The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-07-05
TELEGRAPHIC NEWS.
FROM LEXINGTON,
The Commencement OF tho Virginia MiIitarv
Anst'sute List or Graduntcs-address OF
Coll John NJ. Patton, Of Louisa,
before the Alumni. &c.
ESPECIAL TELEGRAM TO THE DISPATCH

| tsfhciAL TELEGRAM TO THE DIsPATCu,1
LEXINGTON, VA, July A BRIGHT day
dawned upon the Virginia Military Insti.
tute commencement. At 10 O'clock tbo
corps of cadets formed on the parade
ground. and marched to the Presbyterian
Church to the music OF the Virginia Mill.
tary Institute band. 1t was general re-
mark on the part of citizens, old cadets,
and strangers, that they had never seen n
more splendd.lookiug body of young
men than the corps presented to-day
rs they marched with a precision of step
and perfection of drill rarely eqnalled
and never eXcelled-their bayonets and
bright muskcts cleaning in the sun,
and their beautiful uniform of gray,
and the grand old flag Of Virginia
floating above them, recalling thousand
hallowed memories. The spacious build
ing was soon filled to its utmost capacity
with bellies, citizens, and strangers, of
whom there arc Il large number present.
After music by the band, and prayer by
Rev. j. VIM. Jones, the adjutant of the
corps of cadets, Mr.. A. II. Hamilton, of N.
G., introduced rs orator of the second class
Mr.. NJ. L. SpOtswood, Of Richmond. Mr..
Spotswood gracefully introduced his sub
iject by saying, that while some would pre-
fer Il lighter theme, he should follow tho
advice of one Of his comrades, who said,
"Give us something that we can think
about" lie announced as his subject,
"The Power of Thought" and made SCH
sible, well-written. very practical speech,
which was delivered with an easy grace and
4 distinct utterancc which was heard all
over the house. 1t contained some good
hints and some excellent counsel to the
graduates, and was, on the whole, very
much above the usual vein OF college
speeches. He was loudly applaudcd, and
received number of bouquets and cards
from the ladies.
The valcdictorian of the graduating class
was Mr.. j. p. Arthur, of South Carolina.
lie gracefully alluded to the scene before
him, spoke of the sorrow of the parting
hour, and mGde very appropriate illusions
| to the sec,iol-room, pal ade-s 1ound, and
other scenes of cadet life in his AZ propriate,
fitting farewell to the Faculty Of the Nir
g,nia Millt Try Institute.
lie made . very delicate and graceful al
fusion to General W. Z. Lee, who, up to
the lst OF February last, had been al hon
ored and loved member Of the Faculty. In
his valedictory to the corps Of cadets he
, gave some very Wholesome counsel, and in
his part ng words to the ladies he laid aside
the usual love Of iulsome tlatto v, and gave
r utterance to honest, homely phrases, which
convulsed the audience with laughter and
/ elected the loudest applause. His parting
words to his fellow-graduates were touch
ingly appropriate indeed. We have rarely
heard so good valedictory us the one
given US by Mr.. Arthur, and we regret that
we have not space to give it in full as
model for such speeches.
General Smith then announced the fol.
lowing list of graduates in the order OF
their standing Nj. A, wilson, Of South
Carolina =. G. IIalIyhIrton, OF Virginia
| II. Bridges, of North Caroliua; VIM. Jer.
ldone, Of Virginia j.. S. Myrick, of. NORTH
tCarolina; Ii. Is. Baylor, of West Virginia
l. "
| West Virginil; j. Ii. Morgan, of Alabama
n. e. Young, West V;rs mia j. r.. Wade
of Georgia; b. X. IIerdland, Maryland
S. Grantlaud, of Georgia ; Alexander Ham
iton, of North Carolina w. F. Pearson,
Of Alabama j. A. Harris, of Virginia !; w
j. Manson, Virginia; T. S. Boswell, Vir-
ginia t. j. Baylor, Of West Virginia j. D.
Glenn, of North Carolina 4; B. II. Pearson,
of Alabama w. Il. Shields, Of Virginia
j. Nj. Denham, of Alabama j. S. Lesare,
of South Carolina; w. S. Mabry, Of Ala
bama II. Fairfax, of Virginia +. V. Sy,
burg, of Arkansas w. w. Plattenburs, o.
Alabama; j. NJ. Joync, of Mississippi
james Brewer, of Louisiana j. L. Ar
thur, of South Carolina W. Fl. Mitchell
of Virginia !; A. DeLham, of Florida; A
L. Gardener, of Virginia; w. II. Balfour
of Mississippi; j. Il. White, Of Alabama
John Mathews, of Virginia ; W. A. Wheat
ley, of District Of Columbia; L. W. Sim
mons, of Virginia !; j. A. Ware, of Alaet
ma e. X. Camp, Of Georgia; w. w.
Dancy, of North Carolina; w. j. Banks
dale, of Virginia; 4. FL. Kelloof, of Vir.
ginia Il. c. Hardie, of Alabama.
Graduates in Civil Engineering.-M. ?
Carter, of Virginia II. w. Blair, of Fir.
ginia; W. 3. Page, of Virginia NJ. F
Maury, Jr., of Virginia.
Mining Engineer.-W. c. Powell, of Vir.
ginia.
Bachelors of Science.-J. d. Marvin, oil
Florida; W. Is. Page, of Virginia.
Gen. Smith then introduced Col. Edmund
S. Pendleton, of Botetourt, who made an
exceedingly sensible and practical address
to the graduating class, congratulatiDg
them on their success, and urging that
along with their high privileges there cane
corresponding responsibilities to parents,
friends, country, the age, and the demands
of their own consciences. he thought that
these graduates had received training that
peculiarly fitted them for the stern realities
| of life, and eloquently urged them to meet
the responsibilities that are upon them.
Col. John NJ. Patton, of Louisa county,
| made the annual address before the
Alumni. He has a fine voice, very grace
| full delivery, and bis fine hits and eloquent
| flights elected frequent applause, while his
| admirable humor produced roars Of laugh
ter.
| Col. Patton begun his address by touch
ing allusion to the death, on the field OF
| battle, of two Of the three brothers who
| with himself had been sent by his houored
| father to the Nirg inia Military Institute.
He spoke also of the scene twenty-five
| years ago when be received at the hands of