The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1881-06-16
DR.. Raymond's Address.


One of the most pleasant incidents of til
meeting of the Mining Engineers IN Staunton
was the farewell address delivered by DR.. R
w. Raymond, Professor in the School of Mines
of Columbia College, New York and one of tn
Editors ofthe Engineering and Mining Journal
1t was delivered at the Opera House, between
the acts of the Pirates of Penzance, which wa.
being given for the benefit of the Memoria
Fund, and which the Institute attended in
body. 1t was Wednesday night, just before
our paper went to press, and as no report has
been given of it, and as many Of our citizens
desired to see it in print and preserve copy
we publish it in full. Maj. Hotchkiss has
kindly supplied us the manuscript.
] DR.. Raymond spoke as follows:
Ladies and Gentlemen Il trust l shall moi
unpleasantly or inappropriately interrupt the
festiye exercises of this occasion by speaking
| from this place few words on subject hay-
| ing, SO far as | have been able to discover, NO
direct connection with the Pirates of Penzance
except that those gallant sailors, as you have
already seen in the First Act, were most sus-
ceptible to the charms of woman For am
commissioned by the Council Of the American
Institute Of Mining Engineers to seize this op-
portunity, as the only one which remains, to
acknowledge in behalf of the Institute the
splendid hospitality of the citizens, and part;c-
ularly the kindness of the ladies of Stanton.
! words are but poor return for deeds; yet
words are at this time all we have to offer; and
we cannot be content to leave you without
| rendering at least such tribute as we may 1t
is true, we were assured Of a welcome before
we came, but you have made assurance doubly
sure, overlapping promise with performance.
1t is nearly score of years since some of us
intended to visit Staunton. But a gentleman
by the name of Stonewall jackson addressed
to us at several points in the Valley a mild yet
firm remonstrance My friend Major Hotch-
kiss doubtless knows more about that matter
than | think do, and | shall not trespass
upon his chosen ground of oratory. Suffice it
to say, that on that occasion we did not come
Now we come, and succeed in entering
stanton, only to find ourselves willing cap
lives, instead of unwelcOme invaders We
come, to lind the hands that were so strong to
smite in battle, quick and warm to clasp in
friendship! Those memories OF the past, that
make this ground historic for us all-shall they
be cherished with mingled pride and sorrow,
or buried beneath the monuments of new
and enduring affection? Both, say I! Let
those memories be- like the brave men whose
last resting place we are glad to unite with
you IN adjoining, buried, but not forgotten
Let this be remembered: that in that silence
which they have entered, there is no noise of
strife; in that sacred shadow, blue and gray
are one. /,
AS we travelled this afternoon through your
magnificent Valley, l saw upon the SUBMITS
the gathering of mighty storm. Like march
ing armies its thunderous columns moved, un-
til IN rolling masses or in drifting haze, through
out the sky the gray had hid the blue azure |
But presently, as watched the grand move
ments, saw the cloudy ranks dispense The |
sOmbre banners were f1rled; the flush of sun
set broke through, to fill the sky; and the |
masses that remained, no longer gray but piles |
OF sunny purity, lent their lustre to crown the |
glory OF red, white and blue And 1 said to |
myself, as know you will say with me, surely |
the unity, strength and happiness of our fair.
free fatherland is to be found beneath that ra-
dlant banner which Heaven spreads daily above |
us all
The venerable and eloquent statesman who
addressed us in this place. the other night,
SAID That you received us as brethren, welcome
brethren. We made no answer then fancy
we were waiting to see whether the proffered |
friendship included the SISTERS! The events Of
the past three days have satisfied us on that |
point; and the family party is now complete /! |
Ladies, you have been too kind, | might al
most say cruel. You seem to have forgotten
that mining engineers are human; nav, that
they have tender hearts; and that they cannot
stand too much of this sort of thing Are you
aware that an oNebus-load Of our susceptible
young bachelors departed from its place in the
procession yesterday, and went madly round
and round single square of your fair city, to
get repeated opportunities of passing ladies'
boarding school? Did not see certain dis
tinguished scientist, who in his former career
as soldier had never faltered before bayonet
or battery, reel and almost fall from his seat
in the carriage when suddenly brought beneath
the concentrated fire of that muslin brigade
Nay, you have not wrought havoc among the
bachelors only: you have bewitched the mar
ried men also. What a scene was that which
took place upon the cars to-day! A certain
member of the Institute, who shall be name.
Leslie is good-looking fellow, and quite
able to pass for short time as a single gentle
man-had got into delightful triangular fir
tation with three ladies of Staunton at once.
Fancy the amazement of those deluded damsels.
and the CONSERVATION of the guilty culprit,
when lady approached and laying her hand
affectionately upon his shoulders, said, "My
dear, have you heard from the children since
we left ?"
However, there are some of us, veterans in
oAPSAAOhSO, WIZ tlC uOG W UG Caught at once
with the rare charms of beauty and grace.
When the spell of fascination is cast upon US,
we resist it, long enough at least to ask the i'm
portant question, "Can she cook p But we
too have surrendered. From the splendor and
the music of the reception-hall you guided us
last night to the s1pper-room, where your
hands dispensed the feast which your hands
had prepared. That did the business; your
victory is complete
The presence of so many ladies in our COM
pany, as well as the cordial hospitality we have
received from you, bears testimony that We
mans sympathy and encouragement is extend
ed even to the rough, prosaic calling which we
follow. This may seem at first strange; but /
hold, on second thought, that there is no more
cheering sign of the coming time For woman
above all is interested in the sacredness and
happiness of home, the increase of wealth
which lifts life above the level of drudgery, all
those fruits of industry and virtue which the
development of our material resources alone
can bring forth. tits fitting therefore that she
who has crowned with tears or blessed with
smiles the heroes of war, should turn with at
least equal readiness to inspire and reward the
soldiers of peace. And certainly this could
not be done more delightfully."- and gracefully
than the ladies of Staunton have done it.
Daughters of Virginia! we lay our thanks and
our homage at your feet!