Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1868-11-03

AZ tAC COAOudIlOu duu Jail dt Tic AulGTkC6u
Hotel, at night, Maj. Dorman, of Lexington
delivered the following beautiful coronation ad-
dress:
MAJOR DORMAN' S ADDRESS.
Fair Queen-Unexpectedly called on, but
churlish instead of knightly, and lost to the
noblest sentiments of manhood, who would
shrink from the honorable and pleasing part of
speaking to fair ladies on behalf of gallant gen.
tlemen. To whatever cause the honor of this
summonsupon myself may be attributed, wheth-
er that these youthful knights regard my longer,
if not larger, experience in the art and mystery
of addressing the sex or that they have COM
passlonately placed me where you must needs
listen, and may be expected to listen kindly !;
or, more truly, because they do me the justice
to think that l cannot speak to you without ex-
pressing that reverence and admiration for af-
lection, loneliness and virtue which entertain
in common with themselves, it is none the less
grateful to me, however mistaken the selection
or difficult the duty. Indeed. to speak of South
ern womanhood Alright, would task the highest
powers of eloquence, the richest stores of poesy
and feeling. Words are poor and speech un-
able to do full justice to such theme. One
might wish that the fairy gift bestowed upon
the kind girl at the fountain should fall upon
him, and. as in return for simple draught of
water, magic power made to fall from her lips.
shower of diamonds and pearls and roses and
violets, SO should the tongue thrill with all that
can excite mind and heart to rapturous enthu
siasm in paying fit tribute to the excellence and
charms of the daughters of Virginia and her
sister States.
Earlier than know
Immersed in rich foreshadowings Of the world,
/ lov'd the woman. He that doth not, lives
A drowning life, besotted in sweet SELF
Or pines in sad experience worse than death,
Or keeps his wing affections clipt with crime y
And sure am that even in our own sunny
land can no better types Of female worth be
found than in our own lovely Valley.
Rich as her records are with grand, historic
names-blazoned as is her shield with the arms
Of heroes, and garlanded as she is with the civic
proudly and with tender regard to her fair
daughters, who, from the motherof Washington
to the patient, pious, patriot women Of this
time, have moulded, and nurtured and oheered
her sons in every circumstance, whether of
peace or war, Of prosperous Or Of adverse for
tuue.
Well is it for the youth of land when they
are guarded by that feeling which makes them
look to womanly appreciation as the highest
need for every effort When they can say, as
these knights, l am sure, can
Earlier than I know;
Immersed in rich foreshowings of the world
The exercises of this happy occasion, which
has called together so much of the substantial
worth, the manly qualities, the unbroken spirit,
the unfaltering endeavor of our Valley and State,
could not have been fifty concluded wiahout this
tribute to those who have been the grace and
ornament Of the scene.
We may be poor in worldly gear we may be
docpo1Io1 of hot tho oh &c
men we may toll through thorny paths, which
were once bedecked with flowers we may lose
all else, but leave us the honor, the purity, the
comfort, the happiness, the excelling worth Of
mothers and sisters and Of those bound to us by
yet tenderer ties, to maintain, to cherish, to
defend, to exalt, to reverence, to love, and we
have yet something to live for if need be, some
thing to die for-something to make towards
brave and brave men heroes We have still
duties to discharge that will rob adversely of its
bitterness-that will carry with them blessings
through life, and when the last of earth shall
have come, will be present in memory to soothe
the pangs of death, to lend triumph and Joy
to the agonies of dissolution. Animated by
sentiments such as these, the knights of this
days tourney have striven with becoming zeal
for the coveted honor of selecting and browning
the Queen Of Love and Beauty and her attend
ant maidens. Their gallantry and their taste
are here at once rewarded and illustrated. =
Worthily have they won their honors--w orthily
do they bestow yours. Receive your crown,
from your champions, and repay them with
your smiles remembering that
s'The bravest are the tenderest-
The loving are the daring"
If the stars of the General and the ermine Of
the Judge and the worth of the private citiger
If the camp and the forum are represented
among you, it is because those whose names
you bear have been urged on in their career by
the influences of home and woman
After the first set, Col. Baldwin presented
the silk slippers to the Queen. Then again
Music arose with voluptuous swell,
And all went merry marriage bell"