The Oxford falcon., 1866-08-09
ADDRESS
DELIVERED At THE
UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI
ON BEHALF OF TIE
BOARD OF TRUSTEES,
Commencement Day, June 20, 1855,
HON. ]. w. CLAPP,
A MEMBER OF THE BOARD.

After 90 long Q suspension Of the exercises Of
the University, and its reorganization under
the auspices Of what Is, in many respects, Q new
regime, the Board Of Trustees deemed II appro.
pirate TO sigma lie this commencement, II /
may 30 designate II. by public address from
one Of their own number, to be responded to by
some member Of the Faculty, selected by that
body. The honor Of representing them upon
this occasion was conferred by the Board upon
myself, and not being present when the ap-
pOintment was made, had no opportunity Of
declining II, as should have felt compelled to
do, until too late 10 make other arrangements,
and am therefore here to-day, TO vindicate, in
the best manner may, the wisdom Of their
selection.
In discharging the duty assigned me, Il is, ! as
sure you with no affected difidencs that invite
vOu TO the humble entertainment which have
TO offer, after the sumptuOus intellectual repast
which has, from day 10 day, during the prerent
week, been spread before you but time and
events have with me sadly sObered both head
and heart, and whatever verdure may once have
existed in the fields of fancy, Is now withered,
and ell the flowers Of rhetoric are faded and
gone, and can but offer for your consideration
some hOmely and practical suggestions.
Repugnant as IL is to my tastes and feelings
TO discuss now questions touching upon our
public affairs, have felt that / could not well
avoid doing 90 TO some extent on the present
occasion. and could not, perhaps, better meet
the demands Of the hour than by submitting
some reflections with reference to the great and
vital changes that have recently occurred In our
condition aud circumstances, as individuals,
and 90 \ people, and with reference to the dus
ties and Responsibilities resting upon us, and
r1nocINI.4 mD1n oUf l1eIIIu1I0n1 Ct l9N11II1,
and ouE e1ung men. n this new phases of 0ur
nntinl and ia1nslriaI existence.
n pnrnling tie linz of reInaIk Tins sindic6 ~,
! en- ~ nnmlndlnl q he admeu On,
ssiu..fI,e - 81.
eupel clnesi folas 2
~ - ,s ,s.ss..,z esst q - u
emh6fs, ard amid alin ulanklng Nsfns. 20
not deem Il necessary TO preface anything
may say with either prOtestation or profession
as TO my motives or opinions, nor have any
fear that shall give utterance TO sentiments
obnoxious 70 any Just criticism, or otherwise do
violence to the proUrieties of the occasion.
With reference to the causes which produced
that fratricidal strife, 90 mOurnfully calamitous
in its results, it s not my intention now or here
| To speak. 1t Is, however but vindicating the
| truth of history, and the wisdom OF the fathers,
70 state, that It grew out Of no design or desire
70 change the form of government as originally
established by them, nor out Of any dissatisfac-
ton with the Constitution itself, but was the
ibloody SEQUEL Of war Of ideas which had been
waRed almost from the date Of its adoption, as
TO the proper Interpretation Of that instrument,
and which it was believed by rs was 50 inter-
preted and administered by dominant section
az TO threaten the practical subyersi0n Of the
government, and the inevitable destruction OF
those rights OF person and property which il
should be the end and object Of al governments
10 foster and protect.
Whether these apprehensions were well f0un
ded or not, and whether we were abstractly
right or wrong in our theory Of the functions
and powers Of government, State or Federal, OI
in the means TO which We resOTted to vlndicatC
this theory, it is not my purpose TO inquire. =
II Is enough to know, that after years OF oltte
} controversy, or elimination and recriminatiOn
the theatre Of strife was shifted from the hust
ings and the halls Of legislation, to the CAM
and the battlefield. and that in the dread aTbi
trament Of arms, "the LAST argument Of State
AZ we'll a of kings, decision was pronOuncet
: against ms at the cannon's month, from whicl
: there Is no appeal. There the theory lies en-
tombed with the thousands OF It's martyrs VII
vainly sacrificed their lives 10 its defence, "a
obeyinR the dictates OF wisdom, let as tuT
, sadly from the dark and dreary past 70 the con
temptation Of the present.
Having in our brief and tTagical experimeu
To establish an independent government, cha
IlenRed the respect and admiration OF the work
as ven for wisdom in the cabinet as for proves
= in arms, may we not justly insist that We a
: no Ieas entitled TO that respect aud admlratio
for the manner in which we have borne Oul
8 selves, since, by the signal failure OF that e.
. pertinent, we became . vanquished and imp0'
erished peoplei Adversely tests the virtues
= q people as well as Of an individual, and, iOol
Y ing to all the circumstance, It may be safe
affirmed that there Is not an instance ia histOl
that will in all respects compare fav0Fably Wi
q the spectacle which has been presented 70 q
a world by the people OF these Southern Stat
= since they laid down arms showing that,
" whatever cause attributable, the superior ciyi
is zatiOn which we claimed was something mo
4 than an idle boat.
- Let as glance for moment at some OF :
Fl facts that support this position :-At the CT
i when we abandoned our cause as hopeless, {
country was 90 immense camp from one 9
~ tremity to the other, and almost our ent
ID white male population, between the ages
seventeen and fifty belonged 10 some form
military organization; and yhen tnls mlgL
camp was broken up, and h@SNna OF thOnsan
a. were dishanded, come OF IN were veteEa
no Of hundred fields, and u more o. less acc
toned 70 arms and 20 soldiers habits
q. some of whom bad been absent for years r.
M home, and the ameliorating Influences Of SOC
u. and domestic life al Of whom were pen
)st less, and many OF whom were about 70 FeiE
in TO beggared families and desecrated homes.
there, or has there been another count
where, out Of these materials. h0stllo END n
randing bands would not have been form
u. eluding or defying the power OF the gOve
n ment, OF &C least committing acls ct Insult
dinafi0n and turbulence, requiring the exerI
Of military force for their repression And
no armed organization were formed bey0
q. peFchance, lew outlaws banded together
and there Cor plunder only I; not gun has ,
w. fred hostile 70 the government; and with
almost Fashionable exception Of lew inatan
In which stores, formerly The property q
, g0ReFnment for which these men had sc
lns their all, were appropriated, no riots q
Il. violaaiOna Of the rights q person o. u
occurred.
For four or i've years the Laws had
me lent umid the clash ct arms. and eonEl
tico had almost eeased 20 exisb. end
military authority which bad controlle
thing. ives snbgerted, and there was ]
als law, b there nov, or haa there been
a. countTY o. people Wher ., under encl
stances, civil and social disorders, q
The widest anarchy, would n0t have
And ygt, no oD0ner d0ea TIE smoke
4olnnr aUnv han Wflh A fnaEIncfi