Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1885-07-02

have, l think, more to fear from thlS Splr-
it than from anything else, this feeling that
one section is to be considered above any
other section. 1t breeds unrest and bitter
which we hope to see produced in the
minds, the hearts and lives of our citizens
"We will make brief comparison be-
tween this College as it now stands and
that which graduated these distinguished
gentlemen who sit behind me. The old
College, our pride and glory, had siXty-four
hours of recitation week against our one
hundred and thirty-one and half. 1t had
thirty classes against our forty-slx. 1t had
twenty-five subjects Of study versus our
thrty-four. The board of trustees have had
ed so has our College advanced. If litera-
ture has progressed so has our College prog
ressed. l have proved, think, that the
first hypothesis is untenable.
GAS to the second, a good many good and
true men in this State who love their
churches and colleges, believe that this
South Carolina College is injurious to her
younger sisters, but / am sorry to say that
there are people in this State who make the
charge f1ippantly, without care for its truth,
or who press it in their demagoguery.
There is nothing so potent, so sure to con-
quer in South Carolina as truth. When it
is earnestly, affectionately sincerely put
forward it will always triumph in this
State. Here is one man who avOWS him
self a friend of the denominational colleges,
who appreciates the principles upon which
they are founded, who halls their good
work and honors many of their instructors
whom he knows, but this University can
never be brought into an injurious rivalry
with any one of these institutions. There
is rivalry which is good for us all. 1t ex-
cites to effort. 1t urges us to higher achieve
ments. It elevates and diffuses nobler
spirit. 1t absolutely creates demand for
education. Such a rivalry may be engen-
dered by the reopening of this old institu-
tion but no other.
"Fellow-citizens ofevery name! Fellow
Christians of every faith! Let us maintain
one platform in South Carolina, where all
may meet as the son and its mother, as the
child and its God, animated by one senti-
ment: Do your duty, men and brothers, to
this dear old State. [Great applause.]
"There is one rather personal matter which
I would refer to before leave you. 1t con-
Germs one of your number and it has given
me more pleasure than anything l have
heard. am sure it will crafty every friend
of the College. 1t does you honor and your
State honor. If it ever becomes known it
will do more to stop the mouths and etface
the charges of the enemies of the College
than any other thing could. One OF your
number told me that the man who received
as much, if not the most, respect and con-
sideration and affection from his fellow
students, was one who came here so poor
that he had no money to pay his way or
buy his books, but was animated by high
and noble purpose. Your students esteemed
him because he was man, and he has
climbed up to the highest places not only in
his class, but in the respect and honor of his
fellow-students. You have more than the
praise of man. You have the smile of God
and the angels. / could not have been told
fact about you that could give me more
pleasure than that man is respected here
because he is man, and that the more ear
nest and studious he is the more he is loved
by his fellows; Nothing, 1 am sure, more
truly represents the spirit of the men who
in the past have made the name of South
Carolina pride and glory all over the
land" [Great applause.
Senator Hampton dismissed the audience
in a few words.
DIR. Capers' address is the strongest ar
gument the College has ever had made for
it, and it won the high praiseit so thorough
ly deserved. The facts he gave will be a
revelation to the young people. The board
of which he is member carefully canvass
ed the work of the College and attended the
senior examinations which were continued
through the week.
From the Greenvile Mountaineer.
1t is fair to Mr.. Capers to state, that in a
recent article to the Daily NeUs, he cOrrects
the reporter of his address in two impor-
tant particulars, and explains that the adj
dress was not written and delivered from
manuscript, but pronounced extemporan-
eously from brief notes. He did not review
the reporters manuscript, or know any
thing of the character of the report until he
saw it in print.
We give below the correction made by
Mr.. Capers:
"My statement in reference to Furman
University was, that / had known the in
stitution since my residence in Greenville
for the past eighteen years; and that my
Judgment was, that at no time during this
period had it been in so prosperous condi-
tion as now, the number Of its students be-
inp almost doubled.n "If I am
mistaken in my judgment will cheerfully
amend my statement" II "Reterring
to the absence of our young men from the
State before the opening of the College, |
am made to say, in effect, that they had
all returned to South Carolina, and thus
two hundred young men and Sl5O,OOO were
saved to the State.
II said that about two hundred of our
youth had gone abroad to seek larger opor-
tunities of instruction than the State af-
forded; that they were now coming back to
their State-a large per cent. had already
returned-that looked forward to the time
when we could proudly boast that the sons
of Carolina were taught in her own schools
and colleges This 1 held to be great
gain in every way, and an end worthy OF
our labors. The dollars and cents argu-
ment | never used at all"
After explaining how it came to be re-
ported as said by him, Mr.. Capers contin-
ues: II did not charge opposition to free
tuition as emnity to the College; but ex-
planned that the opposition Of which 1spoke
was honest and sincere, and maintained by
men good and true in all parts of our State.
1 claimed for it respectful consideration
and fair examination. This l endeavored
to give it,"
MIR. SMITHS REPLY TO MIR. CAPERS' AD-
DRESS.
The speech of the Rev. Ellison Capers be-
fore the students of the South Carolina Col
lege was intended for the South Carolina
public. The purpose was to glorify the
University and to vindicate the wisdom of
it's re-opening, by showing what an excel
lent institution it is. A Reporter for the
Nems and Courier was present by invitation,
and the speech as reported appeared next
morning, under conspicuous head lines, an
nouncing that the college is now ''surpass-
ing in efficiency its palmiest days" Sena-
tor Hampton was present also and stood
sponsor for the speech of Mr.. Capers: In
introducing him, Senator Hampton declared
that the College had "never been in better
condition than now" Mr.. Capers had been
induced to remain and address the students,