The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1873-02-05
The Burns Festival in Columbia.

The Burns Festival in Columbia.
-, ,President--H epc,~"onr taking the
chair, delivered the following short
and appro hrlata,address:
GENTL. MEN: We have assent led to-
hight, ar6und this. festive. board, to
commemorate! the birthday eof' Scot
lands gifted son The name and
fame of Robert Burns belongs TO the
world, wherever his soul.strrlhg
strains arc sung. His own Immediate
countrymen hold his name most dear,
while the lovers of true,and sterling
poetrv, the world oter, hold his name
IN grateful remembrance, as one who,
by the rich and truthful carols OF! his
mind, has given joy to- many hearts.
We meet tonight, to pass a few
social hours togethe, to drown dull
care, and, by the inspiration OF his
gifted muse, learn humanity better,
and overlook the faults and folies Of
our kind | welcome TO our social
board all lovers of the poet, and trnst
we may pass . pleasant hour. Here's
your good health and your famIly's.
Gov. Moses was unable to be pres
ent at the Burns celebration, and sent
the following letter, which was read
by the President
EXEC TIVE DEPARTMENT,
Columbia, January p, 1873
To the President und members Of the
Burns Cyub, Columbia, $. C..
GENTLEMEN: | have the honor to
acknowledge the receipt of your card
of invitation to attend the festival on
the l14lh anniversary Of the birth OF
Robert Burns.
Permit me 10 assure you OF my
sincere regret that important official
engagements deny me the pleasure OF
uniting with you in paying approprl-
ate festive horrors TO the Ploushman
Bard Of Ayrshire. You do wei!
gentlemen, thus, TO, commemorate the
oirth-day Of Scolland's sweetest poet,
ifcr he is indeed worthy of most
grateful remembrance. lie was the
first to set the pulses of the human
heart to music, and his writings
abound with that "touch Of nature"
which "makes the whole world kin"
| although he selected as the chiet
vehicle of his thoughts q language
essentially harsh and unpoetic in its
forms Of expression, he has poured
through it the melodies Of his own
genial spirit, and made the rude Do
ric, dear to all who can appreciate
grandeur in sentiment or melody IN
song: - ~ :,
worth, a poet whose solemn muse
looked with .rreproving frown- upon
the apparently. lax piety of "lloly
Willie's Prayer" and saw very loose
morality in the "Addrcss to the Unco
Guid," pays Burns but merited trib'
ute. in saying, twenty years after his
death ..'.."..-
Through busiest street andfloneglies1
/ glen ..... .. ...... ..,.. +
Are felt the flashes Of his pen; p
He rules mid winter SHOWS, and when
Bees fill their hives, .,.....r .'..5.. :.
1Deep in the genial heart of men
His power survives" ,,ay >.bi n. i1s.n :
IHOne of, the most striking features
Of his writings is the 'unfailing charity
they breathe. for all created thugs
He appeared to hate nothing save
hypocrisy, and with jpitilcss scorn he
tore aside its. nctlthonions robes
So 'atounding and ,,uniYcrsaI was hii>
tbenc;voltnce, that he even had a knd
word for, the Eyil erhimsolf,' ,'whici
he utters with revid dcnt SINCERITY in the
closing MA Of s.;1 tn tbs
~ i,u.) 81! ~ ,t&1;tyE ~ ',",.n
"But fare YOU Weel aHld Nickie-6en! -
10 wad ye tax q thonght all 'nren! '~ti"i:
Ye aiblins might, Edinnaiken, .. 1'.'~
I'm wac to think upo,, you dem, J. '."i'
'".l,. E'en for your sake!M Mi.e.n,l ~:
It was his lot to sihg,H as he, de
clared, the poetic genius of his country
bade him sing, "the loves, the joys
!; the rural scenes, and rural pleasures
of his native soilinihis native tongue.
That he did not fail ,in( his allotted
task, humanity-so, dignitied aud. 80
laced in his works-atLests by sucl
festivities as yours ,y:'w wherever. the
English language is, spoken, or f'the
f.r-wandcring children of Scotia may
dwell. .......,yY,. ..i,..: s,,i.
The memory of .Robert Burns vii
survive in tho grateful admiration O.
men, rs long as the thistle springs il
! the valley, or the heather-bcll waves
on the hills ofehis native Scotland
l am, gentlemen. with great respect
your obedicnt servant,
.~o F. j. MOSES, JR.,
= Governor of South Carolina. +,