Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-10-27
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
The First Literary Performance
of the Year.
Correspondence of the Register.


The first junior and senior perform
ance for the year took place in the
Chapel Hall, October 2i, 1879, and was
a very interesting affair. Junior \. /,
Cox led off with an oration, subject,
"The Diary OF the Republic" The
speaker pictured in strong language the
rise and fall of the greatest republics
that have existed. He pointed out
wherein the luxurics of the Romans re-
sembled the luxuries Of the American
people, and how corruption leads TO
national downfall. After recounting
the decline OF the Greek, Roman
and Dutch republics, he said that,
according to the verdict OF history,
we are led 10 believe the painful truth
that the United States may decay.
Mr.. Vim. VI. Hyland, junior, fol-
lowed with an essay. Subject, "The
Decline of the Roman Empire Mr..
Hyland's chief characteristic as a
writer is his vivid Imagination. Pos
sessing an almost unbounded love for
the beautiful, he painted in glowing
terms the glories of the Empire under
the reign OF Augustus and then re-
hearsed the sad decline OF the nation
until its destruction by the northern
barbarians.
Junior ThoS. T.. Hodges came next
with an Grafton; subject, Hannibal" !"
Tracing the great warrior in his various
conquests the speaker showed in forci-
bic terms the iron will, the fixed pur-
pose, the untiring energy and the unri-
vailed military skill of the great Car
thaginian hero. Mr.. Hodges possesses
an enviable amount of native yigor and
force of expression in his oratory.
The seniors came next, Mr.. Grafton
being first. His performance, an essay,
was entitled, Purpose, Will and Per-
severance" This was an excellent per-
iormance. He said: at is not genius
or talent which makes man great SO
much as purpose, force OF will, de-
termination to accomplish the end de
sired. Ii is that force which carries a
man through failure and disappointment
which urges him to endure hardships
and suffering and labor on through all
opposition toward the end in view. IL
is this spirit End energy which conquors
nations, and builds railroads, and dis
covers continents, and christianizcs
savages.
B. l.. Keenan, followed with an oration,
subject, "The many strive, the few pre-
vail" This subject becomes neces-
sarily true in the province OF intellect,
|. Because many who strive fail for
want of mental power. ,. Having this
power they iail because they lack pur-
pose and patient energy. 3 They
lack character and must needs fail.
Lastly, though they posses all these
requisites. they fail because OF uniavor-
able circumstances. This was very
practical speech.
Mr.. }. y. Marsh was the next per-
former. Ills subject was; What's
In Il Name This was
thought hy some To be the best
performance of the day. The points in
the essay were: That man should
never depend upon name, and cspe-
cially on the titles OF his ancestors; that
the man should do the work and let the
name make itself; but also that the man
should be the true exponent Of his repu-
tation. The points were beautifully IL
lustrated.
The next was an Grafton by q. A..
Pearre; subject; Reverence for Laws" ."
The existing laws should be- supreme.
1t is not by multiplication OF the laws
or increasing their severity that the hap.
piness OF the people or the object Of
government Is accomplished, but by the
rigid enforcement Of the laws that now
exist As soon as the idea becomes eX-
tant that money will mitigate the sever
ity of the law, then it is but another
step TO loss of National faith, loss Of Ma
tional pride, loss Of National integrity.
Reverence for law is reverence
for the majestic voice Of the
people; reverence for the foun-
dation of government; reverence
for the immutability OF its principles as
the condition Of progress, Of civilization,
Of the prosperity OF society.
Mr.. 4. A. Waters came last. His sub
jcct an orationl productive Power Of
Free Thought" Man in his best estate
is far removed from the regions Of per-
fection, and what progress he has made
may be attributed, in great degree, TO
the free exercise of his reasoning facul-
ties. No man has the right to question
the wisdom Of God, or form opinions
contrary to his revealed will. But when
we come to examine the opinions, thcO-
ries and practices Of mankind, Se are
governed by no such arbitrary rule.
Realizing the imperiection Of human in
tellect, We are not bound to receive its
productions rs infallible, but must sub.
ject them 10 the sense OF reason, reject
the bad, and hold fast % that which is
good. CO. j.