. The history of Springfield in Massachusetts, for the young; being also in some part the history of other towns and cities in the county of Hampden. try, the clashing blade; And ever and anon, in tones of thunder,The diapason of the cannonade. Is it, O man, with such discordant noises,With such accursed instruments as these, Thou drownest Natures sweet and kindly voices,And jarrest the celestial harmonies? Were half the power, that fills the world with terror,Were half the wealth, bestowed on camps and courts. Given to redeem the human mind from error,There were no need of arsenals nor forts;
. The history of Springfield in Massachusetts, for the young; being also in some part the history of other towns and cities in the county of Hampden. try, the clashing blade; And ever and anon, in tones of thunder,The diapason of the cannonade. Is it, O man, with such discordant noises,With such accursed instruments as these, Thou drownest Natures sweet and kindly voices,And jarrest the celestial harmonies? Were half the power, that fills the world with terror,Were half the wealth, bestowed on camps and courts. Given to redeem the human mind from error,There were no need of arsenals nor forts; The warriors name would be a name abhorred! And every nation, that should lift againIts hand against a brother, on its forehead Would wear forevermore the curse of Cain! Down the dark future, through long echoing sounds grow fainter and then cease; And like a bell, with solemn, sweet vibrations,I hear once more the voice of Christ say,Peace! Peace! and no longer from its brazen portalsThe blast of Wars great organ shakes the skies! But beautiful as songs of the immortalsThe holy melodies of love arise. —Longfellow, 1807-1882. ./ i\ \ Entrance to Springfield over the Old Toll Bridge. CHAPTER IX. THE NEW CITY.—ANTI-SLAVERY.—THE CIVIL WAR. WE have now come to the year 1852. As the new worldreckons youth and age, Springfield was no longeryoung. With age had come numbers; the populationhad reached 12,000 and the town was already not only amother of towns, but a grandmother. The size of the popula-tion made necessary a change in the method of over two hundred years the voters had all met togetherfor the town business, gathering first under some tree, thenin some private house, next in the meeting-house and last inthe town hall on State street. At first the settlement wascalled a plantation, for this is all it was, a tract of plantedground in a wilderness and surrounded by wild beasts andIndians. This word had long been replaced by the word 132 HI
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