Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1879-08-18
agricultural and Mechanical College
commencement

BLACKsEUKG. Aug. sterdss was
conDlenceOert day proper, and the large aud
brilliant assembly which filed the hail present
ed very handsome spectacle. The orators of
The day, Mr.. BJhasbon and Gov Holiday,
seemed to catch the Inspiration Of the occasion.
Hen. G. A. B)hannon said that bis cndeavor
you'd be to tell the young men bow to mike the
ucst aud best Of life. Many questions which
Interested u were h,oti1g 10 character, bu. one
cas-. tho political, was even paramount. lie
nigh; dc6qe the State to be the whole force Of
nation organized into supreme authority
Nh!ch claimed some s)rt oil jurisdiction over the
| citizen from his cradle to his grave. lie would
point cut some CT The dutlls of citizenship. lie
yielded TO no man 10 his admiration Of the con
s;itul!Hn aud Ut the principles upon which IL
WAS founded. The experience OF century had
proved them to be sufficient. 1t was not alone
| ny studying constitutions thet they could un'
| dersIaud principles of government. a system
| OF government was only c1mprehcuded as ii WGs
| looked at ia tho glowing iurnsco of reality. Ou7
pride was 10 the freedom OF Individual life. The
| rlny ofOuriostitutOn consisted n0tin what they
forbade, bul III what they allowed US to make oil
ourselves. The proper theory Of government
consisted 10 spreading the smallest hHouot oil
Authority ever the largest possible amount Of
suTii2.. Where the line OF iutcrterer &c Shlu d
b. drawn Was difficult question. We stood
iacu 10 face with ucW danger as to the limits
Of governments authority. Did there Exist to-
day daugor of ultimate despOism O,e o.
The IUtH. dangerous legacles lett Us by the la.
war was the habit Ct arbitrary ASSUMPTION o.
power Tic present generation karw scarcely
4 IL ri he Inr h.,
which characierlz cur orefarhrrs. They
Wtre being reared 10 a dangerous sch ,ol. Loot
q. tie disurdered condition of public morals.
i'ruIh was sueered at as an ancient able. There
Was nD uucue greed for wealth and the preseu
distress was the result Of drIravcd pablo scoti
meu1. Corruption Was found, not only in h.
Federal Government, but asJ 10 that of the
S'ate. aud there was DOW about Us an eEiIaliou
lor selfish cuds, which sought TO mako tie OF
hces OF great State the spullS OF party. Tn,
| best way TO correct thcso evils Was to train our
you'h 10 the plncIples If hootsty, truth 300
virtue, even 10 the neglect of scenoa The y0uop
men whom he addressed were born to large
luheri'ance Ct noble fame. i ;hiod them Stood
the efGeias oil great mer. Bu they must uu,
suppose they could live uudsr the shadow f
great names. Never had the world presented
a uohler field Of action than to day. Ii was
aracd to live in this age. Let them strive uib
every prac iaal diHiculty and independents
would probably attcpd their steps Poveriy was
the uurscly of great souls. 10 this los tuition
they had bcen breathing 10 the air, The fra
graLcy CT the nobility OF labor. That industry
vas nobiest which iuvited thought and skill. Ii
had been said that only by thought could a5 Or
be made healthy, and only by labor that
thought could be made happy. The true dig.
niIu OF human nature lay 10 Consciousness Of
our own imperfcctious and Of our duty to IRE
pare Tor az everlasting Ito in tho eternal CITY
above.
DR.. Minor, President Of the College, 10 few
bTlet and we'll chosen remarks, stated that it
was the practice OF the faculty, following the
example of the State University, to REQUIRE a
Uniform degree Of Attachments in order to grad
uation. But besides tho graduating class, there
were certain students wno, not yet having reach
cd the standard necessary Tor graduation, had
performed everything required OF them. They
number twenty five in all Amongst them arc ::
}. Il. Johnston, Alexandria; T., Wheeler, Fan
queiI; }. H. Rhoadcs. Fredericksburg; h. u.
Brookiug, Orange; j. H. GoodriGgo, West
moreland, and W. A. Hunter. LuudOuu.
DR.. Minor then called up The gradualio Of
class. snd presented diplomas.
Graduates in Mechanics aud Aqrioulturo-J.
y. HI
fax; w. S. Matthews, Giles; W. T. Page, Nor
folk city, aud II. Ii. White, Albemarlc.
10 Mechanics-R IT, Glcaves, Wythr.
In Agricu!tura-J. Nj. Carriugton. Halifax;
i. i. Dye, Russell; s. w. Paul Norfolk city;
4. u. Petrow, Campbell; ]. &. Tanner, Lyuch.
burg, and T.. s. Williams, Nottowsy.
DR.. Minor then Introduced
Gov Holiday who said he had left his
official duties to DO with them. They had lis
tened, on the previous night. 10 discussion
by two OF the students, IL manner which did
credit 10 the institution, as 10 the relative ed
sa1toges Of prosperity aad adversely. They
all iclt that !iio was nothing or it was q sub
limo reality. If, when Plate had asked tho
Saviour, What is truth y tho Saviour had
answered. 1t, ne would have destroyed all motive
to human energy. Things in this world wer., so
10 speak, set over against cauh other. We
knew that the soul existed, that truth existed
and that they had co-rXistenoe, and cut Of
this triple ccri was woven tho web Of destiny.
iha idea OF duty was craven upon the human
sonl. 1t needed 20 proof, for ils ,xisteuca was
a necessity and sell evident. He advised tho
young men TO be not Gv9rwlse aud iudce of
th1sS which they could not kGOW. The !arultv
OF tic Institution ~cro competent for their du
ties they were appointed by an able board Of
Visitors and tbs students stood uuaer The ~ ,is
of The State itself. Let them Come with hin,
into the life which lay before them. Thcy
would tldd 1t 10 Constant motion, aud thew mu-t
keep N tue current else they would bo tLrowu
on the shore like broken reed We were the
creatures OF our circumstances, though it was
tru5 that We could sometimes mould them TO
our will! The Jew, The Greek, the Roman
proud ii the mighty power If his iron State
the Mu'sn!mar, the Crusaders. Wero ell crca
lures 81 the CIRCUMSTANCES that surryuodpd
them. no nan lived to hiwself alone, MOI
c'uli he. The four millions OF iohabitsots OF
L'ndon ware d:rsnieul upon the population If
oil the World Tor thtir support. What shuulc
lie tGelT Offices IL l'te? Money He adm.rtsu
that without progeny civllz .too could no,
exist. ihn Llpl !udrr had no properly and i,
Was lEpossltl; 10 ovzs him. The ida IT,
vowed 10 this College spir,usiz ID properiy,
| rut wealth sAVud never be Sought ss ga end,
Should Ihslr rtj o. be aub liou This meat
King fer 'Hc., than which Do,h;ng was more
c1ujrWpuole. They had no tight 10 assert
Their hsne,s Tor posi- io2s Of trust and respors;-
1 I I,1o