The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-07-06
Address of Governor walker TO tho
Virginia Military Institute Gradu-
atinG Class.

| Virginia M1Aftary sAseleuSS ~Ht'
| atfng Class.
| Special telegram to tie Dispatch.
LEXINGTON, VA, july 4.-Atter the APP
| plause with which be was greeted had some
what subsidized, Governor Walker said that
when he accepted the kind. invitation 60
make this address he had distinaAatQh Inc
youbg gentlemen that they must not expect
formally prsssrsdA ration, as press of off,
cial duties would utterly preclude this. He
lonly proposed plain talk. Such occasions
fWere fbYays pleasant to hin: He was fond
of young men arrttas yonaz amen, too, and
loved to mingle in their festivities. -Afe al
luM1s the memories of the day (FoHrth
of JULY as one 1aaRhallowed as Independ-
.snce Day, but it has to us BS1a GSent II
ut MOI agfeeious memories; for one year
ago. -fy Virginia burst the bands of her
thralaom and once more took ,beE p!aceass
an independent State OF the Union. TnaS
is the first class that has been sent from
these halls of science since that glorious
event, and the occasion was therefore in
vested with peculiar interest. Healluded
to the destruction Of the Virginia Military
Institute by the war as but type of the
condition of the whole State. Thanks to
the wisdom and untring energy of the SUI
perintendent, the Virginia Military Institute
has been revived again, and is now the pride
of the State and of the country. He wanted
this class to strike hands with him, and the
people of the State to rally around and help
him to place the old Commonwealth
on the same footing of prosperity
which we hail to-day in the Virginia Mill
tary Institute. Ten years ago Virginia di-
rected and controlled the Union of States,
her leaders exerted potent influence, and
her name WAS magic spell. So long as
this was true, all was well in the country.
He wanted Virginia to assume her old
place in the van, and he intended, so far as
he was able, that this should be so.
He alluded to the momentous cir
cumstances under which the present
graduates go forth to the battle of
life. The world is not what it was ten years
ago. 1t is an age Of progress and improve
mcnt. He heartily sympathized with, the
eloquent remarks of the address last night
Dr. Curry's), to the effect that these gradu- |
atcs will enter life amid stirring, inspiring
scenes. Thus going forth on this advanced
plane, they would have more to encounter
and more to expect. He eXhorted them to
fix higher standard and strive to reach it.
They must not think that there can be but
one Maury. Though he stands without q
peer to-day, thirty years hence there may
be fifty-two like him, and all of them from
the Virginia Military Institute. lie was
very much struck with the remark in the
admirable address Of the yaledictorian that
hard study is the only surety OF success.
The man who relies on genius will die q
fool. There is really no genius but that
of untiring study. Tho man who
thinks his diploma enough will miSerably
fail. These graduates have but laid toun- |
dation on which to build hereafter, and he
cxhorted them to patient toll at their work. |
He had been delighted with his visit and all
that he had seen of the workings OF the
Virginia Military Institute. General Smith
was but an embodiment Of untiring en-
ergy and hard work. The State could
truly say to him, " Well done, good and
faithful servant He eXhorted the gradn-
atcs to take their Superintendent as an eX-
emplar for the manner i'll which they shall
meet their duties in life. He had been
especially gratiiied to learn that two-thirds
of the graduates Of the session are profess
ors Of religion. He earnestly urged them
to carry out the maXims of their profession,
and be men-honest, earnest men. He
concluded by feelingly quoting the closing
stanza of Bryant's Thaumatopsis. he
was. frequently interrupted by applause,
and his address seemed to give the highest
satisfaction. 49,. So.
The memorial poem of James Barron
Hope,' Esq, is pronounced by our most
competent critics to be gem. "
The Alumni dinner was grand success.
The ball only closed at daylight this morn
ing. &c.. LEXINGTON.