The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-01-23
Letter from Lexington.
ASSIvERSARy OF THE GRAHAM
LEE SOCIETY.

ICorrespondeAce of the Richmond Dispatch.l
LEXINGTos, Va, january 20. 1915
The University chapel was filled last night
with one Of LcXington's best audiences
the college dgnitaricS, cadet gray, elegant
costumes Of the bellies, and deikes" Of the
students. mingling pleasantly with the rib
bons of the marshals and committeeman.
ard producing fine effect.
After the uslla! tor'nalties professor Rit-
tcnhousc's Institute band enlyening the oc-
Ja.ion with very sweet muSc) the president
Of he Society, Afr. Ryan, of Indiana, grace
fully welcomed the audience to the S'rty.
sIrh anniversary of the Graham-Lee Society,
and introduced rs orator OF the evening Mr..
y. \. Scadman, OF Texas.
MIR. Stcudman easily and gracefully intro
Iucrd a. his theme Men of Ideas" and in-
sisted that such men control, direct, ana
shape the times in which they live. He illus
tr4lci and enforced his theme by citing Alex
auNvr, Mahomet, Bacon, Oliver Cromwell,
Napoleon Bonaparte, the Puritans, Washing
ton. Jefferson. Madison, and other historic
characters. He concluded by earnestly in
si>,ing that the great want of our country
today j, men of ideas. The address was
free from ciap-trap, in good taste, and well
delivered.
The question announced for debate was,
as the Example Of the United States likely
t. Impress Mankind with the Value of u
Hrplb!lcln Form Of Government"
Mr.. G.. 4. Daley, OF Texas, opened the
Question on tie affirmative in a wellpre-
pared and wCiI-dclivercd speech. lie ar
rued that the corrupt rings, nepotism, and
dr.potism which have disgraced our Coy
eminent for the past fifteen years are the
products OF bad rulers, and not Of bad
I'm Of government; that our Goverqmen
la, been more stable than others that OF
France for example,; that the returning
sense Of right on the Louisiana question
will soon put good men into power; and
Ilat the day Is not far distant when AMerl-
can citizen. OF every section will De once
more as proud OF their country as the Ola
Romans, whose proudest boast was ~ am
i Roman Citizen
Mr. Walter Gregory next spoke on the
negative. He begun bis speech with good
anccdoc TO illustrate the point that the
theory Uf our Government was that 1t would
be controlled by an intelligent, virtuous peo-
pie, but that bitter experience had proved
the i.iiacy Of the theory. He drew vivid
sketch Of party contests up to 1861 |; the stu
I'cnGOus crime of the war waged on the
south; the violation Of the terms of our
surrender; the annals Of reconstruction "
10 called; the corruption in every branch
Of the Government; the debasement of the
pres, and the pulpit; and the progress OF
Malcrali>ln, and argued that repubcanlsm
IN Til, country had proved magnificent
failure, and was Kissing and by,Word
among the nations OF the earth.
Mr. Grcgory's speech, which was delivered
without manuscript and in good style,
abounded in good-humored hits at his oppo-
nent>, which frequently brought down the
house. -..
Mr.. Butler Jack, of Tennessee next es-
pouscd the attirmatlve. He insisted that the
Culted States was the solution Of the great
struggle between liberty and despo!ism;
that a. bad IS our Government has become
those OF other countries are worse; and that
The corruptions OF monarchies, though kept
secret, are far greater than those of our Co.
Vcrument.
lie frequently elected laughter and ap.
pause by his telling hits, and concluded with
vivid picture Of the republic Of the future
WHICH is TO bless the land.
Dir. j. l.. Lisle, of Kentucky, concluded
The debate 10 the negative By some local hits,
which The students seemed to appreciate
ana ENJOY, and vivid sketch of The evils of
cihce-seeking and universal suffrage.
Each OF the young orators was rewarded
VIVA bouquets and cards from fair audtt0rs,,
and the whole celebration WAS creditable to-
AL concerned. VIAToR.