The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-05
VIRGINIA. Mr1rrARY INSTITUTE
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VIRGINIA. MILITARY INSTITUTE.
Especial telegram to The DispatchJ
LEXINGTON, July last night Coroner
Joseph Mayo, Of Richmond, delivered = 2
annual address before The Society opAium nj \
Of the Virginia Military Institute Z 3@.s
ADDRESS or tIoN. JOSEPH MAYO.
Colonel Mayo regretted that the short
time allowed him for preparation prevented
him from setting forth in suitable manner
nm th;s nroper occasion the eminent ser.
VICES which had been rendered by the Vir-
s,in;a Military Institute to the cause of edu-
cation. and from pointing out the successive
stems by which it had advanced to its
present commanding position. He would.
! however, speak upon subject which would
eyar be to him source of pride and salts
| fiction.
In his estimation, the aid which was given
by the Institute to the southern cause In the
late civil war would always constitute Its
highest claim to public favor and regard.
The deeds of such men as Rodes, Garland,
the Pattons, Williams, Stuart, and others,
dead and living, were the proudest testlmo'
mails of her worth. No apology was neces-
sary for making this subject the text Of his
remarks before such an audience. TO them
| it could never become trite and hackneyeu
| theme. They would ever regard II as Inc
| first Of obligations, the hottest OF dutIes, al
all times. in all places, and under all circnm-
stances, to uphold the standard OF tnelr
faith, to vindicate the righteousness OF tnelr
| cause, and especially to shield FROM obloquty
and detractiop the memory OF those VINO
| sealed with their LIES blood their fidelity 10
the creed Of their fathers.
He then cloqIently defended the course
of Virginia during the war, and dWelt upon
|! the share Of It's glories won by the alumni
of the Institute. Rebels and traitors SAID
| the speaker; truly this grand old Common,
| wealth has won an enviab'e preemlnencs Oh
glory and renown in the tnilals OF so-caiieo
treason md rebellion. There Is a marVe,
LOTS princplc of formulation In her SOIL
which renders it peculiarly adapted for the
growth of such noxious plants in their rank
est and most luxuriant development. Du.
ring the last century, amid the throes OF
revolutionary convulSion, she produced
prodigy Of treason and rebellion whose
exploits on the arena Of civil colntno'
ton caused him to be regarded IN a
certain quarter Of the world as some
portentous phantom of evil, u sort OF ia
| blad monster born in the eclipse OF reason
and emerging from some unhalloWed cave o!
suuerstitious darkness and political dismay..
Twenty wears afterwards, when the mortal
remains of George Washington had been
restored to the bosom Of his lliustrlous
mother. in the very ball where short Whlle
before the mention Of his name was received
with general expressions OF Vlrulence, as
daip. and contempt, the foremost man ol thc
British Commons pronounced his eulosy
AZ the paragon of his race without pro-
voking n single mark or syllable of dissent
or Instrumentation. In the present century,
under like auspices. this prolific mothcr OF a
monsl-ous brood of "rebclS and traitors
has giyen birth to at least two characters 0l
whom il NAV be affirmed without disparage-
men; TO the fame Of Washington that they
are his equal in all the qualities that dignity
eyalt. ennoble. and adorn humaDlty-Lc
and .Iackson-nameS inscparably linked to-
cetLer in the record OF Virginia's glory, TO
whom nav he applied with striking tpti-
tude those lines of Addison in which he de-
scribes the relations Of Marlborough ana
Eugene:
"Thclr courage dwclt not in troubled flood
OF mounting spirits and iermentine booa'
Lodged in the soul hy virtue oNcrrnCtl,
Iuhamrdb By reason, and by reason cooled:
I'm hours OF place content Ia be unknown,
Aud unIv I'm tic field of battle shown.
II, snuls like these in mutual friendship J9lhcu:..
Heaven ,larcS cntrrls the cause oil human h'ho'
The one fell in the full meridian OF spotless
career; and who does not remember tne
wall of anguish which went forth from the
universal heart of the southern people tor
that fearless chief, with "swurd and helm ana
plumc to his place of slumher gomez The
other WAS destined in the mcrciful DISPENSE
tim of an all-wi>e Providence to survive
the downfall Of his country's cause, and
thro,I~bout the scene of tyrannical perSecu-
ton which followed the wotul cataStro-
pbe he furnished an example Of serene
and digniGpd composure, of unshakcn
consistency and incorruptibc faith, Of
Christian tortitude and cheerful resignation,
to the divine will worthy Of all imitation.
Such at IeSst is our appreciation OF these
great men, and such the tribute OF applause
their virtues have received from countless
disinterested voices on the other side Of the
Atlantic, and | here venture the prediction
that in less than twenty years some orator
from the land of Edward Everett will, on
the floor Of Congress, without fear OF
ohlouuy or rebuke, give to these ilIu>tIlous
sons of Virginia the full measure of respect
and admiration which they SO justly de-
serve.
The address was throughout able and elo-
ouent, and was received with great favor.
LEXINGTON, VA, July 4.-The commence
ment exercises of the Virginia Military In
stitute took place this morning. The vale
dictory address was delivered by Cadet l..
l.. Cochran, of Alabama. The orator OF the
day was Cadet j. 7. Jetfres, OF Virginia.
no IurrpSf