Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-02-01
TLe Burns Anniversary Celebrations:

The Burns Anniversary CeAeDraIi.
The recent centenary of Burns was signalizeu
by celebrations in all the principal towns ana
e;ties of the country, and with zest and enthu-
sissm rarely eouaIled. At New York, Boston,
philadelphia, Albany, Pittsburgh, Buffalo, De-
troit, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Chicago, Toronto
Montreal. Quebec, Washington, Richmond,
Louisville, etc. etc, the newspaper reports are
elaborate and show that the worlds poet was
d,Iv bopored. The occasion called out the best
soaking and poetic talent. At New York, |
speeches, were made by Bryant, Greeley Dr
Osuood, and others, and letters were read from
Irving, Longfellow, DR.. Holmes, President
Buchanan, DC. Among the celebrities as guests
were HaIleck, Verplank, Beecher, Goodwin &C.
At Albany one of the distinguished features
of the festivities was the presentation OF the
autograph copy of "Auld Lang syne." At
Rostop the commemoration eliminated. Seve-
raj relics of Burns were e1hibited-amOng 9TH
ers the original manuscript of one of his bal
lads, and wooden cup from which the poet
often drank. Speeches were made by Governor
Banks, Hilliard, Emerson and others, and Po'
ems written for the anniversary by Holmes,
Lowell. Whittier and Shillaber were read from
Winthrop, Cushing, one of the Sons and Nelee
of Robert Burns.
During the evening the Burns Club of New
York City dispatched by telegraph the follow
ing sentiment, to be drank at 10 O'Clock all
over America
aKindred associations throughout the world
may they preserve the songs and disseminate
the sentiments of Burns,
.sTilI man to man, the world o'er,
Shall brothers be, and a that
The celebration at Detroit was very spirited,
and the crowning speech of the festival was BY
D. Bethune Dufield We copy that portion
devoted to personal "reminiscences of recent
visit to the home of Burns Every Scotchmar
and Scoteh-American will read it with delight
Mr.. B. said;
Mr. President, it was my pleasure, not long
since. to roam over your native land, to climb
its crapgy hills, and wander by its whipping
braes. But attractive as were its Highlands
j. with their heathery mantle, their hmPld lakes
and their solemn mountains, my feet made hast
10 tread the soil consecrated by the life an'
sonos of Burns Thither 1 pressed my wa.
/, tbro' the town of Ayr, over one oflts twa brigs
e tarrying for a moment only to drink glass o
ale from Burns wooden cup at the old Taverl
where he and old Tam and SOuter JOHNNIE,
were wont to "get fou thegither" Beyond tn
i town some two miles, reached the eottag
] where the poet was born-lt was low on
story cIay biggin, with heavily thatehed roc
over it, upon which stray sPrigs OF wheat an
other plants were growing. The main roor
below was the one in which the poet was born
and the same doubtless in which had after bee
e enacted the scenes commemOrated IN the Coi
2 tsr's Saturday night A short distance dow
i the road. and on the same side OF 1t, stood oil
A1lowav's haunted kirk, in rooiess Tuln-wltt
in its ward, over crowded with graves, rest tn
o ashes of Burns parents. Beyond this the roa
it curves little to the left and you stand on th
N graceful bridge that spans the waters of tn
ssbonnie Doom" The burn wimPled softly bt
; meath its single arch, and its banks were shag
n ov with the towering thorn. In sight, alOn
f6e road. stood old Alloway kirk, while furtht
round TO the right lifting its graceful SUNNI
over the trees, stood the majestic monumer
n reared to the memory OF the poet. NO sign Q
"a sound of life was near, except the lVettlns OF
Young and bright boy over his saddle, whleh 2
S was endeayoring to fasten more securely on b
| ShAOnV
rs To ssy that Burns description of these scene
had been written but yesterday. After dream
4 ing awhile in the pensive beauty of this spot,
r rode over to Mauchline, the scene OF POos
f. Naneie's Castle, and of Burns marriage wit
c. lane Armcr. Thence l passed to Mossglel,
IT half mile further on, neat cottage MD penn
y pres III U.IvI su4N--senszSR ST
n posed some of his best pieces 1t was whi
It, he lived here that he fell in love with Highlar
a. Mary, O. the Castle of Montgomerie, which
Is two miles off but the walk there is very Lowell
l. I strolIed over to the castle, which Is fin
b, LARGE mansion house, and passed down benin
1t the castle to the banks of the Fayel where
le Joins the Ayr, and where the young poet an
J. Mary pli0hted their loves with such solem
D. ceremony. Two bibles were exchanged Owe
the running brooks by the lovers, and on th
fly lesf of each were written their names an
the text Thou shalt not fcrswear thysek -
d. On the COPY retained BY Burns, there was stil
- clinging lock of Mary's hair as originally al
,r tached to the page. Both those volumes ar
,e exhibited in the chamber of the monument
- Near this spot by the Fayel stands Mary's thorn
as it is called, the still surviving witness o
these unhappy VOWS, and from its branches
pIucked a sprig in memory of the scene, whicl
l. now offer to you, Sir, with permission to be
= stow it on such Scotch lassie as IN your judg
# ment best sings that unrlValeo song OF dlgh
4 land Mary" Before leaving the vicinity | Wis
y tied Mrs. Begg, Burns only surviving sister
g but who has died within the last few months
e She had the poets deep, dark eye, and her s.
r years seemed scarcely to have dimmed it
e. brightness She was very cordial to those wh'
:, visited her and seemed to be surprised at th'
u great affection displayed by Americans toward
her brothers memory, saying that she believe'
she received more visits from Americans thai
1t from her English neighbors, and why the,
V should SO cherish her brothers name she eOulC
, not tell told her that although her brothe
was Scotch, his heart was full of that indepen
L dence that Americans prized SO highly, AM
!. this was the secret of our love for the poet
o But, Mr. President, 1 linger too long in this en-
j, chanted land Would we were all there to
gelher this night to join in the mirth and song
y now sounding through the tidy streets of Ayl