The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-02-08

I> ny VIRGINIA. ORATOR OF THE
nrCrIy"-DERATE BETWEEN CA
,rrs MCCORMICK AMP RUCK, OF THE
..nI,1rCTlC." AND SroTTSWOoD AND
,rIT1i ,P TlIf "CApt 1.-THE CELE-
pRATlON \ SUCCESS.
Lyx!>cro>. VA. February 4, 1870.
IAN ,.o,d cadet" had suddenly found
,n,scw mon Institute Hill tonight he
, ,r,', NJ once have concluded that some
wv unusual was going on. The brilliant
Illumination Of the mess hall, the stream of
..n3ca;s and towns-proplc, the fitting by
- fsjry forms hanging on strong arms, and
,,-o;n: & sweet music waited on the
,,nn;rc a;r-al hetokehed that there
~. SUSPENSION Of the regular "study
A,.~" and that festivity was the order Of
80 evening. II has been held orthodox in
,Ic y;rriuia Military Institute from time
:..nnemorialThat " fourth classman may
va, even ,ook at y lady: that "third
',,.>>nan" may simply glance at her on
same puh'ic occasion that "second
r,sS.nan may go So far as TO bow, or
avon exchange smilcs; bat that ii is re-
,c~yrl for = :" first classman n" alone to en-
;lr tie society Of the fair ones, provided he
,1.,c- not interfere with the assistant pro-
tcssors. -,
,.,,,c seems 10 he relaxed. and even the
...,.,a- rats" vic with first ciaSSmen
,,,i suh>" n haskiug N the smiles OF
,hc :g;r bellies Of Lexington. The students
,,no,ain that on these occasions the
buttons are prime favorltes with the
Indies. and that they have hut poor
chance among So many" boys who wear the
r,nv." Well. this is al right, for 1t is
-,Iinm that the cadets have fair chance
rrra.s, indeed. they run the blockade
,..j risk bcing' reported b. some gallant
assistant whose path they cross.
IN, started &c tell of the anniversary
celebration Of the "Cndet' and "Dia-
,rrti," Societies Of the Virginia Military
Institute, which passed off tonight with
more than usual brilliancy. At an early
lo,r The crowd begun 10 assemble, and by
: o'cIock the spacious mess hall was filled
with -Uch an audience as only Lexington
cpn turn ont. The Virginia Military lnsti-
;.t, band discoureci very sweet muse on
-n.,~ s;rin-cl Instruments and there was
,iarcc for pleasant chit-chnt and general
observation until first the Societies and then
the traitors marched in amidst loud ap-
IauSe. ~.
t.t,t llowertvn. president Of the =" Dia-
lrc,.c." gracefully and appropriately cx-
,,..rei that the two Societies had deter
,ainyd t. unite in their anniversary ccle-
rra,'or: that each had selected an orator,
,n,i Thar while in the debate the " Dialec-
tic" would maintain the affirmative anu
the cadet the negative OF the question
there would lie no Vote. and the merits OF
the argument would be lett TO the silent
decision # the aulcuce.
The president Of the 'Calct,; Society
nulct Dahn"y) gracefully introduced MIR
\. +. Randolph, of Virginia, rs their ora
Tor. He announced as lis theme " P'rSe'
,.roars. =" and illustrated il by well-choser
,yamllcS from history, and especially by q
enc,ch If til" establishment Of the Virgil
riu Military Institute and the rebuilding Of
I. ruined walls. He spoke without manu-
scriy;. had a good delivery. AMI was greeted
with loud applause from his comrades, anC
smiles. bouquets, and cards, from the la
dies
Mr.. Iowcrton, president Of the .: Dialec
IL, then appropriately presented rs thcll
orator C4dc; L. 7. Wilson, OF Virginia. liz
gracefully introduced rs his theme " .Nor,'
and made a sensible, practical, and well
delivered speech. Several Of his mathc
mutic.l and military illustrations were par
t.cularly happy. He, 100, spoke withou
manuscript, was loudly arpiauded and was
rewarded with sundry bouquets and billet
Icux from fair auditors.
The question announced for discussion
was (which is the greatest incentive L
actinH. hope Of reward OF fear Of punish
ment -
Cadet J. NJ. Mccormick, Of Virginia, wal
introduced as the first champion OF thi
" Jialcctc." He came ut once to the uueS
ton, and made an exceedingly sensible
manly. and Independent speech, which ht
delivered without manuscript, and with ;
distinctncss which made himself heard al
over the hall.
Cadet NJ. l.. Srottswood was introduced
~ the first champion of the "Cadet' > so
ciciy, and boldly espoused the negative
lie made several very good hits, and dc
livercd his speech very well. y large par
# his address was in blank verse; and b
would seem to have some poetic genius.
Cadet n. L. Buck, of Virginia, mex
capoused the affirmative, and made, per
haps, the speech of the evening for fai
statement of the argument and close rea
soniug. He begun with a good ht at tin
poetry Of the las. speaker, which brouGh
DOWN the house, and made II striking argu
mcnt Of the question.
Cadet W. ". Smith, of North Carolina
closed the debate in n very well-tlme,
speech on the negative. lie made yer,
clear definition Of the terms OF the ques
tion--shOwing that reOt is not corurdice
&c. had some we'll put points and scyera
good hts, and delivered his speech yer,
wcl-pcrhups better than either Of tn
other speakers. All of the dcbater
were rewarded with the applause Of tn,
audience and souvenirs from the ladies.
Upon the Whole, the celebration to-nigh
NAV be pronounced Il success. There were
several points which deserve special com
mendation. The speeches were all short
not one of them exceeding and only on'
reaching twenty minutes III length; ant
this was certainly virtue when there were
six to be delivered. They were also re
fresbingly free from much Of the clap
trap which forms SO large part of college
oratory. No sage advice was given to thu
professors-n eulogy on beauteous NO
man was pronounced-and but little wa
said of "classic Greece" imperla
Rome" or the late war;
For the most part, good sense and soo'
taste characterized the speeches, which were
All thoroughly memorized and unusually
well delivered; and the audience deserve
credit for unusually good attention. Ii thu
bellies and beaux would exchange feV
words it was in all undertone, and did no
create the cluttcr we frequently hear OF
such occasions. The frequent passing o.
the marshals from the audience to the stano
n1rinn the whole nf The sreakinm mighl