It would have been as though he [President Andrew Johnson] were
in a boat of stone with masts of read more

It would have been as though he [President Andrew Johnson] were
in a boat of stone with masts of steel, sails of lead, ropes of
iron, the devil at the helm, the wrath of God for a breeze, and
hell for his destination.

And let our barks across the pathless flood
Hold different courses.

And let our barks across the pathless flood
Hold different courses.

She bears her down majestically near,
Speed on her prow, and terror in her tier.

She bears her down majestically near,
Speed on her prow, and terror in her tier.

There's not a ship that sails the ocean,
But every climate, every soil,
Must bring its tribute, read more

There's not a ship that sails the ocean,
But every climate, every soil,
Must bring its tribute, great or small,
And help to build the wooden wall!

Like ships that have gone down at sea,
When heaven was all tranquillity.

Like ships that have gone down at sea,
When heaven was all tranquillity.

The wooden wall alone should remain unconquered.

The wooden wall alone should remain unconquered.

And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill.

And the stately ships go on
To their haven under the hill.

The true ship is the ship builder.

The true ship is the ship builder.

Where lies the land, to which the ship would go?Far, far ahead is all, her seamen know.And where the land read more

Where lies the land, to which the ship would go?Far, far ahead is all, her seamen know.And where the land she travels from?Away, far far behind, is all that they can say.