University of Virginia Library

[There once was a Copperhead snake tried to bite Uncle Sam by mistake]

There once was a Copperhead snake tried to bite Uncle Sam by mistake;
But the Seven League Boot on old Uncle Sam's foot
Soon crushed this pestiferous snake.

[A soldier came back from the war, with many an honorable scar]

A soldier came back from the war, with many an honorable scar;
But the Copperheads cried, “Served you right if you'd died
In this curst Abolitionist war!”

[The old Tory dragon is dead, but she left us some eggs in her stead]

The old Tory dragon is dead, but she left us some eggs in her stead;
Two were smashed in the yolk, but the third hatched and broke.
And out came a vile Copperhead.

[There was once a young giant asleep, and round him two serpents did creep]

There was once a young giant asleep, and round him two serpents did creep;
But he stopped their vile breath, and squeezed them to death,
This giant aroused from his sleep.

[There once was a Copperhead vile, who attempted to damage a file]

There once was a Copperhead vile, who attempted to damage a file,
So he tried it in truth, but soon broke every tooth
On that rusty and crusty Old File.

[There was an old Snake in New York said for peace all the people should work]

There was an old Snake in New York said for peace all the people should work;
“But if war must come, let us fight here at home!!”
Quoth sanguiloquent Ben of New York.

[There once was a chap named Vallandigham, whom the Copperheads chose for commanding 'em]

There once was a chap named Vallandigham, whom the Copperheads chose for commanding 'em;
But a trip to the South soon silenced his mouth,
And the world as a Tory is branding him.

[With War Democrats Seymour's for war; with Peace cowards for peace he'll hurrah]

With War Democrats Seymour's for war; with Peace cowards for peace he'll hurrah;
Let him get in the way of the mower some day,
And he'll find there's no quibbling with war.

[The Copperhead lotterie hath a curious policie]

The Copperhead lotterie hath a curious policie;
For a man of low rank can draw naught save a blank,
Unless an accomplice he be.

[There once was a twistified Reed, who took for his pattern Snake-Weed]

There once was a twistified Reed, who took for his pattern Snake-Weed;
Till the Copperheads all, great, middling, and small,
Seemed straight by the side of this Reed.

[There's a character very well known, Who bubbles for ages has blown]

There's a character very well known, Who bubbles for ages has blown;
But the best he has made since at bubbling he played,
From a Copperhead pipe have been thrown.

[Copper stocks are uncertain to buy, though this Copperhead's stock's very high]

Copper stocks are uncertain to buy, though this Copperhead's stock's very high;
But we still might improve this stock of his love,
By adding the right sort of tie.

[There was an old War Horse, a clerical, who thought our Republic chimerical]

There was an old War Horse, a clerical, who thought our Republic chimerical;
“For the Union,” he said, “he never had prayed,”
This mordacious old War Horse cholerical.

[The abominable Copperhead worms! With their wriggles, and twists, and their squirms]

The abominable Copperhead worms! With their wriggles, and twists, and their squirms!
But the gardener, they say, will soon find out a way
To kill the vile Copperhead worms.

[There was a Stern Statesman astute, who so often went in to recruit]

There was a Stern Statesman astute, who so often went in to recruit,
That a Rattlesnake fat revolved in his hat,
While a Copperhead squirmed in his boot.

[The traitor our Common Cents mars, And on Liberty plainly he wars]

The traitor our Common Cents mars, And on Liberty plainly he wars,
Taking Freedom away from the Union, I say,
When he cuts out her head from the stars.

[While it did us great harm, Abolition was the height of the Lion's ambition]

While it did us great harm, Abolition was the height of the Lion's ambition;
Now with Copperhead tale he stings himself pale,
And furaciously scorns Abolition.

[To show Union, a fagot we take; But 'twould be a tremendous mistake]

To show Union, a fagot we take; But 'twould be a tremendous mistake,
To use rotten old Wood which never was good,
And then bind it up with a Snake.

[There once was a Patriot whose rigor reached such a remarkable figure]

There once was a Patriot whose rigor reached such a remarkable figure,
That he'd rather go down in the water and drown
Than be saved by the help of a nigger.

[There once were some rascals near Reading thought fighting was easy as wedding]

There once were some rascals near Reading thought fighting was easy as wedding;
But being well kicked, and most terribly licked,
They mournfully mizzled from Reading.

[There once was an old party- Wall, quite cracked and just ready to fall]

There once was an old party-Wall, quite cracked and just ready to fall;
The Copperheads came and completed its shame
By sticking their Bills on this Wall.

[There once was a bottle of Porter, which the Copperheads thought was all water]

There once was a bottle of Porter, which the Copperheads thought was all water;
But when the cork popped, the Copperheads dropped,
And were stunned by the vim of the Porter!

[There once was a Snake who said “Hey! There's an Eagle I'll take for my prey!”]

There once was a Snake who said “Hey! There's an Eagle I'll take for my prey!”
But the bird with his bill did the Copperhead kill,
And bore him in triumph away.

[The Copperhead traitors all, our army “base hirelings” call]

The Copperhead traitors all, our army “base hirelings” call!
But some fine summer day The “boys,” just for play,
Will settle the Copperheads all.
Amen!

Gotham-mites.

[“I like such Brooks,” said Falstaff once]

“I like such Brooks,” said Falstaff once;
Had he meant ours he'd been a dunce;
The devil, whom all things evil please,
Could never stand such Brooks as these.

[In the Tyrol on mountain high]

In the Tyrol on mountain high
“The Devil's Marble” you may spy;
And if in the World you long remain,
You'll probably meet the same again.

[Och, Johnny, my gun—let the truth be sid]

Och, Johnny, my gun—let the truth be sid,
What the divil made ye turn Copperhid?
Sure it was hivvy what ye bore,
Wid the brass in your face yees had before.

[There's a song how Old Nick took a journey]

There's a song how Old Nick took a journey,
With a corporation attorney;
But there is one fouler, whom even the old prowler
Would fear as a friend on a journey.

[“The man who made that order,” said]

[At a Copperhead meeting the crier]

At a Copperhead meeting the crier
Paused an instant to hear his gun fire;
The cannon was loaded, and when it exploded,
Said he—“List to the voice of our sire!”

[There was old party named M---]

There was old party named M---,
Who went from bad doctrines to worse.
If at law he should see his name prefaced by re,
It will show what he should feel; this M---.

[There was a small Cozening shyster;]

There was a small Cozening shyster;
Said he, “Every case is an eyester;
Give the parties the shells if you can, and nought else,
Unless the Court tips you a hi-ster.”

[There's a man at the Bar who, we know]

There's a man at the Bar who, we know,
Is in politics terribly low;
For he keeps in the clubs the secessional cubs,
Who in propria persona can't go.

[There's a very bad-minis-trator]

There's a very bad-minis-trator,
A tres petite pomme de tater,
Who tears feelings to rags, presenting of flags;
This oily old adminis-traitor.

[There's a wide-awake Copperhead cratur']

There's a wide-awake Copperhead cratur',
Who is Eli by name and by natur';
Displaying for one neither fashion nor ton,
This un-national nativist traitor.

Checker-Boarders and Keystoners.

[There was an old person, J. B.]

There was an old person, J. B.,
An old Public Func-tion-arie;
When they swore, “We'll secede!” he just smiled, “I'm agreed,
“You've a sure friend, you know, in J. B.

[There was a smart lawyer named W---]

There was a smart lawyer named W---
Who from Union men made quite a fortun';
But his wealth he despised, with Secesh fraternized,
This apo-state-olical W---.

[There was a twistortulous Reed]

There was a twistortulous Reed,
Who hoped that Secesh might succeed;
For he said, “It's my natur' to act like a traitor,
Since it runs in the joints of a Reed.”

[There once was a Copperhead Diddle]

There once was a Copperhead Diddle,
Who played to the Reed second fiddle;
When they said, “It is small!” it replied, “not at all,
It's a full-blooded Copperhead Diddle!”

[There was an ex-governing Wiggler]

There was an ex-governing Wiggler,
A political huckster and higgler;
Says he, “I ain't dead—as a live Copperhead
I'm a squirmulous vermiform Wriggler.”

[There was an old servant called Peter]

There was an old servant called Peter,
So moody in humor and feature
Because the good people from the church with a steeple
Expelled this old saturnine Peter.

[There was a sharp lawyer, one P---]

There was a sharp lawyer, one P---,
Whose thoughts never got through his still lips;
And all he would say was “ah!” “h'm!” “oh!” and “ay!”
This pauciloquent person named P---.

[There was a neat sarpent—a Coiler]

There was a neat sarpent—a Coiler—
True son of the ancient Beguiler;
Who told such a whopper, he burst out his copper,
And frightfully fractured his biler.

[Quoth “Aristocracy”]

Quoth “Aristocracy”
To Fourth Ward “Vulgarity,”
“You are dregs, I am froth; and our interests both
Are opposed to this working, d'ye see!”

Checker-Boarders and Keystoners

[There was an ex-editor, L---]

There was an ex-editor, L---,
Who rowed in the Courier punt,
But to twist around more, he jumped out on the shore,
That contortious poetical L---.

[Oh G--- T--- C--- was one]

Oh G--- T--- C--- was one
Who thought himself quite a great gun;
So Treason he shouted, “Constitution” he spouted,
But Boston grew hot for such “Union Men”—so
He herds in New York with Fernando & Co.

[To the cause of his country adverse]

To the cause of his country adverse,
Is the man whom all honest men curse.
Do you ask what's his name? oh, ne'er believe Fame,
If it be not Ex-President Pierce.

[In Eighteen Hundred and Fifty-Six]

In Eighteen Hundred and Fifty-Six,
A poet, disgusted with Pierce's tricks,
Said that he down to the dust should go,
To grovel there in infamy low.
And in Eighteen Hundred and Sixty-Three,
The prophecy came to pass, I see,
Since in the dust and on the ground,
As a Copperhead Pierce goes squirming round.
What a pity that Joshua D.
A good Insolvency lawyer should be,
Yet cannot, in politics, as we see,
Keep his own good name from bankruptcie!

[John C. passes, now and then]

John C. passes, now and then,
For one of Boston's League-al men.
Mistake me not—he doth intrigue
With the Liquor—not the Union—League!

[Gamblers, Wood-ites, thieves, and asses]

Gamblers, Wood-ites, thieves, and asses,
Scrapings of the dangerous classes,
Pettifoggers malign, but weak,
Who dare not fight and cannot speak;
Trash which the war-tide rolling high
Has cast ashore in scorn to dry;
“Aristocrats” who fear to wage
Brave battle in a stirring age,
As did their glorious sires before,
Who won thereby the fame they wore;
Oh G. S. H---, tell us true,
Is this fit company for YOU?

[He wired in and she wired out]

He wired in and she wired out—
Leaving the people still in doubt—
Whether the Snake upon the track
Was going out or coming back”