The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-07-09
Exhibition at Cokesbury.


attending the Literary Exercises Of the Cokes.
bury Conference School but owing to our
limited space we are restricted to very brief no.
"tice. The institution. is at present under the
able management of the Rev. s. B. Jones, the
Rector, assisted by the Rev. J. W. Wightman
and Mr.. A. B. Turpin.
The exercises of the day were performed in tho
spacious hall of the Masonic Female Institute
which Mt an early hour was filled with bright
array ofyouth and beauty. After an nppropri-
ate prayer from the Rev. Mr.. Murchison, num-
Der Of original addresses were delivered by the
young men Of the Institution. As they were all
excellent we shall not attempt to discriminate
between them, but remark simply, that they
were generally delivered in style of easy and
graceful elocution, without that mannerism,
awkward gesticulation, vicious pronunciation,
or improper intonation, which occasionally mar
efforts of this kind. Here is II list of their names
and subjects:
"The Wrongs ofthc Indian" by r. C. Net
ties, summerville Every Man the Architect
of his own Fortune" j.. Dannely, Abbe
vile: "The Heroes ofT6,"J 7. Davis, Marion :;
"The Beauties of Nature" J. L. Rast, Lcxing-
ton; THE Influence of Aristocracy OH Civil
aud Religious Liberty" T. j. McCants, Ninety
Six; THE Past and the Present." H. D. Hill,
Catawba. N. c.; "The Character of Lord By
ron," NJ. ID. Forgy, Laurcns Ireland" b. L.
Chritsberg, Marion.
After short recess, Gen. MCGOWAN the Ora
tor ofthe day. was introduced to the audience !;
and proceeded to deliver n very chastc and
h,o r,l II
very appropriate to the times and the occasion.
obedience to Law" and which was made Pc
culiarly so' by the happy illustrations, and
practical differences Of the Speaker. lie began
by alluding beautifully, to that incident in the
life of Socrates. in which he resisted the mpor
tunity of his friends to escape from prison, OH
the ground, that it was his duty to obey the
laws OF his country. This conclusion the Ora
tor showed to be the dictate Of true wisd ON
and Philosophy-"Order is heavens first law
the instinct of the un iversal nature-and an
adherence to established ordinances in the ba-
sis of all national and individual advancement.
This the speaker illustrated by view of socie-
ty, in different periods, and the history of w.
rious nations; by the growing supremacy OF
ancient Greece aud the declining fortunes of
kome-The spirit of obcd ience is best learned
in the HON circle, where the law 5orrows its
sanctions from parental precept and example
and the associations which cluster around the
Paternal hearth. To the parent succeeds the
teacher invested with the same authority, and
requiring the same unquestioning obedience
and this docility and submissiveness was shown
to be the true basis of success, as illustrated in
the lives of Washington, Havelock, and others.
The address was we'll delivered and we'll re-.
eeived it has been generally complimcnted
and will add to the reputation of the Orator.
The Concert of the previous evening we
learn wns quite a triumph.-There werc be-
tween 800 and 400 persons present, and the
receipts were proportionately large