Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1889-06-27
Hon. Wm. L. wilson in North Carolina

Our distinguished townsman, Congress
man VIM. L. Wilson, was the orator at
Wake Forest College, North Carolina, on
the late Commencement occasion. His
speech has attracted much attention and has
been the subject of leading editorials in the
great metropolitan papers. The Raleigh
State Journal says.
President Taylor, with an appropriate
ness and an elegance we have never seen
surpassed, introduced the orator, Hon. VIM.
l.. Wilson, of West Virginia. He is a
member of Congress from his State and a
prominent lawyer. Before going into poll
ties he was the learned President of the Uni
versity of West Virginia. He is scholar,
statesman and an orator, and g charming
gentleman. Mr.. Wilson is Il slender, light
Completed, but prepOssessing man. But
for a certain Quickness in his eye and rather
heavy brow and a well shaped head you
might not have suspected the orator. He
had been talking but a minute or two, how
ever. when you discovered that lie was really
an orator. He spoke without note or refer
ence. and with the utmost ease and grace.
Mr.. Wilson said that the three great A
merican centennials-thatO of 1876, 1887 and
1889 had as the chief men hon0red three
Jefferson, Madison and Wash
ing g.on, and this must be peculiarly gratify-
ing to the men OF the South. These cele
brations served the purpose of reunitng and
welding the partially severed cords of patri-
otism in the South, and bringing about a
ta coati,po
Great praise is to be given the North. They
have been glad to do honor to these South
ern men and have not allowed any thought
of sectionalism to keep back their words of
admiration for their great services. The
South reiOices, but not with any vain glory,
that. of the five greatest men who haYe lived
in America-W Washington Madison, Hamil-
ton. Jefferson and Marshall-four Of them
have been Southern men. The speaker
counseled the Southern youths to say to the
Young men of the North what ThemstOcles
said to his rival Let us still be rivals, but
only as to which can most wOrthlly serve
our common country"
That part of the speech which interested
me most was his analysis Oi he distinguish
ing characteristics of the people of New
England and the South. He said that in
New England they loved township meetings
and delighted to dwell in villages. Those
of the South sought large plantations where
they enjoyed the largest measure of indivld-
nal liberty. To carry on large plantations
needed much labor and thus negroes gradu-
ally drifted to the South. He did not un-
dervaue the ability and patriotism of the
New Highlander. He is fine type of the
American citizen. Nor did he fail to speak
of the brave Southerners. There is no ri
valry between them.
Occasionally he made some good hits and
illusions which were applauded. DR., Tay-
lor said that it was one of the three great
speeches that had been delivered on this
rostrum. Justice Davis said " it was mag
nificent." Dr. Pritchard pronounced it an
eloquent oration. w. J. Peele, Esq, said
he was a true orator. Everybody enjoyed
it and all tongues spoke in praise of 1t. 1t
was model commencement address worthy
of profound scholar and practical states
man. Ny only regret Is that every man in
the State did not hear it.
The thing about it that pleased me was
its entire freedom from rant and pumped up
eIoquence. He had strong speech and it
was about things that he had thought much
about. and he made it with simplicity of
style and manner that made it truly elo-
quent. He does not believe that eloquence
consists in "hollering," but in the strong
presentation of good subject Above all
he believed what he said and made his
hearers feel his belief He is Democrat
in the broadest sense of that word and
throughout the speech ran a vein Of pure
Democracy that was refreshing. He has
evidently sat at the feet of Jefferson and
Madison and learned Of them,
Mr.. Wilson has set the good example to
commencement orators not to speak unless
they have something to say-an example
which we hope they will follow.