The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1871-02-27
,.rrrR FROM REMINGTON.
,,,.ut Anniversary Of inc "asH'
,nssen society of Waso'"s'"" "
too syuitcEsifS.
.o.,., Of the Dispatch,

> SS'S which. hy long usage. was fixed for
,,cht. Rni we soon saw that the livery
idle people would reap harvest, ana that
49,, hoiyr. would bc there despite the storm,
,,.n i hca,Ix did have the privilege OF loot
- heavy hills tor hack hi:c. The house
m.'> full. and everything went OIL Ill me
,.,,r. The V. M.l. band diScourScd very
sweet music, and pleasant chlt-chat was
,r,.scd around while the audience was
a..rnhling. But after the societies.
marched in, and the orator, debaters, &c,
were escorted upon the stand. there was
,fnr profound silence and earnest attention
+, he SNcechc, Tor which this community
: ~ remarkable. i
The President. Mr.. L. II. Fleming, OF
u,ahlaua county. very appropriately greet
~! The audience 10 the titiy-umth annlycr-
..trv of the Washington Society. and grace
,i,-iv introduced as orator Of the occasion
MIR. Rivals. Of Allegheny county, Na. lie
,ruoIlnced rs his theme Decision OF Char
sr,rr." and earnestly discussed its nature
and the results which hare.ao~ed from its
,,-nrcr exhibition. He cited a large NUM-
t,pr Of examples from both ancient ana
,y.lrrn history 10 Illustrate the effects OF
G.rj<ilu Of character or its reverse upon
individuals and nations. lie closed with an
ernest appcaI 10 his comrades 10 cNhlhita
..ropcr decision ut character rs they otorth
l. the battle Of life. .,
Nr. Rivals delivered his speech very well.
Il contained some fine passages, and seemed
- give great satisfaction 10 his auditors.
We should be glad 10 give fuller synopsis
and to make some quotations from the
speech. but We are admnui>hcd that during
me great " railroad war You have not
nice for much else. The ladies especially
<
.ad kept the marshals busy for some time
a.tcr ne took his seat in sending up flowers,
cards. &c. Two very practical young ladies
had an eye 10 domestic economy, and sent
him head q cabbage and bottle Of mo-
iGs<"S. While another sent Il box OF candy.
The question for discussion was" Is the
possession of wealth advantageous TO n
}nuuc maH lust stating in !iie:"
Mr.. j. W. stevens. OF Tennessee, was IN
'roUuceQ - the first speaker on the atlirma-
tive. He assumed that the question really
referred to the young man who had COM
plgled his education aud waS about TO enter
upon the practice of hi> profession or en-
@,lre in his cho.en aNocatIon. he gave
vivid sketch OF the young lawyer just start
ing, who mu>i, if poor. either teach school
or DO something else, ar resort to'means Oh
rising not creditable 10 the profession. He
1r@ued that the young man who wishes to
make literature or art his profession Will be
driven from his chosen work or starve. II
he has 10 independent means.
ByHvcry humorouSly put argument which
hToucht down the house, he showed 10 the
rniirc satisfaction Of al least al the young
people present that a young man ought 10
marry early, and that he cannot do this
without money. Quoting the maxim,
Wealth is the baggage of Urtuc,' he pro-
,oCded TO argue that no man possessing the
dement's Of true greatness will be overcome
~ the temptations Of wealth; that true
GREATNESS will rise above these ; that the
t1ct that noble spirits rise from poverty and
uh>curlty is no proof that poverty Is dcSira-
lie. lie citeu many iliustrious cNam-
pies OF great men who were born
r.D, and argued that the evil et-
trctS OF wealth are due Father to a mans
natural character and trainin. than TO
wealth itself, and concluded that after all
there is nothing 80 good lis 4 dollar OF
tWo. ...
Mr.. stevens delivered his speech with Il
calm delibrraliou and independence which
was admirable. and gave evidence that he
possesses powers Of aebate"of high order.
He was loudly applAuded, and had cards,
a., showcrcd upon hun.
Mr.. Gabriel Sautini, Of New Orleans. was
The first speaker on the negative. He he
cun with Il vivid sketch OF the grand OBJ
pet OF life, and the evils OF luxury.
tie painted in litrlihc cnlorS the young
man ol wealth taking the rounds OF tiS>l-
ration, gathering about ham parasites who
ltWn and ttttcr. and iancylng himself Il
kIn-. But his fortune l. soon swept away,
his 50 called fricudS desert him, he has ne
yer learned any honest trade, and is now
10,
rc>Orlin. to crime for the means Of crafty
in his plmpcrcd appctitcS and lll>ts.
He admitted that wealth. had many adj
lan;agcS. but denied that young men We're
iihcT to Improve these, and argued that
most OF the disadvantages OF poverty were
important elements in forming the young
mans character. He insisted that Is Il mat
Ter Of fact few young mcn born 10 wealth
had risen to greatness. and that the Illus
trious names ri our history are III the main
those who have started poor.
lie drew II vivid contrast between the
man born to wealth and position and the
one who has the proud consciousness that
NJ has riscn by his own merit, and con-
Guided by an earnest presentation OF the
moral and religious aspects or the qucS'
lion. Mr.. Sautini has an easy, flowing
style, and speaks with considerable Ulma
Mr.. sautlui, too, seemed to be Il tavorite
with the ladies, If we may judge from the
cards, flowers. &c, which he received.
The next speaker WAS Mr.. English, oil
Little Rock, Ark. He convulSed the all-
tiItnce with laughter by his first sentence,
ana prepared them to appreciate the good
huluurcd hits ut ms opponents, with which
the whole speech abounded. He argued
mat While poverty is certainly Il slimulant,
that il chiefly stimulates the Young man
to seek ,ceaith, and that by use OF the
means not best calculated to promote either
intellectual or moral advancement.
He drew vivid and humorous contrast
between the skin-tlnt who has :" worked
hard for his money!" and wants all charita-
bic objects 10 do the same, and the man who
d-pcnses with liberal hand the wealth to
which he was heir.
lie denied that wealth had Il tendency to
make men dissipatcd, and argued that thtS
Is mthc man hsnSeJ, andit is us often found
among tie poor as among the rich. lie
argued that Poverty, and not Wealth, Is
the true aud fruitful parent OF vice.
He reiterated the marriage argument {:
SAID that the last census would show that
there are now "ciyhty-nnc cid maids in
the town OF Lexington all ready, will
lng, and anxious and that the only trou-
hlc had been that the former generations of
Young men with whom thc, had ilirtcd had
all been ''too poor 10 marry" [Of course
this excited roars Of laughter, ana loud and
prolonged clapping.]
He argued that men who had risen from
poverty had succeeded not because of, but
III spite Of, their poverty, and cited i long
catalogue Of iilustriouS names who were
born TO wealth.
lie concluded by a picture of his oppo-
nenis 0wo young limbs" OF the law
having their honored fathers say TO them
"hen they begin the practice of their pro-
iession . ] had Intended lifting up for you