Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-12-04
FATE OF GENIUS.

1t often happens that genius goes unre-
warded In the life time of its posssssor.
Human vultures take advantage oftentimes,
of the unworldly wisdom, practical lack of
business forecast and child like innocence
of gifted genius, to rob him of his lau-
rels, and profit by his rare gifts, while the
son of genius himself struggles with
poverty and dies in want. It lis not
in such cases till death closes
the scene, that the world
awakens to what it once possessed and
what it has forever lost.
The GLOBE recently portrayed the sor
rowful history and sad fate of John How
ard Payne, the author of one of the most
touching ballads, CLONE, Sweet Home"
that ever enriched the realm of English
song; and it now presents another in
stance of the hard and sorrowful fate
Of one of the most gifted song
writer's that the century has produced,
namely, Stephen c. Foster. His were rare
gifts of song. His ballads were full of the
most tender pathos that ever awakened the
emotions of the human soul. He swept
tho Tyre with a master hand, but others
clutched the fruit of his genius.
Foster was poor young man, indeed,
stepped in the deepest poverty, with the
innocent simplicity of child, as far as
worldly matters were concerned.
scarcely conscious of his own
powers, yet deeply feeling within himself
the movings and impulses of the divine
afffatus with which he was so richly en-
dowed. It is almost inconceivable that
human harpy could seize upon such a
kindly nature, to rob it of its fame. Such
nevertheless was the fact; and Edwin P.
Christy, the leader of the once famous
'Minstrels'' had the hard hearted au-
dacity to rob this genial child of
song, not only of the proper
emoluments due to the works of his genius,
but of his fame itself, and with mercenary
baseness appropriatiug it to himself.
Many, an many reader of the GLOBE
can we'll remember the immense populari
ty of many of Fosters most touching
songs, such as aOld Folks at Home" or
away down on the Suawanee River" or
the ''Old Kentucky Home,' and many more
like them surcharged with the iveliest,m most
melting sensibility that can awaken pa
| thetic responses in the human heart. It is
| hard thing to believe, but nevertheless it
is true, that, taking advantage of his
dire necessities, Christy filched from him
for bare pittance, not only his songs,
but his fame. These songs were published,
and on the title page was incribed
the sacriligious falsehood: "Written
and composed by Edwin p. Christy.''
Of ''Old Folks at Home" and ''Suwanee
River" it is claimed that over 100000
copies were sold, and of sold Kentucky
Home," over 100000 copies were sold, and
many other of the songs of the lamented
and hardly used author were almost equally
successful. Had he been permitted to re-
tain the copyright, and to have
received proper royalty, he would
have been placed beyond the reach of want,
instead Of being bowed down, stepped and
dying in the most abiect poverty. Fosters
distressing necessities caused him to yield
all hope OF future fame in his creations,
and Christy strutted forth as the author of
these songs of unsurpassed and moving
pathos. The songs were published under
Christy's name, and gave the ''Christy Min
strels' immense popularity and large in
crease. On the title page was published,
Gas sung by the celebrated Christy Min
strels, 472 Broadway, New York" Immense
throngs focked to hear these minstrel
songs, their circulation was enormous, and
their notoriety widespread.
Stephen G. Foster died, robbed
of the fame due to the
producst of his own gifted
genius, while another strutted forth in
false plumage. These songs continued to
be thus falsely published long after the
death of Foster. and also after Christy
himself had paid ths debt of nature,
though he had failed to pay the debt, over
due, to the wronged real author of the sup
Positions Christy songs.
After the death of Christy and his vic
tim, some person of quickened conscience
revealed the real facts, and the songs have
since been published under the name of