Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1857-01-09
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mode Of navigation Of lT1eii::l u:!li.r.
In another p'Ece aus commentator speaks OF : - ~
battle icus ut twenty year, ago ,oi which h,ugat az
man, nave rot the c.igh:c iec"li-crjuni bu. rich
though not quit" ~ terrible &c the predict; bsttl.
between Cog and Magog. nevertheless, lrss csu-ec
orr author ITO scken &: his heart, and q nucf
fear 10 occasion come confusion Of cas x. H. brain
Tor confess my Inability 10 UNDERSTAND what h.
mesns, by his ''soph,m of the eupe,iicv-; :" which
however, may hav" been borrowed from :ha divine
logic OF Plato, for ali know, and Of co, 1875. nucl
too submated toi the com prehen-ion II u coi hop
per rs am. VIII, therefore, pass over this unn
icligible iargon. 10 one who has no;. lib "Mason
drunk at the pure and original fountain OF the divine
philosophy of Plato, ennobled by the &C unenauce OF
that model OF smiaoe temper and coed morals, old
Queen Bees.
Lastly, We have the metsphye;c. OF NJ. Calhoun
aud the resolutions Of '9S logged in for what pur.
pose, cannot imagine, unless il T.. L, ayuuch the
orthodoxy of hs political faith and at the same time
tn nsuuaro suspicion that the Superintendent posi-
bly, does not belong TO this schooi, and consequently
was not fit 70 be trusted with tie education of tho
sons If the Democracy. Nor when We consider the
manner in which politics has even invaded the
;uary of the pulpit aud crept into the mana kemen OF
our literary institutions, is this at all an improbable
supposltlon o all policians, your pulpit politician
is the most intoerant and the most conempt!bl. and
iustly abhorred Of man and God: desecraiug as he
does BIZ. office, and almost always utterly ignorant q.
the suffice, which be undertakes to substitute for the
truths o. the Gospel.
In conclusion. will briefly sum up Whist the super.
intenden has claimed for the Institute which has
been so completely nisrepresented aud carcatured
by Mason:
First: he has claimed that better method Of
teaching the sciences has been introduced BY the
Virginia Military Institute, borrowed from West
Point Secondly: Tha; the dement, system, also
borrowed from West Point has likewise been intro.
duced into Virginia By the Military Institute and ;s
admirably adapted TO secure good pline-which.
presume,w will not be denied even by MASON" himself
Thirdly: That the Institute has been efficient ally
of our o .ler literary institutions, and given stimulus
to education which has greatly increased the number
OF scholars attending our schools and Colleges
Fourth: That the schools established by the Virginia
Military Institute are doiGg good service in the cause
of education. And, lastly: The the graduates of tho
| Virginia Military Institute are distinguishing them
selves o. engineers accomplished maihcma,icsus
and draughtsmen.
Such are the claims pu, forth In tho address, and
which cannot be- successfully assa'led by the sar
cagms oi"Mason" and still lr.s by his logic which,
cannot think does much credit To tho sourc. from
which he would have III suppose thar he had derived
it. For this TIE Superintendent: mas been assai!ed b.
torrent, of p;ous Indignation uttered III The amab!e
and comnendable spirit OF Tint charity (Which think
eth no evil, is not pulled up end vaunteth not it.
self"
These remarks are made by who has had near
iy fifty years experience IN regGrd u tho mode OF
| teaching, ard the discipline Of OUR literary instu
lions. aud heaiist- not to say that since The esub
lishment oi the Virginia Military Institute there has
been great improvement in the mode OF teaching
the sciences aud N the discipline Of such schools
have Introduced the demerit system Why, then,
should Mason lash himself into such 4 ridicuou. and
impotent sense OF wrath and transparent malice, III
contemplating tho success OF Ill institution which IS
not only the rival oil none out the ally II all, ad the
beneficial effects OF which are felt aud acknowledged
throughout the STATED An OLD CITIZEN.