New-York tribune., 1873-06-25
COL. MCCLURE AT DICKINSON COLLEGE.

| CARLISLE, Penn, June 24.-COl. A. X. Nc
Cure delivered an ton before the Literary Societies
Of Dickinson College this evening entitled, What Of the
nubIieg" He spoke substantially as follows:
what of the Repubcf The trials ond uiumphs Of our
free Institutions hackneyed themes. They the
star attractions Of every political conflict They furnish
nerpetual wel.spfng Of every grade OF rhetoric for
the busnrs and the partisan organs proclaim with the
regularity Of the seasons the annual pers OF free gov
ernment II is not perfect IN us hIhhisttauou or IN
the exercise Of It's vast and responsible powers; but
when IL so w1en shall u De s9i 20 numan work
s perfect. No government IN all the past mas been
without its msshaped ends; and few indeed nave sur
vtyed three generations without revolution. We must
tav teen more than mortals n history NOT
ITesent much that would be glad to cnicc.
We, We snGgo we DC aid not mark the s6b and now
of public virtue. and the consequent struggles
freedom is at times deuascd % license We have had
seasons Of and Of peace We nave Lad td waves Uf
enlisted the national PRIDE In the porlous Inc OF con
quest and vnfcaedl It by tAo peDehcent fruits OF our
eivizsflon We have lad tie tempest OF aggression,
and the profound calm that vas the conseryator OF
peace throughout the word. We nave IeVolu,lonlled
iEe policy OF the Government through the bitter con-
hets OF We hive bad Ie fruits Of national strnp.
clcs transferred 10 the yanqushed without shade OF
@ ise5 in the midst cf iptengest political STRIFE
| and its Judgment patuotcay obeyed. We have had
aterua war with terrible bereavement and sruc
ion We have completed he circle OF national perils,
| been tuu safety " the Republic.
CALM OUR POLITICS.
AT no prevous period a history have opportunity
and duty so happily united 70 direct the people Of this
couptv IN be triumphs and % the imDerfrctons or
| Governments We have reached a healthy calm In our
po,tcal struggles. The nation has trusted ruler just
chosen by an overwhelming vote The dsappointments
of convection Of ambition have passed away, and all
yield cordial o1eielce and fiaPse1 10 Ine laWIIl
authority the country The lOnslncering passions
of civil have FOR the last Time emu. .trred our
politcal stufo and must uow Dc cousg gned 10 forget
frupss The nation s assured " peace. The cmHcrs ~
cTd NAV eonvuise state until justice shall Do en-
! tl~ .lU ID
are te iueXOraDe purposes OF tIo people, anu thcy VIII
az obrvrd Sectional hatred. long famed by political
necessities IS hcnceiOrth ctlccd nom our politics
4 and the unity OF sincere DrotleftOOu VII ne
| IHe cgerisbci f,ith OF every citizen. We hrst
/ conquered rebellion. and now nave conquered
/ the bitterness and ca6ran-fHeHt oI D. d,-
comftrc Tho Ycc-PresIg,ut of t-e insurrent Confed
eracy Repres NATIVE ia our Gon-ess. OAe Wno vas
frs, The field ana LIST ~ lIe .t. ~ .d. VI as
beon AIs irst died while representing the Government
! in "a diplomatic position OF The highest hOnOT' ALotLet
Who served the COnelerncy lu the utld aud ID the
forum has been one OF tie ~ ,e
National Administration. OIe 1f the most Uniant Oh
Confederate warriors nov serves u tne IhiieI states
Senate and has pres sded over tAat 10 ~, Lne I.s. |
tenant OF Lee long since bcnOItd WIN rcspOLsl.o
and lucrative OIL 'id trust ana many Oh lesser note
duties. Tie war and iJs issues are settled forever
Those Who were aTrlYcd against each other IN deadly
conflict are now friends. Ire aple'I RON 'ne i.u1
/ 20 the sword has been made ana its aIDltIa-
! power OF the nation. Each has won rom lAe otAsr
| the respect that IS ever awarded 70 brave
men ana the arcton that ciouded by the passion
that made both rIsn 90 achieve L easy trump p MAS is
! turned chastened and stronsthened by our common
sacr,hce.. our bGtte-helds viii memorable as the
5-laf Of the csil-ts of tlo uolest people the world
had IN offer god Of carnage ana the mourmruts
ceedug generations the proud records OF the herOsm
Of the American people.
THE sAvIORs OF TIE REPUBLIC.
The overshadowing issues touchng the war and its
logical results longer in controversy. and IN
vain will the unworthy invoke patriotism % give them
unmerited distinction. No supreme danger now
confront the citizen who desires TO correct errors
abuses Of political system. lie who despars Of free
institutions because evils have been tolerated, would
have despared Of administration the country has
ever had Of every governments tho world has ever
Known il corruption perTados our institutions 10 an
alarming extent let IL not De oT-O zen lLdt II is Ae u4t-
ursl order OF history repeating lseIi. IL IS Dnt the
experience Of every nation, ahd our own experience
returning 70 u.s. 10 ca mo vigorous aotlo- I-e t5en
Grazing power OF patriotic people We have supreme
tribunal Is most jealous OF its hgh prerOgdtves
ana bat VIII WHIu Us 4u utlipI4'y lo
opportune season arrives We nave just emerged from
S 10 nd treas,re ,rere fray yive1 with tba boiiesi
devotion the OF sefROyernnent. with IL came
tSey co1ld an Dower While the unseifish We're deyoof
20 the cuunrys cause. TLeY could not be deLhr0ned
because there grave issues which dare not b. acr
feed sucn evils must be borne az times all govern
menis rather than destroy the telpie 70 punish he
enemies Of pubic virtue To Whatever extent tlese
evils exist, they Dot the legitimate cr'auon o. our
free usdGIons. They are no; the creation Of maad-
ADMINISTRATION, nor OF any party Ihey are me
mOnsrOus barnacles spawned by unnatural war which
cogged the gallant ship OF state IN her extremity and
h4d 10 be borne into port with ner And now tat The
the reserved power Of our free institutions. II viii heal
the OF and e4ce the stains OF corruption ana
lTrandeur might and excellence the submest concep
Lons ever cherished Of human government
LICENSE THE DEFECT or LIBERTY
Won come to assume tue responsibilities which must
be accented by the ednrated citizen, you Will be pro-
lfoundly Impressed With the multiplied dangers which /
Threaten the government They will appear not only b
be innumerabe and likely to defy correction, but they
will seem 70 Of modern creation. II IA common 10
nor ,,+el,cept potcal leaders declaim against the
fufp leCfu
especially against the decline I'D puDAc HoI"Ly anu |
people and the government in past times we're models
Of purify ana e. eliCnce, Whlie We are uhNOilhy !
imbecile or wholly DEVOTED to selfish ends our law
makers are declared DO reeng with corruption OF
held up 10 the world The chief cnarac estc of our
Officials. From this p4n!ll picture we urn 70 .Ie %
tory OF those who ruled IN the carrier anu WIZ t
the OF the Republic and the contrast
us deep in the sou sh OF despair am an .os @
10 say that much OF me culHPl-ie - ,t,,
cegeneracy Of the times aud the stahuaTu ot @ our
be charged against sue present le-tI1 ~ u T NJ
VERY age thls nation has cEet AIoHH - ~
servants are not TIC Pe1u-ii o. I,'o % VI % -1rSi
novel any Of the generations O Tue pas nan ~ >
now. We sag uctnlng cI our f,efs .la. W NOT @ i,e
rs one Of the chief pensles indeed the sore deect Vt
liberty and 1t has ever assfr-eI ~ p.. cost"n
tirees~ industry 10 as irrcyerent WIN ishEAuu
and NAMED and SCARED Lincoln and Chase, and their
cou,Irots IN criticised tho campaigns aud heroes Oh
Revolutionary times. we cHtcihf tli Illu- neIo W
lour day It belttcd the statesmen OF every elsch ia
Io,r iioBaI progress iLs beitle those vho are
nov tbe Guardians OF our free s ttutOns. Perhaps we
have more provOcAtion than they ~ 0u y So lhey
were loss charitable TOr the tcc or u1Eeuctou7 CRU
icism md d,strt mas known cessation believe we
nave uad seasons .shca our political system ~ NOR
free from bemsh thani.i II now and that We nave ua
Iperiods when botn Government and peOpir nlulahed
Ia hig her sfaudaL sf excellence tLau We cl DoanI VI
but Is is equally that we nave, lh te past soulel
depth ia tls decline 0l our pOAlleA NATURALIZATION
that the present .li.. can never irlcA. -, Al. |
Vos ,,t rr arpear I'D the active struggles fnr the
perpftuity tree government ana bouie % tHe soa
chapter. OF tle past IIo m.sL @OIlIl on slI