Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-07-03
rNlyN AND AMERICAN
quSTVERSITY OF VIRGINIA iHr
Sneeches of Senator Thurman, OF
~ Ohio, and Gen. W. A. Quarles,
- of Tennessee.
rho Annual Commencement Exercises

UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA, East LAWN,
June Is, 1S72.-The weeks programme
d. has been of an unusual kind, converting
here thousands Of visitors, intending null
titude of bellies from Maryland, Virginia,
and other Southern States. The exercises
of the Washington Society consisted OF an
Grafton entitled "The Destiny of the Uni.
verse;" by @. A. Jenkins, of Mississippi, and
the presentation by the President, w. e..
Charlton, of Georgia, Of the gold medal TO
Henry II. Mcclellan, Of Louisiana, he being
selected as the best debater. -s--
The board of visitors to whom the pro-
lection and supervisory care OF the Univer-
slty has been assigned by the Governor,
have been in session this week, and trans
acted much business looking to the improve
ment o. the University.
The old Jefferson Society had their COM
mencement celebration on the evening Of
the 18th. The Grafton by L. w. Selden,of
Trenton, Tennessee, was pronounced one
Of the deepest, most excellent and elegant
speeches ever made by young man at the
University. 1t certainly did him credit,
and the modesty of the speaker was as
pleasing TO appreciative ones as his graceful
language. TIE President, l.. s. Wicks, of
Memphis, Tenn, presided with becoming
dignity, winning admiration from all who
were present. His speech in presenting the
Debater's medal 70 Mr.. IL. S. Kent, of
Louisa county, Virginia, was noted for its
placid beau and deep sentiment such as
we would look for 10 an old man whose
experience was great and practiced in dis
charging duties of this kind. Mr.. Kent re-
ceived the medal in few appropriate re-
marks that Testified his appreciation of the
honor conferred and gave assurance of the
grateful remembrance he would have Ior
his fellow-members whose kindness had in
duced them to confer such distinction upon
himself. Senator Thurman, Of Ohio, ar
rived here on Monday night, and has been
the recipient of much attention. His adj
dress before the Literary societies Wednes-
day night was magnificent treat, seldom
enjoyed even at this place Of learning. His
subject Was -- ...
THE FUTURE OF OUR COUNTRY
or "The Dangers Likely to Menace the
Existence of the Republic" In his speech
the distinguished statesman, who is native
opinion have existed in America, the danger
Gus themes believed in, and marked out the
pathway to be trodden by the
II
would prove highway of honor and give
then position to avert the same; Of the
causes tending too fearfully to create a su-
preme centralized government, which will
prove our country's ruin and degradation.
In his views he was extremely liberal and
cast no slur on the motives of our people.
In the course of his remarks he said ''every
American citizen wanted the Union pre-
ol And ~ bo
and the rights and interests of every sec
ton of the country advanced. The propo-
siiiOn that freedom has no safe dwelling
place save in small communities is an old
idea, and whether true or false, l have
quarrelled with him who sincerely believes
j.; nay, more. were the sad alternative fore
cd upon us TO choose between a splendid
despotism, ruling over vast territory, and
an oppressed people on the one hand, and
on the other freedom in small state and
an humble community, no true man
should hesitate to choose the latter. For
freedom is of such transcendant value that
it far outWeighs all the distinction, pomp
and power, that the most successful des-
potism can ever achieve. But the expert
ment has TO be made whether a vast
Republic may not exist with freedom and
one of Us, L am sure, whatever may be his
forebodings, is anxious to give the expert
ment a fair trial. Therefore it is that l
speak on this theme tonight. / know of
none more appropriate for an address to an
assemblage Of American youths. The ma
ture men of to-day will soon be gone.
Whatever of good or evil government may
confer or infict may soon cease to trouble
q urin all
shoulders and the shoulders of those who,
like you, are Just entering upon manhood,
and upon YOU and your fellows viii rest the
grave responsibility of contributing to the
happiness or the misery, not of one only,
but perhaps of many generations. Wisely
TO prepare for that responsibility is task
than which none can be nobler, none more
elevating, none that better deserves 20 en-
gage the understanding. or warm the
heart. The speaker then proceeded to
give some of the principal dangers
which menace the destruction of the
Republic. The first was its magnitude,
illustrating this by the fate of Babylon,
Nineva, AsSyria, Medea, Egypt, the empire
of Alexander, the Caesars, GeDghis, Tanner
lane, the Caliphs, Charlemagae and Charles
the fifth, all showing that snature has set a
limit to the growth and duration of en-
pire." Second, the diversity of races and
languages in the republic embracing the
American, Goth, Celt, Anglo Saxon, Teuton,
Latin, African. This fear be thought great
ly exaggerated. Another cause was the AT
rican-lOng bone of strife between the alb
litionist and southerner. The African,
though constituting less than a thirteenth
part of our population presents a more diff
ie ha
Another cause was the proneness of mail
kind to war and their love for military
/, glory. The temple of Janus for four hun
dred and fifty years of the Roman republic,
the temple of Janus was shut but once and
IN no one year since history was written
has peace prevailed over the entire globe.
Nations had survived the most sanguinary
strife as witnessed by France, Austria,
Spain and England, and while we may
not be wise in expecting to escape the ca
lamities that have befallen other
people, be did not think it unreasonable to
believe or at least to hope we might be able
TO survive them. In his judgment the
greatest peril to be stunned was the tend
ing towards Capitalization, in treating of
which MIR. Thurman said, 81 must neces-
sarily expteSs some political views for they
dlC lhllClNhb III bAb oA4eail AO1 hAOAebC bAAC
prophecies of the occasion by speaking as a
partisan and l trust that l shall avoid
wounding the most delicate sensibilities."
Flrr, Alumni address 10y Gen. WA. Quarles
of our State, last Wednesday, was some
thing great in oratory. The audience filed
the large public hall which as you know
can conveniently seat two thousand, and
when l tell you that every one of the TasL
audience gave the speaker undivided atten-
ton, only interrupted by what seemed to
be iIrepressible bursts of applause, you will
have better idea of the merits of he ad-
dress than could otherwise give you. You
too know how critical and cultivated the
audience was, and when / tell you it pleas
ed and delighted every one of them, that
even our friend Col. Early pronounced
it the bes. address ever delivered before the
Alumni You will be, know, gratifed at
the success of your old preceptor in the
law. Gen. QusIles' exordium was a well
come to tie University AMI its Inequalities
ID the Alumni. This part of the address
was motel foe its fine language and lofty
thought, presented in a natural manner and
embracing the curriculum, human science,
art and Know ledge. lie then announced
his subjec. as one of a practical nature,
and one from which his efforts would be TO
impart lessons of practical application. He
said my subject is net only in unison with