New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1870-07-04
OUR COLLEGES.
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.

ADDRESS BY TIE HON. GEO. III. PENDULUM
The exercises of Commencement Week at
the University of Virginia closed Thursday with the
annual meeting Of the Alumni Association and the
Alumni dinner The orator of the day the Hon Geo.
H. Pendeton, who after thanking the Alumni for their
invitation to address them, said:
Disasters have lately befalen the institution The
cloud Of war has burst over the land and its thunder
bolts have not spared the temples OF learning or Their
cumuated treasures rejoice to believe that TINS mas
all nS that Ssaee o
the pathways OF learning and progress, and that ms
career OF prosperity and usefulness Yesterday the
musket and sword flashed in the cleaning sun. To-day
rewards Of the husbandmans toll The towns and cities
then resOunded to the roar of cannon and the report OF
musketry; they vocal with the hum of busiest
Industry The thrift Of wise and patient and self
restraining people assists the efforts OF time with lts con-
stantly recurring seasons.
This is indeed haOwed spot-the memories Of lives
well spent-eyidences Of deeds well donethe results OF
rise lnbidden They do indeed excite the sensbllties
and kinde the imagination and warm the heart tthey
also give the admonon Put OFF thy shoes from of thy
feet for the place whereOn thou sandes is holy ground
humbly obey that admonltion approach WIN dii'
dence the task you have assigned me The name OF mon
tceo Charlottesville. Of the University, calls up
picture which touches love OF country and trs our
pride Of race jefferson himself is the greatest central
figure. His body bends under the accumulated nhrmi-
tiles OF so years His character Is strengthened ana pu
fled by the and responsibilities OF the gravest d
ties in peace in war the fever Of revolution, in the
heat Of partisan conflicts in the conscious gravity OF az
intellect cultivated and matured by the studies and OBJ
seryations and reflections OF life alternating De-
tween the halls Of legislation, the splend0Ts or
a court, the chair Of supreme authority, ana tne
seeusion of these groves and valleys and noun
tains. Beside him Is Madison-calm phllosopmc'
immoyablegentl and courty in manners exact mpei-
turbabe in habits OF mind-hxed unbendng, stIaignt
forward in the assertion OF principles Ana Monroe esS
cultivated, perhaps than either, but hgh-toed ardent
rate Of RHpgb"an Presdentsof whom it may be said
that the voice Of party hushed III the presence Oh
suscePtSity that they Illustrated and hon6red the
best days OF the Republic Here were honor ruin, VII
tue patriotism genius intellect cuuVst4h la s6 Enf%
Of affairs which makes the difference between the dream
whose destiny has led your years OF study and prepare
ton into this living presence and to these places where
OF their useful lves the natural beauty of mountain and
valley and outline and hue of this unequal scene study
the progress Of their studies only the assduty OF
their industry; not only their fidelity TO fixed principles
OF personal and political action not only nor chiefly
that practical wisdom which modified the APP
pcaion of these principles to the various ana chagE
study gentlemen their philosophy OF lfeahu the ioun
The perfection Of our civilization the theme Of orator
and poet and essayst The faults of our society are inc
on the one hand OF by unjust depreciation ON the
other. We live in splendid era, ana under WonucrIu
civilization Its great characteristic is its progress in
those arts and sciences which tend to the comfort and
welbeng OF man. Its discoveries render living easier
and more Injurious philosophers do not meet in the
grove or the academy to hold converse on intellectual
distractions speculate on our desles beyond the
grave and disdan the questions which concern our
trated at once by his life and by his DEATH and devote
suffering Go with me to the Treasury Of the United
States and wonder at the delicate machinery when can
print and fold and cut and assert and count te various
issues the Federal currency GO to the machine shops
of any Of the great manufactures and see how tie
hardest metal is cut, and trimmed and fashioned WIN
the utmost precision and ease Go to our great charities
and see how literally the lame are made 10 wax; tar
Lombard-st, the BOurse and see how the clck OF
the complicated work OF our modern business. LOOK
the face of Europe and remember that one war oil
SIT down to breakfast and in the daily paper read news
from every part Of the world and more than mat read
every phase OF thought which srS the lnhd OF every
and studOus man.
In estimating the true measure and value OF me pro-
look the just influence OF forms OF government upon
national character and development. Republics are in
ina ginaon. Gigantic and startling, and irregular pop
ular movements stir the passions as striking natural
the poet the prophet There has been no popular orator
ence equal TO the Ahenans There has been speaker
the tribune equal to Cicero because there has been no
senate equal To- that OF Rome Homer Is unrvalcd in
the richness and grandeur of his imagery. because no
ains and valleys and seas-the praise OF heroic effort
and Godke success. when nations sink into sothful
Indifference, governments become despotic Speculation
takes the place OF action; inquiry into abstract
questions supersedes the investigations OF the relations
to man. This subject also becomes dangerous to
the state and gives way TO the attractive studies OF ma
teral prosperity Intellect and ingenuity, expanding
their utmost resources in this pursuit accumulate those
reservoirs of wealth In scientific discovery in capt.
tai in machinery and skilled labor which in their turn,
allow leisure and for intellectual effort and to
the body and soul Of man their most eXhansng labors
Thus 1t is In the economy OF nature All things work
together for good" Thus is that out of present caam
tiles and disorders and dangers and suffering by that
mysterious law which call nature or Providence are
evolved IL may be like bread east upon the waters,
"aft r many days" the elements OF security and
grcss The gloom Of the the essential forerunner
of the glOTes OF the resurrection
Gentlemen, if have truly depicted the progressive
condition OF our Taceif have rightly appreciated the
dignity of human e-twO practical questions arise to
every thoughtful mind. Is our worthy OF the world
Are we worthy of the age use the term in its broad
est sense-as cOmprehending every advance In every
department OF human experimental thus alnelOratng
the condition of or We, like thankless spend
Thrills living upon the accumulated treasures OF those
back have already said that the more material develop
ments OF physical science particularly active in this
age Never before has the condition Of the people been
good Bad enough 1t stu IS nIneasuraDe are inc
OppOrtunities for Improvement Yet the march OF re-
form has BEEN with some exceptions steadily onward
Indeed in this fact lies chefest danger. IL may
easily make forget that AL change is not reform IL
may easily lead TO mistake the cant OF affected hui
mantaranism for "a generous and active and noble
charity 1t may easily lead us to an undue paraty for
present and fOrgetfulness or the Industrious past
This generation cannot equal the names which Taccd
the realms Of imaginative OF philosophical thought ID
the preceding century IT Is true We are building MP
States in the Ws OF the Rocky Mountains with woder
full rapidly. 1t is true We span the continent with rail
and Wre and send thoughts In an instant across the
wastes of old ocean itself 1t Is true advancing
with unequaled speed toward the summit OF national
power and renown. So much the greater reason why
we should not lag behind in the pathway OF purely In
tellectua and literary emnence. So much the greater
thing better than material prosperity, something
wOrthier physical power accumulated wealth.
Let find both hope and Incentive in the fact that the
ages OF greatest physical activity have been those OF the
greatest intellectual impulses
ST LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY.
CANTON, July 2.-0n Wednesday, the Goth,
t. tha Inn,