Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-12-06

! llcul, whose services we can at all times
command. So great is the demand for this
kind of service all over the Union, that the
rate ofcompensation is becoming extrava.
gantly high, and as measure of economy
alone, the establishment Of the proposed
prolessorship would be well worthy of con-
sideration.
The department Of military engineering,
will of course be made to include instruction
in the use of artillery, and to this may be
uSelully added the practical instruction OF
the young men, at certain hours, in the elc-
ments Of infantry tactics. My observation
and reflection during the present year, have
confirmed the opinion l expressed in my
last annual message, as to the expedIency OF
combining in our general system Of school
instruction, the use of arms and the clements
ofmililary tactics, with the common branch
es of education. There is no other mode,
in my opinion, by which such important re.
suits can be produced, with so small an ex-
penditure of time and money. Indeed, ]
have great doubts whether 1t be not the only
practicable mode in which the elementary
principles Of military movements, can be
scientifically impaired to the great body of
our citizens. twill supply the great desid-
eratum now experienced in effectually train
ing the militia.- officers TO CON-
mand and instruct the militia companies;
and feel perfect assurance that if gen.
orally pursued in Our schools, the very next
generation that comes upon the stage ofac-
tive life, will be an army of citizen soldiers,
better qualified to defend their rights, than
any standing army in the world, after a
peace of ten Years duration. | suggest
therefore, that the young men of the College
be organized into one Or Two corps ofcadets,
by law, or by the regulations Of the institu-
ton, and thoug permitted to elect their own
officers, that they be required to devote GER
tain hours to the exercise Of drilling, under
the superintendent ofthe military profess
sor, who should be required to act as their
instructor. The establishment of such a
system in the College, would, upon very OBJ
vious principles, cause it to be extended to
the grammar schools; as every young man,
in preparing for college, would naturally
desire to quality himself not only for per-
forming his military exercises, but for as.
pirng to the honor ofthe military command.
In one of the most distinguished grammar
schools in the State, company OF Cadets
was formed almost under my own eye, and
while their improvement in tactics was strlk-
ing to every observcr,-the intelligent gen.
tlemen at the head of the institution assured
me, that he derived great advantage in its
government from the manliness and sense
of honor impaired to the young men by this
change in incir mode of frccreation.
also recommend the establishment of a
Profcssorship of modern languages, the
want of which has been serlousl felt ever
since the establishment of the College.
believe there are very few graduates Of the
institution, who have not had occasion to de.
plore the defect in their education which
has resulted from the absence ofsuch pro-
fessorship. In the present state Of science,
and Of social and commercial intercourse,
knowledge Of the modern languages,
is scarcely less important, than that of the
ancient. A great many of the most valua-
Bile scientific and literary works now extant,
are written in foreign languages, and having
no English TRANSACTIONS, arc sealed books to
those who are ignorant ofthe languages in
which they arc written. 1t is an object oi
the first importance to have class of well
educated native merchants, capable ofcon.
! ducting our immense and increasing foreign
commerce, who will save 10 the State
the large per ccntage which the northern
merchants receive as commission for eX.
changing our productions for those of other
countries. Circumstances are now highly
favorable to the accomplishment fthis pat.
riotic purpose. Let us, then, provide for
our young men the means of becoming &C.
complished merchants; and not the least i'm.
portant accomplishment, is knowledge ol
the continental languages, and particularly
the French.
These two additional professorships will
complete the literary organization of our
College, and enable our youth to obtain SO
complete an education at home, that they
will no longer have motive for going to
the Northern Colleges. | need not add
that this is an object of the utmost import.
ancc, in the present state Of public opinion
in the United States, relative to our domcs.
tic institutions.
The state Of the College discipline is now
excellent, and the conduct Of the Students
during the present year has, with few ex'
ceptions, been highly exemplary. Most o1
the irregularities that have occurred, have
been traced to the shops where wines and
ardent spirits arc retailed in the town of Co.
lumbia, and it has been found impossible to
break up entirely the communication be-
tween them and the young men of the Col
lege. These wretched haunts Of dissipa'
ton and intemperancc, do more to mar the
. ! oc tho ipet,t,t;oo tb,n oil ofhp,