Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-07-13
LETTER from Lexington.

Cores pODdence OF tne ataaudtIh OaL"l't.
LEXINGTON, Va, July 9 lS74.-Lexing-
ton has beep live r! lace Tor the ra,t three
weeks. The commencement exercises OF the
Washington and Lee University and the llr-
giuil Military Institute brought visitors from
every part Of the Sou h, aud among them maay
fair and beautiful ladies. The hon Is AMI board
ing houses are full The commencement eXcrr-
cses of the Virginia Military Iuslitue took
mace on the 81 Of July, ius cad Of The 4th, as
heretofore, owing to the 4th being Saturday.
At 10 clock the large mess hall of the luStl
tule (which Is one Of the largest and best ven
tlated roums 10 the State was filled, TO Wit
ness the commencement exercises. The eXcr
cises were opened with prayer. when Cadet
J. 2. Jrtfries, OF Va. Introduced The orator OF
the secoud class, j t. Barron, Of \. T.. His
address was an cXIminallOu OF the modes OF
warfare in the past and the prob. bic apohs
of attack ia years to come IL. attempted to
prove that arbitration by Council and uot by he
sword, would be used more aud morc III the
future to settle difficulties between cUatcndlng
oaious. Cadet J.. Z. Watkins, Of Va, OF the
lst Class was n"xt introduced as Nalcdictorlan.
| His COMPOSITION was good aud this speech was
very ctfccting: he reminded his cia>-, that 1t
was the last tDe they would ever meet togcth-
cr AS cadets; SPIKE OF the ties that had bound
them together; OF their.intmalc and pleasant
ASSOCIATION Tor the past four years, and Of the
pleasure it would be to them, in after years. to
look back and recall the many happy days spent
together at the Virginia Military Institute. He
very highly Jmrlimentcd Gen. Smith, the Sup
erlntendcur, aud The faculty, and was much
effected when he babe them farewell. TO the
ladies Of Lexington he was very supplementary
and intinatcd that some of his class would
never sever the ties that had bound hem to-
gether. Gen. Suith, the superintendent, hex;
read out lis! Of the graduates, and Of the Ills
tiuguishcd in the four classes 80 five i'll each
class. reprc:cutcl by States The present 1T
Glass numbered l64 10 } uly 1870 and II vera
afterwards added; out ot hat nulnber only forty
rec lived their diplomas; each year the ass WIS
reduced In number by inany failing To pass the
rigid examinations they are subjected To- Dr dis
missed for misconduct for having received the
number of d,mcrirs which the regulations al
lowed. Amoug the graduates receiving their
diplomas, we noticed the ualll.s Of the i1l:nwng
from Nirgiri.: Cadets Harmon, from Staun.
ton; } fries Keith aud Gaines, from Warren
ton, Watkins AMI J. Jptfrie>, from Halifax
county: Green, tron Alexandria; j. Pari:.
from Halifax: Lighttout, ChambliS. VI. Jon' 5,
Dutly Cunningham, Fleet, DAVIS. X ,aruS aad
Walton. The last banned is IA son OF Mr. FL
ward Wal,on, formerly Of Alex .ndria II. a;Sl
received handsome gold medal as the best
essaycst in the corps. w. ). Campbell, vi Lex
ngtun. received the medal Conferred upon the
cadet receiving the least nunlb>r OF drm";lS IN
four years. his conduct being pert(cr. The iu
turc of the Virginia Military destitute" Sc, rnS 10
|
serves great credit f,r hi, efforts IN It's behalf
The completion Of the VaIi,y K .liroaI ncw
in course ut construction TO this place. which is
though. will be Completed next May, viii in
crease the plumber of visitors To the com nlrnc:
mens The now long and tedious stage rides
prevents uIauy from visiting Lexington.
The Literary Societies OF the Virginia Mil
tary Institute aud Washington and Lee Uni
versity each publish paper. issued monthly.
The first is called the Cadet, and Is ably edited
by Cadets Watkins and CaruhcrS OF the Dla-
ec.ic, aud Walton and Crauc, of the Codet
Society; aud the Southern ColIrgan. Martin
and Anderson. Of Graham. Ice aud Field and
Dufoue, of Washington lee Soc cries, editors.
Amoug the business houses Of l. yirgton
find TWO Alexaudrians, Mr.. Charl,s * zones,
aud he is extensively engaged IN the furnlt urc
business. aud Mr.. BaylisS, who left Aiexan
dria with kcmperS battery at the king cut
OF the war and located here at its close. They
10, l. well and am glad to say, are doing wah.
The number Of visitors to the Springs 10 this
vicinity is not so large as at tbs time last
year, and dull season is predicted. To all
visiting this section would recommend ttIp
to the Natural Bridge 1t will be found not ouly
interesting, but they will meet with good atteu
lion at the hotel, k: pit by an experienced gen
tIcman, Mr. A. Lear, for long time employ
, ed by Mr. \ G.Newron,o of your city, and vino at
the breaking OUT otthe war. left situation as
chief clerk OF the La Pierre House. in Phladl-
pha and returned to his native State, joined
the Warreutou Riffs, of the l7th Virgins regl-
meut, to fight in dcience Of his State.
VIRGINIA.