The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1854-03-03
PIERCE ON PATRIOTS AND PATEN-
,EINIS

TEES.
When the President delivered his late an
nua message, but little notice was taken by
the public of the paragraph relating to pa
tentees. 1t seemed so natural for the clIlei
officer of the republic to make honorable
mention Of those whose talents and ingenu-
ity advance the progress of the world, that
people hardly perceived the lurking recon-
mendaton to Congress in favor of special
and monopoly legislation. The point of the
allusion only came to light when the Prcsl-
dents organ ut Washington after good dea!
of shutilng, undertook plainly and broadly
to advocate Mr.. Colts claims to IN extension
of his monopoly BY special act of Congress.
1t was brought still more clearly into view
whcna Il committee of the House Of Repre-
scntativcs, disrcgariing the sound judgment
of the Commissioner of Patents, reported in
favor of Mr.. Colts enormous profits since
the grant of his patent have been expended
in the construction of IN armory in England,
for .hc purpose of supplying the British Ar
my with improved weapons. 1t may appear
strange at first that the Congress of the Uni-
ted States should grant u monopoly, or in
other words impose tax on our citizens for
the purpose of providing the British soldiers
with better fire arms; about rs singular as our
presenting Santa Anna with fifteen millions
of dollars in order to enable him to set up Il
government in Mexico But, then, there was
the paragraph in the message, pointedly and
practically explained and enforced by the
Presidents organ. Then again there was
the lobby, with that hgh-mndcd and virtu-
Gus patriot Colonel Forncy, actively bestir-
ring himself for Mr.. Colt. So under these
various influences, the bill is progressing.
Meanwhile, if patentees are revcling in
the present generosity of Congress, we re-
grct to find that patriots, who have suffered
and blcd for the country, and whose labors
have earned for her much of her rcnown and
glory, are passed over in silent Indifference.
Colt, the patcntcc finds 4 Congressional COM
mittcc to report in favor of Il bill for his re-
lief, and the perpctlation of his monopoly;
he has Congressman in shoals, and lobby
agents in swarms to press the poverty OF the
millionaire on the liberality of Il generous
country. The Presidents message is shown
clearly to have reference to his case. The
Union is in his favor. And men of unim-
pcachablc character and the highest honor,
openly confess their belief in the justice OF
his cause. On the other hand, Scott, the
General, has fought his country's battles for
near half century. His blood stains the
sods of Niagara, and the plains Of Mexico
Where he has led our armies, victory has fol-
lowed and if since our declaration Of indie
pcndencc, we have earned any claim to mill.
tary glory, 20 him do we owe it. Are has
now laid its hand upon the old veteran. His
step is no longer us firm, or his check as rud-
DIV as it was. Though his strength is unlm
paired, and the spirit as manly as it was thlr-
tv years ago, time has not spared him; and his
ycars-and mayhap the trace of some wound
Gained in our scryicc-now demand more
ease and comfort than salary based on strict
principles of frugal military discipline can Sc
cure. Under like circumstances, England
and France loved to surround the declining
wears of their vctcrans--Ilic Wellington and
Soult-with every luxury and practical com
fort that Il grateful nation could bcstow.-
Genera, Scots friends ask for II petty two
and three thousand dollars Il year, and the
administration averts its ear, the Union scoils,
and snccrs ut the requcst-shall we add!-
the President is believed to be opposed to it.
This from government which advocatesspe-
cial legislation to grant Colt the millionaire u
few extra millions of dollars. The reason of
the difference is very simple: General Scott
forgot to patent his victories.
lie taxed his intellect, his body, and his
blood, on the banks Of the Niagara and in the
plains of Mexco but he omittcd-thc fool
ish man-to take out patent for stormng
the British lines, or to secure the monopoly
of his siege at Vera Cruz. So the careless
old soldier never made 4 million of money
out of his inventions, and evc- failed to ln-
prove the condition of a foreign army by
teaching them what he knew, and support
ing his school by a tax on his countrymcn at
home. SO he never procured the insertion
of paragraph covering his ease into the
Presidents message; never bargancd to wink
at Furncy's many for his services in the lob
by: never even bought the Union newspaper
with such carclcssncss as this, how could this
very imprudcnt old soldier expect TO obtain
from his country 4 modest pittance and n
proper title! The notion was absurd. He
ought to have known well enough that the
rule of Congress was taken, with some slight
deviation from the Biblc:-"To him that hath,
more shall be given" as in the case Of Colt:
but "from him that hath not, shall be taken
away even that which he hath," and we have
no doubt that, il it could, the Union would
try to diminish or stop altogether General
Scott's present salary. Can it be that it speaks
for the President!
DESPERATE I.EArs.-Iugh Sloan, the pu.
gilist, while on his way TO Chester County
Pa, in charge Of n Sheriff, last week, leaped
from the ears while they were going at the
rate of thirty miles m hour. The Sheriff
followed Immediately after, and being but lit.
tic hur;, he ordered Sloan to stand or h,
would shoot him. Sloan yielded quietly, and