The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-06-16

ny asocatloi-the place OF his birth, OF his child
moot OF MS education, OF his cOurtship ana mar
riage; he place where he has laid his Kindred in the
earth TO await the last glorious TRANSPORTATION and
checked by Christians hope-there is in every per-
sonar experience one which is dearer to him than
any other, which binds him more strongly, at which
the lengthenng chain of attachment which he car
RES In his life wanderings is locked and the key
to the Old CADET ee' such '" it is to me and
those among us who were educated here. We
come come back, men Of years to this beautiful
gray no longer shoulders, but on our heads,
and our hearts beat warm with the Old cadet feeling
as We look upon you, and recognizing resemblances
to Jur former comrades ready call you by the
| old Games and ncknames. When we hear the COM
look with some misgivings we see your instructor
OF tactics go by not quite sure that there may not be
leagues confessed to that he dreamed few nights
ago that he could not get on his belts and was late
a a Parahe we nave grown In great respect for
| have not quite lost all my fear of them
| 1t would recur during your recent examnatiOn--for
| most OF them are the same we had quarter of
century ago. In BRIEF fellow cadets, in the long line
OF brotherhood feel almost as much one Of you to-
day as II carried musket or hOurshed sword
and with God to help me hope to be in spirit
IN that supreme change shall come which will unfor
tunately only lack the slow march and the voley to
seal the career of est Pointer who loved his cher
ishing mother fondy and devotedly to the end:
speak for 's my 0i es%s SPEAK aa wah the
voice Of gratitude, OF acknowledgment, of service
dear Old placel And now gentlemen, let me spend
the very short time allotted me in celebrating one
thought of common interest to cadets:-l find the
text IN the words of our immortal Washington, and
lew statistics OF the Revolutionary history doubt
less well known TO you ALL must he given to elucldate
W. Ihe speaker then gave lengthy history OF West
Point, commencing with General Arnolds interview
WIN Major Andre; narrated all the incidents con
hected WIN the discovery OF his treason and TO the
course pursued by Washington on that memorable
occasion. lie then referred TO it as strategic point
Continuing he sketched the history of West
POINT as military academy, and spoke of
me lllls'rlous men who graduated there
lly misunderstanding OF the true doctrine OF
states rights, by peryerson Of that lofty and hon
orable sentiment nobiesss oblige some of the
Southern graduates arrayed themselves against the
government. am not here TO mete out their con-
domination. Our only wonder is that the percentage
was so small. All honor to those who stood firm,
bu' no one who does not know how the heavens
| trembled and the earth rocked, how tears and
prayers and threats and hopes were brought bear
can Judge of the struggle of Lee and the Johnstons
am here TO call your attention to the magnificent
nghlng OF these misguided chiefs and to the i'm
ported the government and won the final victory. At
The beginning OF the war the Old faacy still at
work distinguished citizens were called to high
commands, and II the mills OF the gods ground
slowly they ground them exceeding small. Look at
your army list. Who leads the land forces The
OF AppomattOX; Grant. magned, relieved from ac-
tive duty, lighting through good and evil weather.
the whole army; lighting with set teeth until the end
ana now the world rings with his name. Crazy
two hundred thousand men and was put upon the
s snelf uni, until the whole country was inocu-
gettysburg Mcclellan TIE great organizer q the
Washington, and west Point has answered by the
deeds of her sons when other men were pOweress
Or or subordinate. The bead-ro!l Of fame 49, with
few exceptions, the army list OF generals and brevet
generals Gentlemen Of the graduating class, let us
come come to less exciting topics 1t Is twenty seven
longer time been given to prepare my
address ! should have been glad to tell you
member clambering up the rocky path to the
Hotel and then after an unquiet meal, going to the
he asked me how much money had rather ver
dainty named the whole amount, but told him
t1ongnt would deposit half OF 1t and keep the rest
ted that should turn 1t all in cadets not al
lowed to have money l shall not trouble you with
ponderous books in yonder office far more minutey
Than is desrablea But ind great changes. Your |
Orous or less exacting than to-day. Your splendid
barracks were not dreamed Of. There stood the old
former with central halls constituting posts
Nos ], and 10. The fourth story was called the
ONCE, and the guardroom was the first room at the
entrance-a comfortable old place. I remember
paneing of my room and walking stick OF one of
the stair posts, which rank high among my house.
on both sides upon open Corridors in which the SEN
tinels walked. l remember our distinguished
president, Major General Franklin) cutting
martial figure there on several occasiOns
and I remember, too, that post No. l, on
the second floor, north, where walked some
extra tours-of course undeserved-was very cool
and breezy about Christmas times just tattoo for
the truth of which appeal to my cassmate General
Ritcher your excellent superintendent. OF the text
books, OF which you are Justly proud and sometimes
l fear unJusty negligent but few were written.
Prot. Mahan had only written the Civil Engineering
and Field Fertilization, since so greatly Improved
Prof. Church's excellent treatise on analytical
geometry had not seen the light and the Calculus
N Erppc |
Prof. Bartlett had only written his difficult and
excellent treatise on OPTICS which required such hard
study that some Of the cadets couldn't see itn Prof
kendrick was an assistant in the department he
now so worthily fills. Prof Weir was at work In his
tunda, and l remember with great pleasure that he
invited me a tolerabe draughtsman to come to see
then second teacher of French, the good Prof
Berard being the frat; and all caught enthusiasm
from his prompt aud accurate instruction. and learn
ed the language for itself and for Its instructor But
You will accuse me OF garruty, and have somewhat
counsel from an old cadet The paper to he placed
IN the hand OF each OF You by the ustrous head Of
ed # is ae record RaPe Of
aborious life OF four years; II Is your letter Of
dentlas to me world and to all parts Of the world
each OF you promise for the future. Let no man |
think that his work here is an accomplished fact,
tied up, sealed, labelled and put away among the
records forever. thousand times no. You have
here only laid the foundations 1t Is nothing but stones
and mortar unless you build upon 1t. West Point
Is only one part Of the great Calculus
OF life The differental has been made
here, the seed planted; your indignation Is the work
of lfe the plant must burst into mature beauty;
your measurements your areas. your limits, all must
come natural results from what Is here learned
what You have here learned Is worse than nothing.
Have YOU sometimes found II painful and wearisome
TO learn those things Of which you did not know the
future application Have your heart and muscles
sometimes failed you In quarrying out stones, igno
rant of what building they are to be placed in to
what structure they are to give stability and beautys
Even so; but have faith. Everything you have
learned here will be useful. by your mathematics
You Will build bridges, make railroads. survey pro-
vinces, light armies, compute the coming planet now
lost 10 sight IN the depths of the infinite dark. And
20 for the rest use what you have learned here; FIX
your levers, ply your implements, exert your
strength, anu NOu may move the world again. There
was prevalent notion among graduates In my time
mat they were far superior to all the rest OF the
"ort. Ihey looked with pity, and sometimes with
contempt upon all others. Especially they regarded