Daily national Democrat., 1859-01-28
NO. 142.
Qallp Natlonal Democrat.
Robert Burns.

u
upon the character of Robert Burns, by a cor
respondent of the Bulletin.
Although but poor Scottish ploughman,
who divided his short DAYS between penury
and the muse who left nothing but few
| songs and fragments Of poems, and died pre-
mnturely in his 3sth year, he spoke such
words as have become the key notes of a great
nations feeling, and his name has become the
watchword of great nations rally. Never
did the heroes and demi gods of olden time
and they were not myths in their days-call
forth a more spontaneous and universal de-
votion than the name of the Ayrshire peasant,
in our day and generation.
He was greater, however, than the mere
exponent of Seotia's national mind, or the
bearer of her standard, which he now is and
which he is destined to be, as she marches
down into the dim distance Of the future
Like great prophet in the sanctuary of ma
ture he unveiled the beautiful and the true,
and taught the skeptical age that inspiration
genuine inspiration-was still possible 1t
is no more than justice to him to say, that he
WAS one of the sharpest-sighted as well as
warmest-hearted of men that he penetrated
farther into the real nature of things, and
enuncated more words Of comfort to the hu.
man race, than almost any other modern
man. When we see him in all his rks as
writer, and in all his actions as a man, still
preaching forth the grtat doctrine of "a
mans man for a that" we behold the we'll
spring of thousand revolutions which are
destined to resi- ond to this bold stroke of his
upon the chord of moral freedom in the hu-
man soul. The name of poet, indeed, as now
usually understood to mean stringer toge-
ther of pretty rhymes, gives but a poor idea
of such man as Burns for he was a genuine
poet in the meaning of ancient times, when
the word was used indscriminately with that
of prophet, and both meant an expounding Of
great truths.
Besides vindicating the dignity of the hu-
r1an soul in the teeth of sll considerations of
rank and wealth, in manner worthy of
the greatest names that fame has ever lsped,
Burns taught another great lesson to the hu.
man race, and that is, that the every day
world about us is full of beauty and poetry.
The humblest subject, he has taught us, is
radiant with celestial light; he, more than
any other modern man, has showed us that
fate, in casting our existence in the latter
days, has not thrown us upon intrinsically
unpoetic ones. He shows us that the human
heart is as noble, generous and soft now as
ever it was when Pndar fire the Olympic
eombatants to emulation, or Sappho melted
Grecian lovers to tears.
1t is not astonishing. therefore, that his
memory has survived and that such great
honors are now paid him. Though but a
little more than fifty years dea dozen BIZ
ographies have already been written of him,
and over hundred editions of his works
have been printed. What HON was to the
Greeks-and his pen accomplished inealcula-
bly, more than the sword of Agamemnon in
the great battle of Grecian civilization: what
Shakespeare was to the English--and he has
done more than twenty Elizabeths for Eng
lish greatness; 80 is Burns to the Scotch. In
all the glittering galaxy of their great names,
Burns is the sun, who pales every other star,
and whose light and warmth call into being
light and warmth whenever felt.
FoR THE INTEREST OF INvENToRs.-An at.
tempt will be made, says the Boston Trans
cript, during the present session of Congress
to procure new enactments on the subject Of
patents. 1t is high time that something of
importance should be done for the benefit of
the numerous engineers and ingenious men
throughout the Union. 1t is true the pres
ent law is favorable to n certain degree to
the introduction, development and use of
new improvements and discoveries. But it
is not 10y any means so favorable to the in
dustrial classes, the hard working mechanics
and chemists, and studious devotees to sci
ence and art, as it should be- Our inventors
and diseoverers now pay an immense sum
every year into the national treasury And
though citizen make an Improvement worth
more than a million of dollars to the public
at large, yet, he is only allowed to have the
use Of it for himself and family for the limi-
ted period of some fourteen years; while the
author of merely half dozen pages of writ
ten composition is entitled to his pamphlet,
though it be of the most insignificant descrip-
tion, under a copy-costing Sl-eXcusively
for nearly his whole life time. Now this is
so manfestly unjust that it is hoped the arti-
zans, inventors and ingenious men in the
United States will at once petition Congress
upon the subject, and never cease their etforts
till they can get the term for them to hold
their patents extended to greater length
than at present the cost of procuring letters
patent reduced to n reasonable sum and the
vexatous delays inventors now have to en-
counter at Washington, are abolished.
THE NAVAJO WAR.-The Santa Fe mail ar
rived at Independence, December GOTH By
it we learn that the Navajo war, although
suspended, was not yet terminated. The
terms for treaty are to be determined dur
ing to thirty days nrmistice
Colonel Bonneville and Superintendent
Collins go to Fort Defiance, to treat with the
chiefs. The consequence of their action will
be final war or peace.
Dates to the oath of November from Fort
Defiance, state that Colonel Miles has eff
ciently pursued the indians into their fast
nesses, and, over regions heretofore untrod-
den by white men, successfully putting to
flight the Indians, wherever found.
Maps of the previous marches are soon to
be made out, and the country put in posses
sion of knowledge respecting claims unheard
Of
Major Backus returned on the 18th. He
had no regular fight with the Indians, but in
skirmishes killed six of them. Captain
Naldes, of the Spies, was badly wounded.
No news from the Noesho mail
Judge Boon intends taking as his Judicial
District the one vacated by Judge Benedict
The steamers Ryland and Isabella have
broken the gorge and gone up. The Skylarkj
after attempting to go down, was caught in
the ice, and Is now gorged agsin at Wayne
City landing.