Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-07-07
Address by Judge Robert Ould.

On Monday evening of last week, at the an
nual commencement of the Richmond College,
Judge Robert Ould delivered fine address to
the Philologian and Mu Sigma Pho societies.
Judge OuId concluded his address as follows
Young gentlemen of the societies, if there
ever was a time for honest utterances, it is now.
Y ou are entering upon what is the most re-
markable period of this earth S history 1t is
an age of pecuniary profit and loss; all is mo-
ton, whirl, contention and speculation. We
seem to be living to perfect the outward ma
chinery of life, rather than educate and enoble
the inward principle.
The body, clothed in the pomp of purple
and fine linen, is made Dives, while the i'm
mortal soul lies in Lazarus rage. Conscience
and scruples are laughed at, as distractions
that don pay roguery sits in high cushioned
lordliness perjury is as common as truthful
speech, and corruption every where abounds.-
The spirit Of evil, with its uncounted hosts, is
waging fierce fight against the truth Where
stand ye in this contest? On which side will
your vigorous blows be given in future?
Your Alma Mater charges you to be faithful
soldiers in the cause of the right, no matter
what dangers may environ your warfare. Let
no coward fear frighten your souls. In perse-
cuton, in peril, in disaster, nay, if the sword
be swinging round your head, stand steadfast
to the truth. If the burning fiery furnace,
heated seven times more than is wont, blaze
and roar before you, say, with the noble Jewish
youths in that perhaps grandest of human ut
terances ever heard on this earth, "If it be SO,
our God, whom we serve, is able to deliver us
out of thy hand, O King But if not, be it
known unto thee, o King, that we will not
serve thy gods, nor worship the golden image.
which though hast set 1t may be that God
may walk through the furnace with you, so
that no smell of fire pass upon your garments
but if not, better that you be consumed like
stubble than live traitor to your high trusts.
If the cause which is approved by your en-
lightened judgment is in extremity of sore
distress, rally to its broken standard with more
fervor than if its pennons were Haunting in the
gales of victory
Success is a vain mans test of excellence, not
God S. There is as much honor due to the SOL
dier who perishes at his post in the defle, as
to him who gains the topmost height, and
there, Hyperion-like, shakes the conqueror' s
glittering shaft. If the night be long and dark,
possess your souls with patience, and struggle
on. At the appointed hour the morning will
fling wide it's portals for the levee of the great
High King. The divine hand has been laid
with blessing and conservation upon the fair and
beautiful head of truth, and though in pain and
and anguish and travail, she may suffer and en-
dure, the eternal years of God are hers, and in
His own good time He will vindicate the divin
ity Of her origin. Have you ever thought, my
young friends, what strange moral world our:
would have been, if all truth had broken in up
on it at once, full orbed instead Of having beer
wrested, as it were, piecemeal, from the domair
of darkness? And have you ever thought how
fatal to all true heroism it would be, if every
honest effort were crowned with success? Pom
der upon the thought and it will repay you.
Besides the moral intrepidity which [ hav'
urged upon you, be always true to yourselves
Above all things, preserve your selfrespect.-
You had better lose that of everybody else thai
your own. With that goes the bloom of tn
soul. 1t has been the peculiar glory of Virgini
in the past, that her sons have ever maintanet
their selfrespect. If out of the wreck Of he
greatness could secure but one of the trait
that have made her illustrious, I would clutcl
that with the grasp which despair gives to tn
| drowning man.
And lastly let no love of popular favor o
hope of worldly promotion lead you to espous
the cause of injustice. Be it's sworn foe, what
ever form it takes. You cannot join hand
with it without being soiled. This world ca
never afford a nobler sight than that of BRAY
soul fronting obloquy and peril in the defenc
OF weakness and innocence.
Again, say unto you, my young friends,
ye strong and free in the truth
Strong is that man, he only strong
To whose well ordered will belong
For service and delight
All powers that in the face of wrong,
Establish Right.
And free he is, and only he
Who from his tyrant passions free,
By Fortune undismayed
Hath power upon himself to be
By himself obeyed.
If such man there be, where'er
Beneath the sun and moon lie fare,
He cannot fare amiss
Great Nature hath him in her care
Her cause is his.
He owes no homage to the sun,
Th ere's nothing he need seek or shun
All things are his by right
He is his own posterity
His future in himself doth lie
His souls his light.
1t may be fair question whether man Ct