The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1871-03-16

an ungenerous foe. Then when the field
has beer narrowed down to q single state,
God forbid that we should, with paricidai
hand, strike the blow which mnst seal. our
doom. af least, for years.
Reconstruction north, Legislation. Politl-
cal bfoils and empty lmprecations south, are
the sole absorbing themes OF the day
while they cry taxes! taxes 10 the honest
farmer for their support. Is there no RENE
DIV for these abominationsi Is there no
balm In Gilead? You have been cited to
extreme measures as a means of divesting
yourselves Of these evils; but the proud
French, people renowned alike for their
skill and valor, Teserted TO extremes In or
der TO avenge supposed usurPatlon, ana
for ought we know the next fash of electric
fire tilat shimmers along the ocean cable
may tell US that Paris, with every nerve
quivering in the agony OF impotent despair,
Withers beneath the cOnquering heel. Ere
another moon shall wax and wane, the
brightest star in the galaxy of Nations may
fall from her zenith Of glory to rise no
more. Ere the modest violets OF early
spring shall open their beauteous eyes, the
genius of civilization may chant the wall
ing reQuium of the proudest nationality the
world has ever seen, as she scatters her
withered and tear-moistened lilies over the
bloody tomb of butched France.
You have been told that tour country s
only hope" Is based upon the thorough
classical education of her sons but Greece,
the land which has been so often beautifully
portrayed to you, shrank into nothingness
when her literary sky was brightest, and
now lives only in the seul-inspiring senti-
ments of her gifted sons. Ii there is one
shrine before which would willingly bow
with more veneration than another, it is
that of Learning ;but these things are vision
airy and beyond the power Of the people.
Nv remedy for the present evils is simply
this: Let all good men who have the real
interest of their country at heart, and who
are willing to stay at home and work for
their living, let them be who or what they
may, forgetting the wranglings of the past,
strike hands and resolve to act with single
ness of purpose against such corruption
and am much mistaken in the signs of the
| times lift is not eAgulfed in the cespoOls o
its own creation, while our past failures are
swallowed up in glorious victory.
But / would charge those who are reckless
as to what they say, 70 take care bow they
trample with impunity upon the most sa-
cred feelings of men who deserve TO be hon.
ored for their works. For awhile, there
was scarcely a breeze waited from the
lighthouses of the extremists, but what was
| tainted by some slur cast upon the actions
of the Wings. Because a felo have proved
recreant they ought not, on that account, to
remember that when they do this they dis
honor the sacred ashes of Henry Clay, and
mock the memory of Robert E. Lee, whose
remains, hardly yet cold, are sleeping in the
grave opened somewhat prematurely, in
part by the folly of these very men.
Sirs, it makes the blood boil in my veins
to hear the word which 1 have learned to
| revere, associated with the blacklist leeds
that mark the history of the present day.
Putting! The Wings plotting! Great
God, as easily could l believe that the fair
| Queen OF night had turned aside from her
w IN fac
beneath the tides of the deep; or that virtue
he'd left her own native, heaven-ward track,
to wander in some meaner sphere, as that
men, whose purity of soul has flowed on
| through ages of virtue and vice without De-
ing corrupted. would waver when buffeed
by these storms of temptation and sin.
But this spirit of calumniation, which,
through want o proper discrimination, mas
among its victims many noble hearts, finds
no response in the bosoms of the tnly
Great.
"a golden mind stoops not to shows of dross-
Men prove themselves by deeds and nt by
words, and time VIII lift the veil which aoW
probably obscures true motives, and teep
down in the souls of some men who are now
objects of the keenest satire, and accusations
which pierce the heart like cold steel, will
be found virtuous principles, and character
which is beyond reproach.
n Nor has the University escaped the slafts
eOf the destructive spirit of the times 1t
would seem as though its good angel had
taken its flight, and its glory shroudd in
darkness. 1t stands like the Rock of Gi)ral-
ter. beat upon by the surges from both sdes
Some of its own sons have deserted it and
even old Carroll county, ever foremos on
the side of right, has ceased to smile upen us
and Withdrawn her strong support aid
imagine l see commingled with the many
warm receptions when there once in awhile
a cold frOwn bent upon her only repre- snts-
tive.
Now, while there have some things rams
pired in connection with the University
about which there seems to be a >sembanc
of mystery-changes in which 10 MT con-
cur; and while there is not one don of
blood trickling through my veins thatbeats
in sympathy with these things-and when /
say this believe / speak the sentimmt of
the student body-yet cannot see the lolicy
of wholly abandoning a grand institution.
whose rightful endowment of million and
half dollars, to q faction who never assisted
IN the fabrication of it. and who are ineapa.
BILE ofappreciating its high advantages: and
think every constderGte man will look at il
in this light, and hope accordingly. Thel
with the patriotic spirit that inspires tn,
soul ofour noble Chancellor, together will
his coadjutors, if the people will but -tender
their support, they will again make it an in.
stitution Ofwhich Mississippi will be proud
a bright star in the literary sky of the South
a fountain whence will flow many pure an{
Then / repeat it: Let us cease to hate ant
learn to love where love is virtue; and will
the spirit which years of suffering has in,
spired, with one heart and one hand, w,
will burst the.fetters that gall us, though
they be of adamantine strength.
In conclusion, allow me to say one word
to the Society which 1 have the honor to re-
present.
Hermeans: In the revolving cycles Of
time, another volume has been added to the
record of our lives, inscribed with MANY a
hope and sorrow, many a Joy and grief :
and though our numbers are few, they are
as jealous, and our career has perhaps been
as prosperous as heretofore. And l feel
proud in looking over our past history, to
see that her fair pages contain no line.
which, in after years would, in beholding'
mantle our cheeks with blush. The faces
OF the old class of 20, whom we all loved
and respected, are missing. They are gone,
AID we commune with them only in spirit !:
aid when next you assemble here to well
come our bright Anniversary Day, our
pieces will be filled by others. We leave
yeur bright escutcheon unstained. But oh.
rememberl remember, that one stigma of
dishonOr will leave prints that can never be
erased. Then let us, with eyes fixed steadi-
ly on the Polar Star of Virtue, move on
Il n 80 81