The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-04

OF free government throughout the world. u
The Federal Constitution he considered
| not the result of untried experiment, but
designed to meet the wants of a new era;
with landmarks already established, and with
| new ideas Of progress and a new race OF men
| ready to profit by the errors Of the past He
brought out the States rights theory Of the
Constitution, and said that it was hot his
purpose to revive "reminiscences so full OF
stirring interest and bound to- southern
hearts by so. many endearing ties of self
sacrificing devotion and heroic valor. 1t be-
comes us rather to forget the past, as brave
men only kt,ow how to forget when sum
! shine and peace restltr1e their sway.
| He glanced at the condition of the world
as pointing unmistakably to stesdy advance
| in all those improved ideas which have
marked the progress Of free government
heretofore and cited England, France, and
Spain as examples Of this. In all this he re-
| cognized the growing power of the people in
successfully correcting, by wise and efficient
safeguards, the errors into which the world
has fallen. He referred to Rome ss first to
strike the mask from the false theories and
corruptions which had been so long preva-
| lent. He vividly sketched the resources and
| geo9 raphicai position of the United States as
/ blem of republican government after Car
| thage. Greece, and Rome had failed.
| He argued to refute the idea that terrific
riil expansion is dangerous to republican
| Form of government, considering the rapid
means of transit at tic present day as fully
meeting objections TO a Wide-sbreading ter
ritory. He advocated strongly the !" Monroe
Doctrine" and took ground in favor OF the
L. 80 hot (,c,, l, nd TIh
I He sketched the progress of this country,
giving striking figures from the census 70
| kshow it. He ridiculed the idea of any hos
| tile invasion of our territory, and sald that
| in sixty days we could concentrate three
millions of fhen ut any given point. lie
! considered that Immigration added 70
| natural increase would swell eur present
population of forty millions to one f,tnared
| millions by the close of the present century
He sketched our progress in the mechanic
! arts, illustrating by especial reference TO the
! "Storrtl Bureau" at Washington aud ITS
daily weather resorts BE could not pre-
| tend to predict the limits which we are des-
tined to reach. He considered this country
the mistress of her own destiny, and That 1t
was matter of little concern whether we
are permitted to 60 on without interference
or are forced to into an aggressive war,
| while, contrary to the genius OF our coun-
try to maintain Standing armies or costly
naval arnlaments in time OF profound peace,
the "power to do either is not Question or
doubt; and it may be well for the peace on
| the world if we are not forced by hoStlie
| combinations to exert power Wnlch may
| not stop short, when once aroused, OF totai
| upheaval Of the existing theories OF govern
H. ,1-k- rptf
| map OF the world" But IN order
| that we reach the acme of our strength ana
power we must arrest, he argued, Tue ten-
dency of the General Government to ABSORB
| the States. After illustrating at some iengtn
/ this position, and speaking of the pcrlis tha1
have always attended the progress OF Tree
government. he alluded TO and paliated tne
| position OF Virginia at the breaking OUT Oh
1.-THE great rebellion"
| 1NorE.-If your reporter bad had the ear
| of the distinguished gentleman at th's pom.
| he would have most respectively su"geStcu
that the ruling of one of the best presiding
ufirers on this continent, on memoraole
| occasion, that "the word rebellion Is ou. VI
order when applied to the late clyll war III
al address before Il southern audience was
| a correct ruling; and only respect tor olS,
| tinguiShed visitor prevented the mahlhs VI
| the same point of or6er to-day'J
| After further allusion to the causes OF the
war. he said: "The provocation was nol
slow in maturing, and the long-eXpected val
begun. The surrounding hills gave token
by the smoke of the campfire that hostile
foe was there, and the steady tramp OF IN,
yading armies was everywhere hearo
throughout your borders. Shaken but not
! intimidated. overwhelmed but not subdued,
Virginia stood unmoved in her devotion TO
what she believed to be her duty, and her
brave sons gave up their lives in a struggle
which they were powerleSS TO MAINTAIN.
Just men will tread lightly over their ashes
when the passions of the hour shall nave
subsidized, and the verdict Of impartial JUS
tice will defend them, at least III the honesty
of their intentions" :.
| He sketched the revolutionary history OF
Virginia and her devotion to and services
in behalf of the Union, quoting one OF TIE
most striking passages OF his speech IN toh-
gress in December, 1862 OH the feconStruc'
fion of Georgia. He then alluded TO his
entering the University in 1922, and ms IN
trcduc,ion to Jefferson, Madison, and Mon
roe, all members at that time ol tne hoafo
of Visitors. and alluded to his professors
Key. Bonuycastle, Long, Emmett, Dunsl,
| so,i Thicker. aud Blaetterman. He alluded
also to our fallen Alumni, gave orie1
| rpsuuf of his address, and concluded by
saving. "We have reason for congratu-
laiion nv friends, that the s;sale flag,
renresenting the same glorious Union as it
came from the hands of our fathers, hoats
over ne arain to-day. 1t is the proud herl'
taoe of all the States, won in common
| fn
sacrifices. Virginia more than any other
shares its renown. May it go forth once
more with every star in its place-among all
nations and all people-blazing with re.
neyad splendor, to proclaim to the world
rho advancing march of freedom as deve'
| Ioped by the gories OF the new era, ana to
stand forever in the accomplishment of It's
groat destiny. rs the beacon-ight to inspire
hone and confidence in the down-trodden
and oppressed of every land, bearing the
glad tidings of peace, good will, and unlver'
sal,ullaity to the reulotest,uatlons of CHRIS
tendon.
Mr.. Swann's speech was we'll received
and. spite of the excessive heat, listened tc
with flattering attention.
Immediately after Governor Swann'
speech the Alumni adjourned to one OF thu
lecture.rooms for luncheon, which over
the final meeting of the Society took place
Resolutions of greeting to Messrs. George
Long and Thomas Hewitt Key, now OF Eng
land. the sole surviving members of th'
first Faculty of the University, were, or
motion of the Rev. Or. John A. Broadus
adopted, and Colonel Thomas Jefferson Ran
dolph requested to communicate the same tc