The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-06-25
r reanonse. Mr.. wilkinson gratefully

! In reaponse, Mr.. Wilkinson gratefully
,ocanted the glittering prize, ot-oaly ass alH
sIa,o. INT ma n testimonial OF regard ana
" "steonn nm the part of his Society.
{. Turing after years and in other lands
T sho1I oIJsays cherish it as an nffectionate
,nernento OF the past. BUTT shall net only
~, hock former sscenes--not only recall
.ha footures and tones-of fellow-rriembers
md friends-the hopes, strivings, and joys,
IS College life. It shall serve nobler pur-
,,aose and contribute to n Ioftier aim. In
| ppfter life if shall encourage in the contest
;,y,erra, ddiiffieuIties are to be overcome and
resistance conquered. When miaortunes
overshadow MY path then the thought OF
this award. as the bright-hued dawn, shall
d;srel the surrounding gloom. Like the
beacon beaming through the dark
oss If the storm, that warns the
mariner Of danger, it shall bid me shun
the rocks and quicksands on which youth
fnl ambition has been go often wrecked,
| and. like the guiding star IN, the northern
| consultations, shall ever point to the course
Of right and safety over the troubled waters
of this aforementioned life" lie then
a1auded to the OCCASION and circumstances
which surrounded him, and drew arpropr1-
ate lessons from them. He concluded as
fol,ows: Fellow-members, in, parting let
MS determine to honor our Society in what
| ever-we do. Let MS be guided by those
nrinciples which make the statesman's great
aim. not power, but right. Those principles
! which raise the orator above the trickery
| If the demagocue, and consecrate his voice
to the service of justice and all that is high
and noble those principles which do not
fash on the conqueror's sword in letters
lof fire and subjugation, but CLEAN on the
ootr;ot,s blade in. characters of living and
Glorious light, :" Law and Liberty''! K. -
| MANY of us shall soon see each other for
| the last time. Before all of us meet again,
the stalwart arm shall be deprived of its
strength, the blooming cheek be reft Ct its
tbcauty, the beaming eyebe bright no more,
and the merry voice be forever still AT
that final day, when sepulchercd worlds
shall rise, may we meet together within the
golden gates and join the white-robed throng
IN symphonies sweeter than the quivering
! harps, and grander than q thousand oceans
beating upon thousand shorcs-anthems
| whose undying melodies peal forever
throughout the halls of Eternity
Mr. Wilkinson had his speech perfectly
committed to memory, and delivered it in
fine style. The whole presentation passed
off admirably. "'"l
: The President then introduced Mr.. James
G. Wintersmith, of Kentucky, as orator of
the Graham Society. With nm allusion to
the, circumstances of the occasion and the
feelings of the young men about to step
forth to the battle of life, he gracefully
introduced his subject: g Moral Courage
the Basis of True Pleasure and Glory"
Defining and illustrating what is meant by
moral courage, he contrasted the statesman
who had it with the one who was destitute
of it. He wildly pictured the contrast
between the soldier who had true moral
courage and the one who could be bought
with power, or place, or gold, and Illus
| tratcd by examples drawn from history.
| He showed that glory which plays around
tic head and not the heart is utterly
worthless, and thus addressed his fellow
students I" And now, comrades of our old
Graham, some of us separate tonight for
our homes in the South and in the West :;
but some of you will remain to grace our
halls in future some of you while here
under the charge of our honored chief will
strike for the rose of glory some Of you
will struggle for pleasure, and some will sue
coed but let me exhort you to make moral
courage your platform; to strike, when you
| do strike, for the good of mankind; make
conscience your shield hold the rank that
no chieftain can give, that no station can
disgrace let us, when VIC leave here,
have no occasion to say, Are we so soon
forgot when. we are gone 7 Carve your
names, too, deep in the marble of honor
make moral courage your battle-axe, and
YOU will hew out characters too bright and
| beautiful to be marred by public opinion
| You will strike down the lettering ramparts
of adversely you will enter the beautiful
| realms of glory, and not tail. For in the
| bright lexicon of youth there is no such
| word as .fait.' -..a... ~! .,. ,1
lie concluded by again earnestly urging
that moral courage il the true platform
both of pleasure and glory. snta
Mr. Wintcrsmith was loudly applauded,
| and his speech seemed to give great salts
| faction to his friends. / - a.,,ts.. ,..' US. T.
The President Of Washington Society then
introduced Mr.. C. D. Pogue, of Alabama,
as orator of chat society,". q t.,. sr~.
He announced as his theme" Eloquence,
the Guardian Of Liberty He argued
| first to show that liberty is the parent Of
eloqucnce,n and then passed to his imme-
diate theme. He illustrated this by the
power Of the lawyer pleading for the lib
erty of his client, the statesman pleading
ut the bar of the Senate or arousing the
Leople in the forum TO resist oppression,
and the preacher pleading with men to
| throw off the letters of sin and take the
freedom of the gospel, or, like Luther,
rousing the masses to struggle Tor soul
freedom. He illustrated his subject by
abundant historic examples, and earnestly
exEorted- his comrades to cultivate clio
quencc, whatever may be their intended
avoeation in life. .a rr .,@.@ "@
He concluded as follows: Some there
are among you whose bosoms are even now
lit up withthe fires of honorable ambition
who burn the midnight lamp to quencb the
thirst for glory raging within you,-Who
aspire to immortalize your names blythe
extent and Importance Of your services to
YOUR country--wbose visions Of the future
glow with the hopes of presiding in her
counsels, directing her affairs, and APP
pearing to future ages on the roll Of fame
as her ornament and pride. "
/" Remember, then, that you are the sons
of those whose irresistible eloquence
moulded the Thirty -sixth' Congress. Gather
strength from this great fact, consecrate
YOUR faculties to the cause of freedom,
truth, and humanity, and make for your
selves a name which will Withstand the
corroding trusts Of time" - .'''
MIR. Pogue has very good delivery. He