Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-07-17
THE DUTIES OF TO-DAY.

ADDRESS DELIVERED BY COLONEL A. X
M'cLURE BEFORE THE LITERARY socIE
TIES OF PENNSYLVANIA COLLEGE, GET
TYsBUR0, Pa, WEDNESDAY EVENING
JUNE 26, 1873.
Gentlemen Of the Literary Societies
This is one of the occasions wher
the truth, for the truths sake, can b,
most fifty presented. Rhetoric her,
plays its part, and it is one of no NEAR
Importance. The honor of which the
student dreams, and for which he sc
fervently struggles before unemotiona'
Judges and sympathizing friends, are
battled for, and won or lost but an
called TO maintain the time bonorcd
custom Of giving counsel to the teach
ers OF the future, who are soon, at the
latest, to fill the places of those who
are the leaders OF to-day. With all the
wide diffusion Of general intelligence
among the people of our land from
our multiplied schools and colleges
and popular publications, the duties
and responsibilities of the educated
men, the scholars of the country, are
greater now than ever before in the
history of the republic. And you,
whom | now address, you, who look
to far distant days of sober manhood
and its grave exactions, will soon
pause in the fitful, heeting visions Of
youth, to wonder how they have mock
ed and fed, and left you chiei actors
in society and government.
And to what duties are you TO be
called Not merely to those to which
the present has been schooled for
every new generation brings new &C.
casions, and new occasions bring new
necessities The generation that has
preceded you on the theatre of human
action has made the history OF man
illustrious in heroism and in the
achievements Of science and statesman
ship. In our own green land, patriot
ism has written its brightest and most
imperishable annals, and free govern.
ment has taught civilization its price
less value by the unsparlng sacrifice OF
the nooiest people oil the earth Tor Its
preservation. Those who have seen
ana ielt the passion ana the sorrows
OF iraternai war VINO nave cherished
the long lingering memories oil be-
reavement, ana notice the iadeless scars
upon the very altar OF authority, may
tel you that your iots nave been cast
IN Pheasant seasons, and that no great
struggles are 10 confront you. IL IS
deiusioh, grlevous error; ana to I'M
press TINS truth upon you, with all the
earnestness oil heartfelt sincerity, is
the ONCE have accepted.
Let me go directly to the lesson l
would teach. Those who have gone
before you have rescued free govern
ment from armed rebellion, and we
are reminded that free institutions are
the secured patrimony for our child en-
and our childrens children. We are
pointed TO our battle-fields OF world
wide lame Tor skill and gallantry; to
the wisdom and patriotism which ruled
in civil authority through the distrac.
tion OF bloody sectional conflict; to
the supremacy OF the laws OF the union
IN every cline; and we are told that
the republic has triumphed over all
Its foes, and that its peace, progress
and perpetuity are no longer problems
TO vex our people or employ our states
manshiP' 1t is not so. The danger
to free government, and to the benef-
cent civilization that alone could have
created 1t, was never 80 great and
never SO Immediate as now. do not
except even the dark day when the
flag OF rebellion first Haunted its threat
ened desolation from Seminary bill,
and the sullen retreat of the Federal
armies through the streets of Gottys.
burg, and the shouts Of insurgent vic
tors, told that a Reynolds had fallen
and that the first struggle of the dc.
cisive battle Of the war had been lost.
There were brave and skillful captains
and corps Of veteran soldiers hasten
ing to the conflict TO retrieve the dis
aster, and behind them were twenty
millions of unfaltering and unconquer-
able people and country teeming
with wealth and plenty. 1t was but
the darkness that precedes the light,
and there was abiding faith not only
along the rude battlements Of Gene
terry hill, and throughout tho ranks Of
the hurriedlv marching columns. but