Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-02-03

1t is refreshing to celebrate the birthday of
men to whom tho world owes much in
spirit eonsonant with the teachings of the great
dea ;. Last w4ek we plainly expressed our
opinion of the crawling sycopbants who had de-
famed and debased the memory of Webster, by
supper at the Revere House. Boston That
the memory of that great man will still be
cherished by libtrty-loving hearts, in spite of
the attempts of politicians to claim his great
name as their peculiar glory, we have no doubt,
but it stirs our wrath to witness such utter and
shameless impudenco, ouch bare-faced and I'M
blushing larceny, such premeditated and diabol-
cal Islander, as were evidenced by the published
proceedings of that occasion.
rhe Burns Festival, at the Parker House.
Boston, one week later, was qaite different
affair, and kept with true respect for the fame
Of that wonderful farmer poet. the BAid who
was bred to the plough, and who followed, and
lived by his rustic pursuit, after the poetic
genius Of his county md thrown her inspiring
mantle over him, and claimed him as her true
and loyal son.
We have no purpose of writing of the genius
Of that most beautiful and tender, and pathetic
and humorous of all Scottish songsters, for we
confess to creeping horror at the sight of ,rit-
jcisms written or spoken of the author of such
sweet and delicious songs as those that gushed
from the overaowing heart of Robert Burns,
unless the critic have touch of the same in
spiration that had been breathed into the poet
but we cannot refrain from abiding to the
catholic spirit that animated the festival
Perhaps there need be no other or higher proof
that egmuine spirtof liberty pervaded and in
formed that ss,mbly in honor of the 6 Patriot
Bard, than the fact that Caleb Gushing kept
away. That distinguished " Brigadcr Attor-
ney General " never loses an opportunity to air
his South Side eloquence, and if it had been
possible on such an occasion to have said any
thing against the oppressed and in eulogy of
tyranny, the Attorney General would have been
on hand. As it was, he had " hurt his eye 50
Dduiy tuhG De COuiun come. DuJ UOV.
Banks was there,-which quite compensated for
the Brigadier's absence and Emerson, and
Lowell, and IIplmes were there. and Whittier
sent his gilt, and the company managed to get
along tolarably without Hallett. and Woodbury.,
and Increas. Sumner and James Buchanan.
And noble, downright, honest words were
spoken for humanity, manhood, the brotherhood
of the whole race,-not glittering generali-
ties, that mean nothing when slmmered down.
or mean only white men,-but earnest, truth
full, hearty utterances for universal manhood
and fnnan freedom.
Burns wrote the songs of his country, and as
they have passed from lip to lip among her
children for three-quarters of a century, they
have nursed and kept alive the love of liberty
in the hearts of her hardy peasantry in every
Smelling and cottage on the Scottish border and
those ballads have found home on these At
lantlc shores, and are now sung by our chill
drn, and VIC trust will be passed from lip to
| lip. and from heart to heart, wherever the sun
. shines till,
"--Mant to man the warld DER