began-- He met the first four; when the next they gave out[A] To his cavern he fled back again.

[A] Public censure, arm'd with the spear of Ithurial: may it discover the demons of tyranny, wherever they lurk, and pursue them to their native obscurity.--Freneau's note.

In liberty's temple, the petulant cur Could see not a man but he hates; With a curse on her cause, and a sneer, and a spur He fled from the frown of a Gates.

From the edition of 1815. Monroe was United States Minister to France from May, 1794, until August, 1796, when he was recalled for lack of sympathy with the administration. He did not arrive in America until the following year. He was loudly hailed by the Republican forces, and a dinner was arranged for him in Philadelphia over which General Gates presided and at which Jefferson, the Vice President, Dayton, the Speaker, McKean, the Chief Justice, and many others conspicuous in the government were present.