The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1868-01-25
LEXINGTON, Va, January 81, 1868.

The bellies and DeauX OF Lexington nave
been looking forward with no small antici-
patton of pleasure to the anniversary Of
the Graham Society Of Washington Col
lege; and the students anXiously awaited
the result of petition for holiday on the
occasion, sent into the faculty several days
ago. No response to the petition had been
received.
Yesterday morning was gloomy, and
threatening close, rainy day; and some
Of the young gentlemen mot to say young
ladies' were beginning to be in rather
bad humor at the prospects, when 1t was
announced at morning chapel that the Pc
ti,ion had been granted, and that there
would be q suspension of rectations du-
ring the day. This, of course, put new
phase on matters and though the skies
did not brighten, certain faces did, as some
went to the river for days skating, Others
to call on their ladyloves, and few OF the
more studious to have ga splendid day for
reviewing for the intermediate examlna-
tons" (Which are near at hand).
When the hour for the exercises ar
rived it was raining fast, but grave citl-
zcns and gay bellies and beaux began to
crowd iuto tho spacious Presbyterian
church until it was we'll filled with such
an audience as only Lexington can mus
ter. The polite committeeman were I'M
firing in their efforts to secure comforta-
BILE seats for the audience, and especially
for the ladies. But your correspondent
must say, even at the risk of being called
by some fair one ga cruSty old bachelor"
that in his humble judgment the ladies are
sometimes just little hard toplease upon
such occasions, and give the ushers no
small amount Of unnecessary trouble.
[Qury.-If party of gentlemen give up
their seats to party oil ladies' and their
beaux, and move to an exactly opposite
part Of the house, if the said ladies change
their minds and .follo,o them, do the laws OF
politeness require that said gentlemen
shall surrender their seats second time p
While waiting for the beginning of the ex-
ercises the audience were entertained by
q burlesque programme Of "THE ONE
THOUSAND AND ONETH UNIVERSITY OF THE
GRAHAM sFILE-A AND TO0TH-PICK SOCI-
ETY."
This programme contained good-natured
hits at oil of the speakers, marshals, COM
mitteemen, &C., and, being generally cir
culated through the house, put the audi
ence in pleasant frame for the exercises,
which begun at O'Clock.
Roll call of the Society was first in
order, and is only mentioned to ask
whether it might not best have been dis
pensed with.
Mr.. T. j. Thomas, of Virginia, then
acclaimed in good style well-selected
piece.
The question announced for debate was,
"Does War Promote the Advance OF
Civilization Mr.. Seth Shepard, Of
Texas, spoke on the affirmative, followed
by Mr.. G. B. Peters, of Tennessee, on the
negative. Mr.. J. P. Billups, Jr., of Mis-
sissippi, then spoke in the affirmative, and
was responded to by Mr.. 7. II. Dennis, oil
Virginia, in the negative. The debate was
very creditable to the Society and to the
disputants. No Disagreement to the
other disputauts is meant when we say
that the composition of Mr.. Peters's speech
was unusually good, and that Mr.. Dennis's
was all exceedingly creditable argument
iugeniously conceived, we'll arranged, sus-
tanned by apt illustrations, and delivered
in frank, manly style. Question was de-
cided in the negative by a vote of 43 to Is.
Mr.. W. w. Collins, of Georgia, then
acclaimed Robert Emmet's famous speech
in his own defence. He displayed fine
powers as declaimer, barring certain
faults which time will correct.
Mr.. C. r. Breckenridge, of Kentucky,
fson of John C. Breckinridge,) then de-
livered the anniversary grafton, which was
listened TO with interest by the audience
generally though your correspondent re-
grets to have to add that party of bellies
and beaux (Several benches off from where
he sat- kept up such clatter that he
could not hear a portion of the speech.
Paying tribute to Rev. DR.. Graham,
the founder of Liberty Hall Academy"
from which Washington College sprung,
after whom the Society was named when it
was first organized in 1909, the speaker
dwelt little on the appellation "Philan-
thropic made a severe hit at modern
philapthropists," SO called, and urged
that his fe!low-members seek to illustrate
the true meaning Of the term. He then
spoke Of the advantages to be derived
from literary societies, and urged his COM
rades to improve these advantages. re-
marking that the " educated youth of the
South are the hope Of the land !" he drew
vivid picture of our condition, and made
an earnest appeal to young men to come
up TO and meet with manly fortitude the
duties lying before them. The speech was
frequently spplauded. It possessed one
virtue as rare rs i. is excellent in college
speeches. refer to its breyity.
BY the way, if had the ear Of the So
ciety,I would respectfully suggest that
J. "a. - L.s.