The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-05
OF man arc developed and the people
prenared for the Discharge of oil the d11fiaa

| OF man arc developed and the peopif
prepared for the discharge of oil the dutie.
| and the enjoyment of all the privileges Of
this life and the next. He would not con.
vert the colleges into gymnasiums or theo
logical seminaries, but he would have am.
| pie provision made Tor physical develop.
ment, and would, above all, repudiate The
idea that " education has nothing to do
with religion;'' and whether it ofTenda
Greek or Roman, he would have Gods
Word recognized in the colleges as The
fountain of all wisdom.
He earnestly and ably refuted the idea
that young mans education Is complete
when he receives his dip loma, and said that
the young graduate would be more appro-
priately called "Master Apprentice of
Arts" than "Master of Arts"
He argued that, where stndent de-
velopes an aptitude for any special branch
of study, he should pursue that as far as
possible, and that the number and variety
OF studies to be pursued at college are Of
less importance than the Kind.
He insisted that we had better seek
thoroughness in a few branches, than a
smatterfng knowledge of many. He in.
quired how the Virginia Military Institute
was meeting the demands of education as
he had defined them; and by way of answer
ing tho question, he wildly, and very HUI
morousy sketched the history of q cadet
from the day he first lands on the parade
ground; "rcports" to the superintendent,
and takes his pledge of fidelity to Virginia
and to duty. all through his drill, discipline,
studies, ana general cadet life.
The speaker gave many details and vivid
pictures of cadet life, which were not only
enjoyed Ivy those present, but would be
highly rclishcd by hundreds of Alumni of
the Institute all over the country, if we
had space to give them. He insisted that
this system dcvelOpcs the physical DOW
crS of young man, teaches him obe-
dience to law, and how to command
others, gives BIN the best mental training,
and instruction as varied and thorough as
any to be found elsewhere, and imparts to
him such religious instruction as is calcula-
ted TO lead ll'm to the fountain Of all wis.
dom. lie contended that the grand prin-
cipIe which has so greatly promoted the
success and usefulness OF the Virginia
ordination to equals, or even interiors in
their own sphere-suhordinatio to supe-
ricrS-subord; nation to duty. In one word,
suboi dination to all lawful authority, for
this and this alone is duty. He considered
the opposite doctrine of universal equality,
and ably and eloquently refuted it by we'll
chosen examples and illustrations drawn
from ancient and modern history, and eSpc-
cially from the condition OF thugs in our
own county.
lie illustrated the power of men who
have learned to subordinate everything to
duty by eloquent reference to Lee, Jack
son, ana Com nodore Maury, and concluded
as follows:
.'Gentleneen Of the Alumm, If we have
learned" from the teachings Of our Alma
Mater anything Of this great principle Of
and have thus been induced
in our relations to our fellow-men to 'ren-
der unto Cesar the things that are CISar's,
let Us not 'ail, according to her wishes and
to carry this noble les
son with us into a higher sphere, and
render unto God the things that are Gods"
The above bare outline gives but an i'm
perfect idea of the many good things con-
taincd in this sensible, well-wlitten, and
eminently practical speech, which we hope
will be published in full and widely circu-
lated.
After the bclcd;ction by Rev. Walter ".
Williams, Of Alexandria, the crowd dis
nerSed, and the COZ pS were marched back
to barracks. At 3 O'Clock the Alumni and
their invited guests sat down to a bounti-
full rcra>t, spread in the mess-hall.
In response to The regular toa- IS speeches
were made ly Col. Ed. Pcndletcn, Col.
John NJ. Patton, General w. III. Richard
son, Col. j. w. Massic, Prof. E. s. Joyncs,
2lr. Il. II. Falfar, Of Louisiana; Robt. Gar
ret', Esq, and Mi. krI and, Of Baltimore,
Mmyland; MIR. Alexander Hamilton. of
North Carolina; Judge Farrrr, of Louisi-
| ana, ri General Morgan, Of Alabama. a
number OF volunteer toasts were sivcn and
csponGed to by various gentlemen, and to-
night VIC have Il bal and fireworks.
LEXINGTON