Joshua King Ingalls, “Address to Commonwealers,” The Twentieth Century, XIII, 2 (July 12, 1894), 11.
ADDRESS TO COMMONWEALERS
BY J. K. INGALLS.
Hirelings who for gold have bled!
Voters to polls by bosses led!
Toilers, begging “work or bread,”
Strike for
Now’s the day and now’s the hour!
Cease to court the oppressors’ power!
Who threaten, bribe, while they devour
Your fruits of industry.
Decline their deal the ballot box
Their “leaden diet” cartridge box!
Detective trick and brutal knocks!
Brave thought against them try!
In no “god of battles trust!”
Give nor take what is not just!
And only die, when die you must,
As man for man should die!
Will ye to war where robbery thrives?
Take sides to spill each other’s lives?
Forswear all hate! “’tis hell that drives!”
Sans reason, right or ruth.
Who dare not shoot or vote for right,
For fame or gold will vote or fight.
Illume their minds, by spreading light!
And conquer with the truth!
Work no more for wage of gold!
Join no bands of brigands bold!
Co-operate, just sharing hold,
With workers everyone!
Refuse to shackle toiling hands!
Ignore all deed to unused lands!
Take life nor home, whoe’er commands!
See only justice done!
Keep ever in a peaceful mood!
Seek no more each other’s blood!
Rightful act and word of good,
Alone can make you free.
Who compromise with wrong ne’er makes:
But spurns the bribe the hireling takes,
Who ne’er humanity forsakes;
Him let your leader be!
This is pretty clearly meant to be sung to the tune of “Scots wha’ hae wi’ Wallace bled,” since the lyrics are closely similar.