The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-01
speech by General Wade Hampton m
Warrington College.

correspondent of the Richmond Enouirer.
giving an account OF the Commencement pro-
ceedings at Washington College, Virginia, says:
The certificates OF distinction and the diplomas
having been awarded, and the oratons on the part
Of the young men having been concluded, General
Lee arose and said
|" / introduce to you, ladies and gentlemen. Gen.
Wade Hampton, Of South Carolina, who mas con
scented TO address the literary societies.
The general still looks young as when he rode
10 the van OF the battle. The theme of the ad-
dress was, Duty as the best motive to animate us
IN all things He said
when you assume the duties Of citizenship. let
his order OF the great republic be the maxim tn
govern you 10 all your relations TO your State. De.
iermlne hrmly that whatever may be your future
position, whether In public or private station. nv
10 word or thought OF deed to work detriment 10
your state. lie true to her, come veal, come
woe; true to her material interests, her spotIess
tame, her unsUllied honor, her grand traditions.
You owe this duty to those immortal men Who
made Virginia what she was you owe II 10 them
who are TO come after you; you owe il 10 your-
selves; you owe IL TO your State.
She cannot now address her sons In the nrord
language OF naughty Rome, asking them 10 see to
II that the Republic suffers no detrimentJ for
Der voice, that Of old so potent, Is stiaed: bnt
10 mute sgopy she points 10 the heroic sons she
has borne, 10 teach her younger. born how 10 live
Tor her, and. II need be, how to die for her As
sne calls up her mighty dead TO stand before YOU.
methinks see coming at her summons an iilus.
ulOus most OF heroes, sages and patriots. I see
assembled the sons of the Old Dominion-men of
heroic mould-and from their midst | hear the
voice OF the forest born Demosthenes az ne
exelams In tones that reused America, and still
hhd an echo in the heart of every lover of free.
dom, Give me liberty or give me deathl' I see
j. hersOn, as with impressive solemnity he Dre-
Sc nts 10 the patriots Of '76. what was once our
Magma Charta, the immortal Declaration of Inde-
pendence. | see Madison framing that Con.
stitution, which he fOnsly hoped, but, alas
10 vain, was TO secure the blessings Of
liberty TO his country. | see Madison giving
to bis state her noble bill Of rights, and Marshall
adding dignity to the bench by his Justice and
learning, and shedding lustre on his State BY his
virtue! Along with them see a countless throng
OF Der noble sons whose names the world will NOT
willingly let die, and towering above all 4 see an.
preach IN awful majesty, the man who was first
10 Wsr. fret in peace, and FIRST in the hearts OF his
He concluded as follows, after warning the
young gentlemen against pursuingt he dictates
OF policy rather than principle: Should such
temptations, should you be disposed for the sake
OF expectancy TO sacrifice daty, 90 to yonder
quiet cemetery, and 81 you look upon the grave
Of Jackson, think Of the great soldier, pure ma
triot and humble Christian,
"Who taught Us how to live, and, Oh too hi,hi
for sucn price, who taught ss how 10 die
"Should any further incentive 70 confirm vour
waveriDg fsiih be then needed, turn from the
grave Of the dead hero and Christian TO contem-
plate the living one, and learn 20 live ike him
whose inspiration has been patriotism and whose
pole-stsr Is duty"