’Tis in the Red Flag true Republicans glory;
Red is the emblem of Justice and Right—
By martyrs’ blood dyed, whose names live in story—
The victors, though fallen, in Liberty’s fight.
Fast flow our tears for the fettered and slaughtered,
And exile who wander o’er valley and crag.
Too long has the earth by tyrants been tortured;
They shall crouch yet and cower before our Red Flag!

Away to the winds with the cant “moderation”;
Mercy is not with king, tiger, or snake;
Crush them to the dust, as they’ve crushed each nation—
In the day of our triumph kings tremble and quake.
“Mercy!” yes, mercy such as they gave us—
Such we’ll return, and throneless will drag
From their high places all those that enslave us,
To bow, mean and abject, before our Red Flag!

“Mercy!” while Haynau riots in murder,
And tiger-like gloats o’er the blood of mankind;
While the serfs of the Czar poor Poland engirder,
The betrayers of France Rome’s chains again bind!
Sicily crushed ’neath the Bourbon lies bleeding,
And Hungary curses the Austrian rag;
The nations oppressed pray the time may be speeding
When in triumph and glory shall fly our Red Flag!

That glad time shall come, kings, though patriots you slaughter;
Fresh legions shall rise for the martyrs who fall.
Through tempest and sunshine the nations have fought for
Fair Freedom, benignant, who yet shall bless all;
We, the people, remember wrongs despots have wrought us;
Of their “divine right” not much more shall they brag;
“Moderation” is madness, experience hath taught us,
When at Freedom’s next summons we hoist the Red Flag!