Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1889-06-19
An Eloquent Address by Hsn. Charles I.
O'Ferrall.

education in all its forms.
He spoke of the inspirations which the
occasion furnished. He said there was
enough in it to arouse every latent energy
of mind and soul, give flow to the orators
tongue, and inspiration to the poets pen
and painters brush. He regretted that he
had not the grace of speech and gift OF
fancy to depict the scene as it appeared to
his mental eye. He would like to present
Virginia sitting like good Queen in all her
regal splendor with these more than six
hundred young sons and daughters about
her, all doing homage at her feet, receiving
blessings and learning the lessons of wisdom
and virtue, duty, honor and patriotism at
her knee and from her lips.
LOVELY woMAN's WORK.
The orator paid a tribute to the women
of Virginia for their devotion and sacrifices
in the bloody days of the past and thanked
God he lived in the same generation with
such women, and that he was an humble
actor in the trials, troubles, and tribulations
which chisselled their praises high up on
the scroll of immortal memory and painted
their virtues in enduring colors in Virginia 8
skies.
May the Great Ruler of the Universe
that the devotion of the young maidens be-
fore him might never be put to such test;
may the white winged Angel of Peace con-
tinue to hover over our fair fields and hap
py homes; may the fork-tongued lightning
of internecine strife never again play along
the pathways where innocent children1now
sport and dance; may fraternal feeling and
brotherly love pervade this Union of the
fathers, and the cemmingled blood of
brothers shed more than quarter of q CEN
tury ago cry from the spots made crimson
by it for perpetual peace and harmony; may
the owl never again boot the sentinel song
from the lone chimney standing out in the
landscape to mark the spot where the
names of invasion once made lurid the
heavens, nor the plaintive notes of the dove
be heard again amid the ruins of war at
eventide. Bat he hoped Virginia's young
daughters would ever remember and emul-
ate the examples of their mothers in those
trying times in their devotion, and strive to
become the pride of their State in all those
virtues and accomplishments which 60 to
adorn and beautify womanhood.
YOUNG MEN THE HOPE OF THE NATION.
Col. O'Ferrall urged the youpg men be-
fore him as they value this heritage of ours
to guard it with sacred care; to store their
minds with robust, virtuous knowledge
knowledge that would make them clamps
upon their country's affairs and pillars in
her temple"
He then reminded the young men OF the
graduating class that they would soon be
called upon to select their avocations, and
he urged them to be men of nerve, action
and resolution. If they adopted professions
they should determine to gather the fruit
from the highest limb; if they sought poll
tical preferment to do it only through hon.
orable means; if they turned their hands to
some trade or trades do it with might and
main. History furnished many instances
where great achievements had resulted
from the meeting of the artisan and scholar
in the same person, and he referred especi-
ally to Calico, Hadley aud Fulton, and de-
clared that history attested the fact that
the hardest thinkers had been the hardest
workers with their hands. He paid trib-
ute to the enlightened mechanic and held
him up az a man worthy of the highest es.
TEEN.
FITTING FINALE.
Col. O'Ferrall was very happy in his
closing remarks. He spoke in the highest
terms of the High School of Richmond, and
declared it equalled In its management and
in the proficiency Of its pupils the best
schools in the land.
His peroration on Virginia and her Illus
trious sons was a fitting finale of an address
which was model of its kind and which
was received with liberal and continuous
applause.
WORTHY OF OUR WORSHIP.
How divine thing
a woman may be made"
A barbarous age made her slave, but
civilization and Christianity have raised
her up; the shackles upon her mental facul-
ties have been removed, and opportunities
given her to secure profitable employment
and sustain herself. All this, he said, with
out detracting from her womanly character
or destroying that holy sentiment in the
breast of every chivalrous people which
surrounds her with Gordon of protection
mighty as the stout hearts and strong arms
of brave men. He rejoiced that Virginia
was placing herself abreost of the most ad-
vanced States in affording her daughters
opportunities to secure useful knowledge.
INTELLIGENCE AND VIRTUE MUST RULE.
Addressing himself to the young gentle
men, Col. O'Ferrall said he trusted they
dppI6Cldbtu buO UlOooiitSo ouAAOuAu
them and the possibilities that spread out
before them. He reminded them that they
lived in republic and spoke of the advan-
tages which this land of freedom and equal
rights offered to all. He referred to the
greatness of this country in all that 60 to
make nation great, and said it was the re-
suit of the enlightenment of our people and
the strength of our institutions, but that no
nation ever stood still, and we must press
forward or slip backwards. He declared
that progress could only come through
mind-power of intelligence and virtue; that
the people must be educated.
The Colonel quoted Mr.. Madison as say
ing that "a people who mean to be their
own governors must arm themselves with
the power which knowledge gives" He
said he would be monarchist if he did not
believe in the education of the people; that
educational restrictions belonged not to a
that he would be monarchist if
he feared the people, but quoting Jefferson,
he declared: 1.-The sickly, weakly, timid
man fears the people; the hearty, robust,
brave man cherishes them"
BOARD OF SUPERvIsoRs.-The Board of
Supervisors of Allegheny county held a
Ill - Il