Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1876-06-14
Barre Acadcmy...Annirersar Exercises.


which was held as were all the exercises " the
week, at the Congregational church. The orator
Of the occasion was Seneca llasolion, E>q Of Bur
lington member Of the Alumni and former
assistant principal of the academy. While CLING
the latter position he was universally considered
as one Of the most popular, as well as thorough
teachers who had aided Dr. Spaulding since The in
sttution was organized
oRtrioS ny sENrcA mNsriros, rso
In opening his address the speaker said In
some respects an Ahmnus Is peculiarly untitled
to address you at a time like this This occasion,
this place, these faces, many Of them, have with
him q subtle power Of association that serves 10
awaken memories and suggest thoughts which,
however pleasant they may be entertained are,
to say the least, foreign to the subject which he
may have chosen. To a returned Alifnn,N many
things that he hears inarticulate sounds and
voices. bring echoes from the past As he walks
these streets he Is gifted with a power strangely
resembling the mysterious second sight in the
ability he has TO see, or seem 10 see, things other
than those he looks upon. It is nine years since
the class Of ~, to which have the honor TO be-
long, stood where the class Of 20 will stand to-
morrow IN a less time than that according to
man frame every vestige Of the former man
disappears and Is replaced by something new.
Doubtless this Is true as respects the merely physi
cal man, but how strikingly untrue it is Of our
permanent selves we are taught BY our own eS-
pcrence on occasions like this Who can doubt
what the response would he were | to appeal to
any .ilnHmus present, Of seven OF nine years en-
rollmont, to know II the interval that has elapsed
since his graduation has served TO efiaco OF 10
dim the impressions made during those years Of
which the day Of graduation was the closo7 such
impressions are the pure gold which time cannot
tarnish which the wear Of years serves rather to
FURNISH than To eiface Students, you who are
in the midst Of your time here, and not TO gradu-
ate on the morrow, know that the year- la the
midst Of which you now are may be made bene-
dicton to your whole future lives School days
spent in ardent lahors for improvement, with q
generous recognition Of the merits Of iellow-stu-
dents, in the practice Of kindly oourtoses and the
indulgence Of kindly sentiments towards school
mates and teachers and in discriminating par
ticipation in healthiul sports and pleasantrc- be-
come a source Of perennial delight
sueh days are not the prey Of setting suns.
Nor ever blurred by mist OF after Thought
Like words made magical by poets dead
Wherein the music Of all Meanings
The soul hath governed the sense dyluel.
They steal into our lives ethereal past
sweetoniug and gathering sweetness eyermoie.
By bcautys franchise disenthtailci ~ time"
The speaker then proceeded to discussion Of
the subject which he had chosen The decline
and fall Of nations" He discussed at the outset,
the falslty Of the theory that national life Is so
closely analogous 10 individual that nations de-
cay is the inevitable result Of the necessary laws
Of national existence In proof Of the fality Of
this theory, he cited many examples and Instances
in the history Of nations which clearly supported
his own belief, and at the same time demonstrated
a thorough knowledge Of the theme In hand
The discussion by the speaker tended 10 show that
this false theory Of national life d not only neon
sistent with the institutions Of reason and uncon-
genial 10 Tie heart but that il Is also descendant
with the facts Of history The position taken In
the address was that the spiritual forces play at
least an equally important part with the material
forces in the moral aud political world that n ma
tons career is not absolutely determined by pre-
existing causes but that there is power OF causa-
ton in the human will capable Of modifying the
course II history We have no warrant il was
affirmed, for setting measure to the blessings
which nation has a right TO expect from the sac
rIfces Of patriotism the labors Of craftsmanship
and tie fayors Of heaven After emphasizing the
truth that when nation fails the fault is not so
much in IL stars as in It's citizens, the speaker
turned % consideration Of some Of our duties
and responsibilities as American citizens with
reference 20 the prosperity and pepetuty Of our
government The danger Of trusting blindly to
our destiny was pointed out. also that of placing
undue reliance upon political parties In con
Guiding, the speaker said that the influences pc
culiar to this year marking an important era in
national life and the widespread alarm in view
Of recent revelations, conspred to afford just now
an unusual opportunity for the renovation Of the
national life for the improvement Of which every
good citizen ought to hope and labor,
/ The address was delivered entirely eriempore
but with the grammatical precision Of a written dis
cussion, and with finished oratory The delivery
was marked by pleasing conversational tone, a.
! easy it was natural and distinct, while the
| presence Of the speaker is particularly prepos-
sessing The depth Of scholarly thought dis
/ played in the address leads to predict that Mr.
| Haselton has before him life fnll Of promise in
/ his chosen profession.
In the evening a large and cultivated audience
assembled to listen to the
ADDRESS or HON i. ". rArrzRsos,
/ the ex-senator from New Hampshire, before the
Social Fraternity The distinguished speaker had
for his subject that quality known as Manhood"
which was expressed in Thames last words to his
son: " BE thon strong, therefore, aud show thy
self a man" Manhood, according to the speaker,
meant integrity, purity, high aims, broad plans,
consistency and coumge-in word, a kingly
mind and temper This sentiment was one which,
| II fully believed and lived up 10, would lift us
here and now 10 the height Of our expectations
One of the characteristics Of true manhood was
philanthropy. This was the quality which made as
, eleaye to man when set upon by malice and per
secution II is the inspiration that Is felt by the
dying patriot, and is shown in the sacrifices we
make for others Love was also another charac-
teristie This was considered as a fitting emotion
for the hearts Of young men, giving a divine
sweetness to their lives one Of the most pitable
objects in life was the cynic Such a person Was
considered as committing moral suicide and his
end must be that Of an outcast One who has not
done substantial work himself said the speaker,
has no right 10 be q critic. This opinion was
dwelt upon at length and with somewhat Of bit
terness The quality Of mind which made man
hood Of such great value was thought A man
might study all his life and still be nothing but
walking encyclopedia Thinking made the
difference. This was the true distinction between
a statesman and a politician, great scholar and
great man. There were too many legislators
who were perpetuating themselves by running
into popular channels. There were too many
ministers who took their text from the Bible and
preached from the newspapers. There were plenty
of newsboys who had more mental ygor and
acuteness than many Of the great men in public
life who loll away their time in the Incidence Of
power and position who have no convictions Of
their own, aud whose actions are unreliable as
the moods and lenses Of politician
Manhood was never more needed than now.
Scandal ran riot everywhere, and men Of the ut
most respeetability were being daily brought be-
fore the bar Of public suspicion The speaker be-
lieved, however, that our age was not peculiar in
this, and only seemed so because the newspapers
had found it profitable business TO poddle scandal
They were daily, he said, publishing scandals
which we're embittering the public mind and max
ing grounds for political conversion in the coming
campaign They were, according To the opinion
Of the wise and godly speaker, housing terriers
employed tosmell outcoruption" 1t was against
this spirit Of accusation that he invoked the aid
Of thinking men
"a ma .1t.l