Bristol news. [volume] (Bristol, Va. & Tenn.) 1867-189?, 1874-06-23
EMORY & HENRY.
Commencement Day.

It was not our good fortune to be
present on Medal day. when ten Of
the oratorical trainers Of Emory &
Henry wrestled over the fields of lite
rature for the glittering prize which
Ex-Gov. Wyndham Robertson linked
in DerpetuIty with those diadems with
which this institution proposes to
crown the aspiring young men of the
country. The day was rainy one
and Wednesday, the DAY set apart for
commencement, came wrapped III
sonbre clouds which deferred many
Sof the ladies' from undertaking the
risk of the huge pavilion, which
nevertheless, must have been crowded
to its capacity of four thousand. The
weather proved pleasant enough
There was happy mixture Of cloud
and sunshine which went far to Ie-
lieve the speakers.
At the hour of eleven the exercises
were opened with prayer by Rev. J.
w. Dirkoy- Mr.. Geo. G. Williams
of Wytheville, Va. delivered the
Salulatory addresses, which, being in
latin, gave the audience, generally, an
excellent opportunity to devote their
attention exclusively to his delivery,
the manner of which was earnest, dis
tnct and graceful. The fact that he
had frequently to refer to his manu-
Srri;lt. was blemish. but il was mea-
surably relieved by the self possession
with which he did it.
Mr.. II. B. Stabblefe,I OF EIgefieId.
Tenn, by couchipg in latin the sub
iect Of his speech caused the audience
to search attcntiveIy through his
speech for its translation. SIC itur
Id 1StyG, was ineligible only to the
few, but his remarks were plain and
rather more practical and clothed in
less Sophomore redundancy than
usual. HIS manner was deliberate
and self possessed. and there was. a
similar temperatures in ills jcsticula-
ton, and the fact that his speech
marked him more as a (irst-class young
man for useful fields of active business
is compliment enough for him.
Mr.. Elbert S. Maloney, of Greene
vile, Tenn, had the Scientific Grafton
awarded to him and made quite a
pretty speech. His gestures were few
but they were good, and if he was not
royal orator he was at least loyal to
his subject and acquitted himself well
and gracefully.
Mr.. Alison Hutton, of this county, |
had the Mathematical Medal, and the |
manner with which he took his posi- |
tion on the stage and the earuestness |
and precision of his first utterances at |
once impressed us with the belief that |
he was entitled to the honor. There |
was a confidence and conscious ac-
Curacy in his assertions and delivery I
which was suggestive of the grand
science he was treating OF. There
was nervous matter of factness about
him which was as inter esting as it
ia uncommon. Of course his speech
wrs impressive and it would bear the
test of u critical reading He had the
advantage of being among a people
who were his neighbors, but for all
that he ought to have had the shower
of boquets which fell OF his feet
Mr.. VIM. IL. Penlamd, of Asheville,
N. C., took Adam Clarke as the name /
on which to hang his effort at the
portraiture of Character. His enun-
citation was rather defective aud his
infections rather monotanous, but his
was fair aid his speech
was rather more than fair.
Mr.. Jno. J. Ransom, OF Franklin,
Tenn, had for his subject. Truth ap-
pears in Clusters, and not seeming to
aim at the flowers Of oratory was evil
IDENTIFY looking to its effects. There /
were method, analysis and facts in his
speech and it appeared clear tnat he
desired more to convince than to win
The applause of the audience. His t
manner was orlglral aud impressive
and he has a clear intellect.
Mr.. VIM. II. PEBBLES, Of Spring Hill, !
Tenn, had the Philosophical oration,
and took the Light of Memory as his
subject. lie had scarcely commenced V
when he had 10 desist Oh account of p
ihe passing of the noon train for e
Iiynchburg, but he recommended and L
gave us without confusion a speecn Il
threaded by a pretty close chain of S
logic. His voice, attitude, and gestic- o
at on were very good, and there we
both ease AID emphasis in his delive- h
ly. q
The English Classical Grafton was i'
delivered by Mr.. David A. Cleague of =, y
Athens, Tenn, who took tic Drama I,