The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-07-09
Colonel Preston's Speech.

We observe that there is much ado over
Colonel PREsros's speech at the University,
and it is very much like "much ado about
nothing" We are rather tired OF this ever
lasting explanatory depreciation whenever
an impusive man says something that people
generally don't like. Are we children-or
are the northern people children-that we
shall hurry to cxclaim that somebody mas
Z" said something bad" or "cusSed," or
misbebayed? Shall we initiate the scan
dalized boy who thought "sucklng ciuef
with straw" was abominable, ana III
formed against his brother and snail VIC eA'
nect IN hear the mother promptly censure IL
| indignantly!
Tbe renublic can stand few such phrases
as Colonel PRESTON is fond OF uttering. In
f,ct, we cannot see why upon natural prln-
cples the Colonel may not "cuss' little !;
for that is all that is left to him. Can't they
who have him down and have gotten all that
he had. stand a little scoldlng! Let them
:: out themselves in his place." and sec how
| they'd like it.
People may ask, But why did the Univer-
sjtv invite him TO speak? Well, that is
comprehensive question, and may be curly
answered, "because it had the right TO 90
80" We would say that the University
could not properly dictate the theme and the
style of a speech to be made by gentleman
who WIS invited to be the orator. Nor
would it have been possible to arrest the ora
tor midway his discourse. 1t was bis, speech,
and he alone was responsible for It's opln'
ions. A part Of the speech was not oD)ec'
iionable either TO the North or the south
But the occasion was the semi centennial an
niversary of the institution. and Colonel
Preston was one of its first graduates. ii
was appropriate that such man, accomplish
ed and yencrated as he was, should be in
yited to take part in the proceedings. Mr..
HUNTER of our State was invited for the same
reason.
Colonel Preston is a venerable gentleman
He comes of noble stock-whose blood has
been she'd on memorable fields 10 the coun.
try's cause. He certainly has right, as good
as any mans, to lift up his voice in the land.
If he doesn't like every body and everything
he NAV say so without breaking down the
Government.
IT does the venerable gentleman good to
speak his mind, and that is privilege which
is the very lfe.blood Of our republicanism,
the first quckenipg of which elected from
the /" Loyalists the cry of treason y; but
it cannot be "trcason for free citizen to
exercise bis "freedom of speech " in free
EXPRESSION of his opinion. The North par
ticularIy has cried out for /" free speech, and
for that they were ready to shed their blood.
Would they iuilict Il wound upon that grand
republican right by impugning its exercise
by proud-spried old man:
We do think this natural prudshness
is ccnsurable. Colonel PusroS finds, indeed,
the approycrs of all he said to be in mi
nority in the South. He seems 10 have made
a mistake some what like that Of SoLoN SHIN
GLE. who gave his testimony under the sup
position that the "AppIe Sass" case was
under trial; which case was not up ut all )
but who is hurt? In spite of his mistake,
the Colonel is the better for that he has un-
bosomed himself, and all sensible people
ought in good humor to let the matter slide.