The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1886-10-08
ADDRESS OF W. c. MCGOWAN, ESQ.
Before the Alumni Of the University Of the
South, sewanee, Tonn., Delivered
August 5th, 1856.

- s,-aly-.- 4 ...
Mr.. C1arssas and Fel1ow> Members Of the
Alumni association, Ladies and Gen,
uentea:
Itwould be an affectation in me not tc
acknowledge the pride l feel at having
been asked to address you upon this occa
sion, but while / do feel proud Of the honor
you have done me, aud deem it privilege
- we'll ssa pleasure, / am at tho same time
constrained to ask your forbearauce. l
have had little or no experience in the line
of speech making outside of my profession
and feeling the natural difideucc and en-
barrassment that follows incxperience, can
only bespeak your kind indulgence.
1t does, my friends, give me much pleas
ure to be here. | have to look back
through tho vista of but eleven short years,
aud all the scenes rise fresh before me, and
"The magnet of tho soul, touched by remem-
brsnce,
Trsmbles 10 that pole
But time and distance in this considera
tion havo little place. The memories OF
schools and college days are as fresh and
green and delightful to the gray hairs Of
ripe old age, as to the ardent and impulsivo
fire Of enthusiastic youth. Timo cannot
tarnish nor distance dim, but all, young
and old, meet here upon an equal plano,
and hold common heritage of grateful
memories in these Alumni reunions
The sweetest word in human language is
Home, and all the highest and noble,t i'm
pulses Of generous heart cluster around
that blessed name. A perfect home 'wherc
the father rules in wisdom and the mother
reigns in love, is not only the hopo of ma
tions, but the very bedrock Of civilization
itself, and no climate, no space, aud no time
can effacc or uproot the memories
that home influence aud u mother $
love have planted in the human heart.
Is there a scene upon earth so tonder, so
gracious, so happy, so joyous, so beau
tiful as family reunion? When the
members Of a scattered house forget for the
time their struggles with tho world and
gather from far and near at tho old pater
nal homestead, live over tho days of youth
ard revisit the haunts of chldhood-per-
haps the only break in chain of sorrow
and trouble, and there, apart from the anx-
iety and the wear and tear of tho daily
battle for bread
" Mix sobriety with wine
And honest mirth, with thoughts divine"
lf there be unaIloycd happiness on this
earth, surely tbs there and then. Did you
ever think how close akin TO these senti
ments arc the feeling. va have for ou,
Alma Mater aad these Alumni reunions
Our Mater first, our .iima Natrr second
Home influence first and college influence
a closely following second, develops tn,
mind and moulds the character of pla.ti,
youth, and as tho twig is bent so grows tn,
treo. There is to mo strong and striking
parallel between family and Alumni re
unions. They are interviewer As parts o
a symmctric whole. Our natural mother
the fountain source Of all that's good ir
man, begins the work which, if properly
followed up by college influence, and as.oci-
atiOns, will send forth to battle with the world
member of society armed and equipped
in character as we'll as intellect, and, a:
Lord Brougham says, it will bo his owl
fault if he looks back upon this place with
repentance or with shame and be vel
assured that whatever time, aye ever,
hour, he spends hero in Improbable idle
ness, will rise up against him and be paic
for by years Of bitter but unavaiiing re
grets.'
wish tonight, however, to speak to you
briefly, and in a plain, practical manner, Of
somo few Of the prominent and important
questions that confront us at present and
demand solution in the near future. But
fourteen years will clapse and we eros, the
threshold of the
TWENTIETH CENTURY.
Most Of you, the Alumni of this institu
tion, will just then be in the prime and
vigor of mature manhood, and upon you
the nations strength, will fall the heat and
burden of tho day. 1t bchooves us all to
give these burning questions carncs,
thought, for l tell you, tho century will not
have doffed her swaddling clothes before
the safety, the salvation of our country,
will demand clear and unequvocal dc.
monstration.
LABOR AND CAPITAL,