The national Republican., 1861-12-02
Celebration Of st. Andrew Day by th,
Burns lab Of washin gton.


the present year, the Burns Club, inspired with
patriotic love Of their native land and all its
various kindred associations, determined not
to let the event pass without some mark of
Therefore, on Saturday evening, in accordance
with previous notice, this association Assem-
bled In large numbers st D0rman's Hotel, on
Seventh street, where a highly agreeable
evening WAS spent, ~ the following proceed
iDgs will illustrate:
After the company had become seated aroun
the festive board, the covers we're removed
presenting an inviting repast, consisting of ar
ticles Of the most delicate, as well as those of
the most substantial character which could
not fail to crafty those Of the most fastidious
TASTE.
The president, Mr.. Jas. Clephane, then ar So,
and after few happy remarks explanatory OF
the object of their assembling, proposed the
" The day, and a. wha honor It,"
Drunk standing.
The following Regular toasts were then pro-
posed, and responded to with great enthusiasm:
The land we live in"
Song =" Columbia I love thee" By Mr..
Stewart. --'..-,..
"Auld scotia.-He who has no affection for
his native land, can have none for any other.
Breathes there man with soul so dead,
Who never to himself hath said,
This 10 my own, my native land;
Whose heart hath ne'er within him burned
As home his footsteps he has turned
Mr.. Henry Todd, in full and costly Highland
costume, sang with much effect the beautiful
song by Burns, Bonnie Charlie, moo AVA"
Toast" Burns.'' ...
Though brief the raos he ran,
Though rough and dark the path he trod,
Lived, died. In soul man,
The image of his God"
1.-THE President, Of the United States"
J. Minor. song" Red, White and Blue"
The Qneen of Great Britain and Ireland"
Tha AnHr inti nha,, tbo
world"
J. Sword, song-"A mans a man, for that"
The old freside with its kindred associa.
tions."
Mr.. Ramsay responded, as fellows:
Mr.. PRESIDENT AND GENTLEMEN: The toast
have selected to night--the old freside-is one
around which clusters many sunny memories
Of the Pas p1sS' in every ste Of life It is closely
Nike TO chase away the early impressions Of our
childhood, when we were rocked to sleep on
our mothers knee, and made by her gentle gu.
dance our lisping morning prayer. Far away
over the broad Atlantic, in village grey with
years. stands the old house where our infant
and boyish days were spent. The merry laugh
OF childish glee floats on the air with its silvsry
cadence; The glad shout Of the harry boy is
nesting In the lovely glen below, and as gloam
In steals on around the ingie, sit father, moth
or, sisters, and brothers. the big haw fire blazes
cheerily, while the task for the morrow is con-
dressed, the songs Of our own Burns are sung,
and the stories Of the olden time are told the
calm, happy, and peaceful day, closing when
the aged sire, with reverental tone, reads from
that never to be forgotten circle crowded
around the old freside.
But the picture assumes more sombre hue
and the time comes when we must enter upon
the battle of the world and whatever our lot
in life may be, there are many difficulties to be
overcome, many temptations to be resisted, and
many privations to be endured. But there 10
an oasis over them all, when we return for a
short period to the dear old home, and oontide
our cares and sorrows to \ mothers willing ear,
and wait trustingly for II fathers guiding voice.
How tenderly does she sOothe our little cares.
and how faithfully does he point with unerring
hand the rugged, honest path to tread And
this association, this scene on the threshold of
life, how bright It appears tonight, though
gone forever, when lit by the ray OF memory
and oheered by the ruddy glow Of the old fire.
side! But the picture gets still darker and
sterner, and we must bid farewell to the old
home! The never ceasing cry of the world for
its victims demands that we should enter on its
gddy arena. The soldier seeks for honor even
At the cannon's mouth and on the eve of bat.
tie, as he sits by the camp FIRE, methiRks can
easily discern the faces that crowd around him
In his waking dream. The sailor has his home
on the deep, amid the lashing Of the waves and
the bursting of the storm, where " shrieked
the timid and stood still the brave" Does his
fancy then carry him back to his midnight rev
elry on the shore!
All, no, the old faces Of his early dawn look
kindly on him now; the student pale and wan
at his midnight lamp, what would he not give
for one hour of the deep and deamless sleep of
fathers home; the clergyman tells the story OF
the Bible, and its truths are more earnest and
winning when cleaned from the early pages OF
his life; the mechanic wins his bread, like n
man, by the sweat of his brow, and the strokes
on the anvil ring more Justify while adding
another blazing faggot to the old hearth a,
home. Still, all these may have found the two
great prizes in life and are happy In their new
domestic ties, the charities that breathe around
the charmed circle Of wife aud children, fol-
a. Tia sweet to hear the watch dogs honest bark
Bay deep mouth'd welcome ~ we draw near home
lis sweet t. KIN " there Is an eye will mark
Our co ming and look brighter when we come"
Others are drifting on the gale of adversity--
God grant It may not be that CT despair-may
haps an exile far from the land Of his birth, he
knows not, neither does he taste the sweets OF
domestic life, but in his lonely garret, at ar
ashless hearthstone, visions or the past hit In
every fancied shape before him; but there IL
one that thickens the utterance Of his speech
makes dim the vision Of the eye, and almos
heart broken, he can only sob out
al love n, Il love it and who shall dare
To chihe me from loving that old arm chair"
That vision was the empty arm chair, where
his mother sat at the old hreside; but 1
changes like the fash Of a meteor as he look
again, and a gush of womanly tenderness fill
his soul. for his mother still sits at the old fire
SIDE. But we come 10 the last and the saddles
change, when the shades Of evening are closin
round the picture, the second childhood an
the big, manly voice turning again to childis
treble pipes, and whistles in the sound" Eve
then, we may have many causes for a wish t
live. No! we will not die yet
Not while matn of the thrush Is heard from ever
tree,
And Sco,ia's lovely heath Is bent by every singin
bee."
But, If the time must come, as come it will
then were 1t mine to choose, may my eyes bt
closed by some kind and friendly Scot close by
the warm hearth of the old freside
VOLUNTEER TOAsTs.
The officers being called upon for their re
spective toasts, the President,
Mr. Clephane proposed the following:
"Our and the Unions noble defenders-th
volunteer soldiers"
The President remarked that this toast was
prompted by the presence Of two voluntee
soldiers of Scottish descent, who had come I
Join with them in doing honor to him who's