Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1851-07-16
NO. XXxv.

of manners and one set of morals for men
and another set of manners and morals for
youth-when made to excuse or extern
uate for those who have brains to conceive
mischief, and physical strength to execute
ito excuse all kinds of assaults on the
property and comfort of the community
to let loose one half Of society upon the 9TH
er half to depredate on property and break
the peace--to howl at midnight like dogs
that bay the moon, to disturb the repose Of
the sleeper and outrage the claims of the
sick-to throw fences across the roads to In
terrupt the peacable traveller, and let the
cattle into their neighbors ields-to remove
sign-boards of the village and misdirect the
customers of the tradesman-to tear down
house-palings and throw mud upon the win
dows.
Let children be children-but let men be
men. 1t requires men to commit such dep
redations-men, who are rowdies, excuse it
as we may-men, of whatever age, who
may be considered in course of education
for the application of the laws to offenders
for the penitentiary, for the gallows.
Young gentlemen-I address you by your
appropriate little. In this quiet and beauti-
full village, with an intelligent population of
country manners and christian morals, re-
joice to know that your social relations have
been such as to inspire mutual confidence
and mutual respect. say country manners,
which are the best manners-for if mis-
take not fops and "Bloomers" will hardly
find soil in which to yegetate here. May
these amicable relations always continue
while you may reside here, and may you
ever retain, as you have gained for your
selves, the character of men, while you are
young men-of gentlemen, though young
gentlemen. When you shall 60 step high
er and tread the college halls, we hope to
establish early there, character for our
High School, by the gentlemanly deport-
ment as well as fine scholarship of those
who shall represent Ms there. Thus may
you pass into the active scenes Of life, edu-
Gated in your entire course to be useful
members of society and ornaments to the
stations you may occupy.
Young gentlemen of the Philomathic So
ciety-you profess by the title, under which
you have associated, to be lovers of learn
ing. You have done well to bring your
learning into debate. The world is one
great debating Society. Collision of opin-
ion develops the truth. Outside of human
despotism, debate is held as the right, the
privilege, the duty of man, and the great
means of his improvement. 1t is necessary
to freedom of thought, mental activity, and
to political freedom. Every familyis de-
batting society, and every parent, not ty-
rant, invites his children to give their opin-
ions and defend them. The most learned
professors, ancient and modern, have not
hesitated to encourage their pupils to rea-
son and debate on principles in the famil-
lar intercourse of the recitation room. God
brings the human mind into debate in his
intercourse with us. He pleads with u.s.
"Come, let us reason together, saith the
Lord" Even the act of faith is credit given
to testimony, requiring debate before it can
be entertained-else one system of faith is
as good as another, or all must be received
as alike good.
Practice your armor as you manufacture
it. Buckle it on. Try it. A single smoothe
stone, thrown by sling such as boys use,
well directed to the head, may knock down
giant in his panoply, and his own sword
may be used by STRIPPING to cut off his
head. Thus it often is in argument. We
would rather raise up Davids than Goliahs.
One of the brightest stars in the galaxy
of great names, now the pride of our coun-
try, wa. first discovered in a Debating soci-
ETY.. But for the young mems debating So.
ciety in Richmond at the beginning Of the
present century, Henry Clay, instead of
the splendid career of his life before the
country and the world, might have spent
his life at the Merchants counter and been
to this day seller of "stay-tape and buck.
RAM
We hope there are other diamonds of
the first water" all over our land. Our
country will need such men when he and
his compeers shall have passed away. We
look to you, to the rising generation-and,
with eminent advantages such as they had
not, we may rightfully expect of you, and
such as you,-such men, and more than
such men 10 crown our labors, to bless our
country, to perpetuate our institutions, to
send down flood of light that may shut
Jul tiiC lCluiu VI tuC udIk ayes dlu TIC lOOt-
steps of tyranny. insthis land of liberty, the
glory of all lands, where man has taken his
last refuge from oppression; where the
church has thrown off the embrace of the
State and the authority of human tradition
where THE BIBLE is the central light, the
sun of our armament, the highest law.
With such textbook in the lead, such
industry as has been here displayed, such
privileges well improved, such material and
such workmanship, say, We are not asham.
ed of our High School. We entertain. a
christian pride to-day in what we see-and
we shall return at each anniversary like this,
to see this noble beginning but splendid
Portico of more splendid structure, the re-
suit and reward of your labors, and the la
bors of your successors in study and in lit
erary enterprise.
WATERING HoRsEs.-We see every sum-
mer, hundreds of incidents of horses being
killed by giving them water when overheat-