Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1873-07-25
25, 1878.
senator MorrIIr, .mher,t Address.

Senator Morrilrs Amherst address.
The address before the "Social Union at
Amherst College Commencement, last week,
was delivered by Senator Justin S. Morrill,
of Vermont, and was the main address Of
the occasion. His subject was " Some OF
the Opportunities and Perils in the Path
way of the Young Men of America
He said The advance made in our day in
republican representative institutions, in
the humanity and equality of both civil
and criminal law, in civil and religious
liberty, in the conceded rights and high
position Of women. in the support of the
helpless poor, and finally in the nearly
universal thrift and prosperity of the peo-
pie, require an advance upon the old currl-
culum of the schools Other nations have
started on our track, some are already
abreast, and unless We push onward, our
position in advance will be lost. Better
colleges must be brought within the reach
OF larger numbers. A thoroughly educated
man commands greater success, greater
rewards. d, what is better than either,
| greater respect than the illiterate. In our
improved curriculum, the classics should
not be discarded, but they should live and
let live. The distrusr of the University of
| Oxford OF any deviation from the beaten
track was until recently very conspicuous,
and few American colleges have moved
with less fear of change. The sciences,
/ pure and applied, now demand recognition
/ and hospitality. Whether the beauties as
crlbed TO ancient tongues are real or ideal,
| they should not absorb all the enthusiasm
of boyhood. Study them, but not wholly
at the expense of modern languages.
! 1t is one of the fortunate conditions of So
| eiety here that most of US must work and
do something for livelihood. We are for
the most part happily unacquainted with
patrimonial estates and with consequent
/ hereditary languor and sOftness. Industry
| is the birthright of an American. But the
pursuit of colossal fortunes engroSses too
| fully our attention. The appetite for
wealth needs to be checked. lest its growth
should dwarf all the nobler sentiments of
the heart and extinguish that moral
rectitude which is the only basis Of true
and lasting greatness. There Is ample
scope in America for the ambition of all.
The useful arts, letters, the press, and even
politics. always need greater leaders. True,
1t Is said all the professions are crowded,
but what Webster told his friend will
remain true forever. There is said
be, - plenty Of room higher up" In an
Swer to the question, Shall young men en-
bark on the vexed sea Of politics the
speaker said the great experiment we have
- far successfully conducted involves the
cooperation of all. IL cannot be fairly
tried if educated men stand alOOf. At the
best, the common field of politics ordinarily
offers little chance Of Immortality, but the
sphere Of statesmen, having liberal, natural
and acquired endowments, gives rather
more ground for hope, and yet even here
the breyity Of popular regulations l. lear
fJlly discOuraging. To hold Oihce and fol
low in the grooves Of existing laws req ulres
less ability than the consideration OF the
proper functions of government, or those
great principles of political economy upon
which to found the policy Of a nation. We
cannot adopt and apply secondhand theo-
res. made BY and for those who are the
hereditary enemies of our form Of govern
ment. and who are not more distant from
us geographically than they are in senti-
ment and interest. The American student
must originate measures adapted TO the
American continent, adapted to the i'm
proyement Of the American people, and to
the placing OF his country where other ma
tions, if they would be in the foremost
rank, must follow in her footsteps. Neither
European nor Asiatic political philosophy i
likely TO thrive on our soil. We must plant
and raise American craftsmanship.
Public servants Will be the best, if the
popular intelligence demands the best, and
they viii only be yirtuOus - long a the
public conscience shall Smite all shOrt-com-
ings with righteous Indignation. One point
was not to be easily surnOunted, viz. the
Inheritance Of irredeemable paper-mOney
4 q I5-
a dim and distant prospect Of it. ultimate
disappearance. That il has undermined and
j. undermining the home-bred honesty of
the people is an alarming fact. No plague
of Egypt ever asserted itself more impudent-
ly. Its perpetual fraud, lurking around
every business transaction. public and pri-
yate. Sanctioned by law, it flches some
thing from every promise and turns 4 large
percentage 20 droS- II Is an enormous
burden TO government, the parent Of ex-
trayagance IN all it. expenditures. and a
subtle poison 10 which all Of it, official
forces are daily exposed. All men should |
confront this monster evil and crush it ere |
it brushes society IN one general mass Of |
ruttennesS.
In 4 republican form of government, a.
now conducted. the victorious party rules. |
IL becomes therefore important that both /
parties should have intelligenccand integrity /
enough 10 conduct the affairs Of the nation, |
which ,yer may be in the ascendency. We |
must have trained at all times twice as many |
men a. It may be necessary 20 man the gov |
eminent. Only yesterday, a 1t were, our /
country was a solitude unhroken save by /
Wild beasts and sayages Commerce. the |
huShandman and the schoOl-ma>ter have 4
made their appearance. Now the Young .
men Of America must take up the task 80
auspiciouSly begun. They are TO give an
added luStre e. our country, and cause it.
Institutions and IT, civilization to bring
forth an autumnal wealth Of coloring, Of
foliage and Of fruit.
The address was high in tone, and able
and instructive in its presentation Of truth.
and is generally spoken Of in terms of praise
by the. correspondents Of the. city papers.
and Others who heard IT,