Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1871-06-27
For the Spectator.
LEXINGTON, VIRGINIA,
E-1TD OF r,rr, 1917

JUNE Dist, 1871.
The Commencement exercises Of Washing
ton and Lee University are now in progress
Last night the two Societies held their final
celebration which was brilliant beyond expec-
tatl0n The most interesting feature In the
exercises was the presentation of the Medals
to the best debaters and DISCLAIMERS Of the ses-
sion. Lee chapel was filled with the beauty
and intelligence of Lexington, together with
the many strangers who have been attracted
hither by the fame of the rising Institution Of
the South
1t would perhaps be too great tax upon
your columns to give full account Of the pro-
ceedings. | shall confine myself, therefore, to
those matters which will doubtless be interest
ing to at least some Of your readers: A hand
some gold medal with appropriate devices, was
presented by Mr. j. w. Stephens, of Tennes-
see, the President of the Washington Society,
to Mr.. L. Il. Fleming, of Highland County,
Virginia. Mr.. Stephens, on presenting the
medal, said:
II present to you this medal as token of
the high regard had for you by your fellow
members and of their appreciation of those ex-
cellent merits and upright principles which
have won for you this prize.
Ii is a bestowment Of far too little value to
express the high appreciation and esteem which
your Society has for the man who has proven
however small may be its value, she trusts that
it will ever remind you of her confidence in the
Ioftiness of the aims and nobility Of the reso-
utions which are to guide your future course.
In awarding this medal to one whose past
career has shown that in him is the happy
blending of superior ability With manly princi-
ple she has the full assurance that, wherever
his lot may be cast in future, the Debateer Med
alist Of the most memorable session in our In
stitutions history will ever be among the first
in giving lustre to the name of the Washing
ton Literary Society,"
Mr. Fleming, on receiving the medal, spoke
as follows:
"Felloao Members of the Washington Society :;
1t is with peculiar feeling Of responsibility
that [ accept this golden honor which your
kindness has placed in my hands; for | am
conscious that hencefcrth there is assigned to
me a higher position in your ranks than [ have
hitherto occupied, and | know that he that
carries the colors of a Society whose name is
| an incentive to high and noble deeds must be a
conspicuous mark in the battle Of lle IF,
however, there is any strength in this right
arm and any true manhood In my breast, your
| banner shall never be furled as long as there
are any rights to be maintained and wrongs to
| be opposed
To show the feelings Of my heart on this oc-
casioD, | can find no language more expressive
than the simple words, Il thank you" The
sentiment gushes from the heart to the lips,
gentlemen [ thank you.
The lustre Of this gold may be furnished by
the corroding effects of time, but the recollec-
ton Of this night will shine brighter and bright
err as the shadow on the dial Of my life grows
longer, and it shall ever be my high purpose
to prove myself worthy Of your confidence,
which nerves and yet unmans ne to night for
[ am reminded by 1t that | must now bid adieu
to scenes that are dear TO my heart and to
friends whom | highly esteem. A hundred
tender ties are about to be severed, but the
memory of the hours we have spent together
brightens the hopes Of the future and throws
a halo OF glory around what would otherwise
be dark and threatening. A memory which
tells me that [ 90 from you possessed of that
which | prize far above this gold, far more
than all the honors of earth-the consciousness
that [ shall ever have place in your hearts,
and be gratefully remembered By you when
years of separation shall have rolled between
US.
Those of you who are to tread these classic
halls no more should remember that grave and
important duties are before you that you ali
have your llfe's work to perform, and that you
are to go forth into the world as the sons of a
Society whose fame has already been written
| in glorious characters and whose record has
| !
pared for the contest by the discipline you have
received, you will engage like true men in the
struggle for right, and add immortal stars to
those which already crown cur Foster Mother.
| With the vigor Of manhood flushing your
cheeks, may there be nothing which human
genius or human enterprise has yet attained,
that is beyond your reach and when the har-
vest of glory is gathered may there be no rich
or sheayes Of golden grain presented than those
borne by the members OF the Washington So
ciety. What pen, though dipped in the skies
of morning, could trace in characters sublime
enough the lives Of some who have already
gone forth from these walls?
Ii is your duty to follow where they have
led, and to let no false ideas Of ease and COM
fort prevent you from graphing with the stern
realities Of life and plucking laureIs from the
hill-tops of truth and virtue.
| know that the young mind sees life in its
fairest dress, and looks only upon the beautiful
pictures upon the walls of time on which the
golden beams of the light Of hope are falling,
but you, who have adopted as your motto the
inspiriting words, ScienttG ct Amicit5a,' will
devote yourselves earnestly to those pursuits
which tend to develop the immortal spirit Of
truth; will ever strive after that knowledge
which requires the ezertion Of the nobIest en-
ergies of the soul; that knowledge which en-
graves In deepest lines upon the soul the image
of its Maker and teaches Us In all things to
wonder and adore. Bound together by the
eternal bond of friendship, you can present an
unbroken front to the world, aud, animated by
the example Of the good and great, oheered by
| the approval Of the virtuous, you must Wrestle
with error and plant the victorious banner of
| truth upon the field Of strife
TO you, whe will again meet upon this hal
lowed spot and drink together at the fountain
of learning, there remains a great and holy
trust. To your care is committed the welfare
Of your Society, and upon you depends its fu-.
ture. prosperity. Rise to just conception of
the holiness OF the work and let nothing pre-
vent you from realizing in the fullest sense all
that you could ever dare hope for. Like the
globes Of lighs which hang in the crystal firm
ament, forever bound together by one great law,
and each in perfect order performing its allot-
ted task, SO should you work together for the
great principles upon which the happiness of
the world depends. Ali Of you cannot, like
the majestic sun, climb the meridian steep of
heaven with kingly tread, but each may be