The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-09-12

1amlly, OT dSSoCiotoh-CSciy piop 10 uo"
wrested from you save that which supports
your own merits: your personal, indiyi-
dual action and desert.
Promising that the system Of govern
mcnt of the Institute aided in defining and
enforcing this responsibility" he entered
into an explanation Of the main features OF
that government. He defined the system
to be "parental in its control, as it was
thorough, absolute, and christian" twas
enough for q child at home to know what
parent commands, and it should be
enough for the young man at school, 10
know the law which governed to decide at
once his compliance with it. While this
was the duty of the cadet, it was the
teachers duty, founded upon obligation to
God and His will, by precept and exam
pie, to hold up the word of life, so that the
perfect man may be formed upon the mo-
del Of the christian gentleman.
With this view tho institution exercised
a complete supervision over every part OF
a cadets life. His course Of study is mark
ed out for him, aud is Lot LEI. to Lis own
caprice or unaatUred Judgment. lis
hours of study, aud oi recreation, aLl OF
sleep are prescribed Tor LiA with due re-
gard to health. lis food aNd raiI.cnt, his
personal order IS Wcll - doportIent, arc
made the subject Ct specific direction and
control-so tha. every thing To which
parents care is directed, comfort, Geo.
nomy, and the doyortIuo..t becoming gen.
tleman, claims the consideration of the au-
thority governing tic institution.
General Smith presented sketch CT the
usages and rules Of the institution, TO show
how the general principles adverted to
were applied to the practical details in the
daily life of cadet how the rule of in
dividual accountability and responsibility
pcrmcated every portion of that life. This
sketch was comprehensive, simple, and
clear. 1t showed that in no respect was
the welfare and conduct Of the cadet neg
lected. The institution guarded him like
a tender mother, providing against slight
irregularities and offences, or neglect,
which might cover immortality of intention
or action, and against the higher trans
grcssions or moral guilt which involved
more serious punishment, such, finally, as
expulsion, when disobcdiences reached the
point that rendered this sentence essential
for the preservation Of the authority and
the character of the institution. The
main point seemed to be to protect the
cadet from temptation. While on one hand
were provided punishmcnts to deter the
cadet from disobedicncc, on the other were
held out rewards and honors for good con-
duct and excellence in the prosecution of
study. These are regulated with admira-
bic discrimination and practical utility.
4. 4. ,ll 4 nd Ir1n pt
the institution, comes what General Smith
defines TO be, the "public sentiment " of
tho school, based upon an esprit du coTpS,
that is powerful aud enduring. On this
subject General Smith said that the an;-
form dress anil discipline Of the cadet
served to establish among them Il connsoa
Lond, which unitcs them rs band Of bro
thers. All of you, said he, realize this
potent influence here. II is never dis
solved and | count it among the highest
and holicst sentiments OF your nature,
which | would do all in my power to cul-
tivate and strengthen.
This it is, lie continued, which serves 10
establish and maintain in this institution,
az a military school, to Il higher degree
perhaps than any other, Il tone of public
opinion among the cadets-a code of honor
which constitutes an unWrtten id,c for the
inner life of tho cadet, no less potential
than the specific rules Of the institution
itself. Dishonor on tho part of ono who
wears the ami form of the cadet touches
tue reputation Of all, and it becomes the
duty of all to vindicate the honor of the
body itself by the force of public Opt
Mon which none dare resist. Those de-
partures from personal integrity and up
rightness of character which may not be
reached by the discipline of the school
are surely reached by its public opinion {;
and tone of honor, probity, and gentle
manly courtesy are thus maintained which
has been recognized as the distinguishing
mark of the cadet wherever he may be.
In cultivating this high tone of the gen.
tleman, General Smith appealed to the
cadets to correct the modes of "initid-
past, and which were sometimes charac-
terized by unmeaning frivolities, and
again by indecencics or wanton crueltics
unworthy of gentlemen. He stated that
these customs had been INDUCED mostly
in the third class, the older cadets having
discontinued them as unworthy. He said
that he did not stop to argue this question !;
he had generally replied to those who con-
tended that these harsh practices cult
waited manly bearing and the strength of
brotherhood; that he was for seven years
connected with the Military Academy at
West Point, just after President Davis,
and General Lee, and General Sidney
Johnson, and General Joe Johnston had
graduated, at period reckoncd the most
brilliant in the history of that school, and
yet no such practices were thought of
there as necessary to form the character
of those who have been the chief orna-
ments of the institution, as they have been
the noblest monument of their country's
glory. Let me, then, said the General
with earnestness and affection, ask you to
give such tone to your public sentiment
as may settle this yexed subject for all
time. This institution is just rising from
the ashes under the fires Of conflict in
which everything was lost save honor.
Let those who have now to be the pioneers
in restoring it to its former glory cultivate
among themselves whatsoever may be
pure, and lovely, and of good report.
Abiding to the character of the 1nsti-
tute and its chief objects, the speaker re.
marked that it was supported by the State,
and was therefore under its control by a
Board of Visitors. It's distinctive charac-
ter was that of a general scientific and
military school, and in its specific work it
was designed as school Of applied science
to meet the great wants of the State in the
development of the agricultural, mineral,
commercial, manufacturing, and internal
improvement interests. Prominence is
here given to scientific culture and that