The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-07-03
UNIVERSITY FINALS.
BRILLIANT GRAFTON Or SENATOR
JAMES w. GORDON.

i His Scholarly and Classic Comparison of
the Old and New in the south-The
Final Ball In Library Hall Graduation
! Dry.
CHARLo1IEsvILLE, VA, July 2.-lSpe-
cial. Graduation day at the University of
| Virginia usually draws well. Especially
well was the case to-day. The Public
Hall, which is a large one, was full from
the door TO the picture OF the School Of
Athens in the rear Of the rostrum. The de-
livery of diplomas, the comforting Of many
degrees, Senator Gordon's speech and music
were the programme.
Mn. GoRpoN's SPEECH.
Mr.. UofJlons speech was great hit It's
subject, its happy treatment, its fine deliy-
cry, held the vast audience for an hour.
Few men have had the good fortune tO de-
! light so highly their auditors, for most
speakers here are glad enough to hold their
audiences at all, because they are largely
made up OF youthful couples who find so
much TO talk about as 10 produce general
! buzz. But to-day Mr. Gordon did the talk
ing so well that everybody dropped his OWN
theme 10 hear his. His speech was as fol-
| lows:
More than hundred years, said Mr.. Cor
don. our country has filled the astonished
vision of mankind. the most marvellous eN-
pertinent yet attempted i'm human govern
! ment. Though here, as i'm every civilized COM
munty, are met all the evil tendencies of
humanity which war against the good, yet
| here, as nowhere else beneath the circuit OF
| the sun, are met the supremest examples OF
personal and political liberty, and that sweet
and tender security of household peace
which is equalled by nothing on this earth,
and can be excelled only by that which pass
eth understanding.
FASHIONED IN WISDOM
Thus through the storms and sunshine of
century she experiment of our government
has prevailed. IL was fashioned in the wis
! dom OF the fathers, IL has been sealed, ana
we trust strengthened in the blood OF the
sons. and ii has rested through the years up
on the integrity OF lis people ana their filth
in its mission TO keep men free. Yet the most
adrOit phraze- -mOnger, VINO ever glOrlned It's
flag, would hardly atIempttp maintain that
It's constitution remains to-day the thing lis
trainers male ", the most exquisite struc-
ture ever conceived I'm human thought or
reared by human HANDS. AS fashioned by
those immortal architects, 10 was the fairest
temple ever cousecrated TO freedom, but by
the hand of the sOphist the veil OF the temple
has been rent in twain and by the feet of the
partisan aud despOllcr lis Holy OF HOLES has
been deseclated.
IllE CONSTITUTION.
The trainers OF the Constitution not only
recognized as distinctly as possible that every
attribute Of sovereignty not surrendered 10
the Federal pact was reserved TO the states
creating II, but they emphasized that recOg-
milton by allowing the Federal organization
TO he controlled by the electoral restrictions
OF those Stntes, all of which were pereInp-
tory denial of universal suflrage. But the
most precious of the rights reserved were de-
MED until with the argument OF bayOnet ana
Tbafl flfAcnsgiou closed forever
and every barrier that marvellous pres
cience had caused to be built around the sur
frage has been over brown until The Goths
and Nandals are upon us-uDtli tbe SclaN ana
the Hun, with anarchy in their hearts and
dynamite In their pOckets-the Malay and
the hOttentOt out ofthe blackness OF heathen
darkness, have only 10 abide a little whlle
among us To- become the political peers Of the
sOns OF pilgrim and Of cavalier lowered with
the inestimabc privilege OF the ballot
BEYOND LIMITATION.
notwithstanding the wrenchnQ Of the
Government from constitutional limitations,
out of the necessity OF circumstance and Sit
uaiiOn IL has prOspered; for around the young
Republic as IL rose upon It's radiant way was
woven every advantage Of earthi AR ana sea.
The primeVal youth and beauty OF the world
was brought in contact with all the forces oil
an advanced cNilizatiou--a virgin empire,
stretching from northern lee TO tropic bloom,
lay under the control of people sprung from
the mightiest race tnat has dwelt upon thls
planet since the morning stars llfst sang To-
gether. What wonder, then, thaL we nave
WaXed mighty a sd preVailed?- Nog thought
ful students Of events are questioning II the
day be not near when our trlumphal march
shall cease, and serious account be rendered
OF The manner wherewith we have used our
gifts However much the fundamental coue
OF a country may be outraged, IL is yet strlck-
EN- by no mortal sickness II the morality of It's
people share not in the political decline. Bad
rulers and unwise legislation may for a sea-
5 IN cripple such peoples strength, but III
the very speed OF the consuming malady, as
shown by tne English people IN every great
crisis of their history they Will wrest from
their heart Of righteousness such medicine
as will cure the States most grieYOus wound.
DANGER AHEAD.
And so IL is not so much from the perver-
sion OF the Constitution, as from the increis-
ing demOmizatlon of the people, thht the
American Republic Is endangered Not 10
the fos ering of all the higher elements of
nations life are the energies Of our people
bent If freedom live or freedo II die, put
money i'm thy purse Is the potent watch
void of our time; and the desire 10 accumu-
late vast fortunes suddenly is the strongest
passion that animates American society,
while fierce competition and ftercer bribery
are the forces that arr rapidly moving our
public and private relations. The patient
Toll OF the olden time has become unen-
durable-its results far too remote. Ihe De
lirium Of speculation has not been equalled
since John Law flashed IN the daZZled eyes OF
Europe T. e fantastic and elusive giOries ofthe
south ea bubble. DefalcatlOns by men oc-
cupying positions of trust are SO common as
hardly TO excite ripple Of surprise ana only
accentuate the feVerlsh existence OF the SEN
tnment, whether the Republic stand or fall
put money in thy purse"
THE NATIONAL DISEASE.
Resultant from this national disease comes
the chiet danger which threatens, and which
like "A corroding canker is eating into the
very principle that subtrends the theory OF
our ma iOnal existence. In my judgment
every other peril which confiOnts our govern
ment paIes into insignifcance when cDmpar.
ed with the widespread aud acknowledged
use OF money TO influence the eiectlons-the
ever increasing debauchment OF American
suffrage. Not only Is the Use of money on the
politics of this country imOre apparent every
year, but equally apparent ana startling u
the cOuntry's acquiescence In the crime, ana
men whose pulses out few years ago leaDed
with passionate indignation against The mere
suggestion now witness with tolerance, II nJt
approval The freemen OF America branded
| like cattle, and their hOliest Dirthrlght SOLD
in the open market iof their shame. Political
| immoralities are sought TO be Jusiined by
the false philosophy that the devil mus be
| fought with ire.
"AN IRRIDEscEST DREAM"
The Infamous sophism that the end Justi-
| fies the means takes stronger hold upon the
Dublic minn every year, and while one lead
| ing Senator of the United States declares
| from his seat that anything is justlfiable In
/ morals or In law 10 compass the defeat of an
adve rsary another no less distinguished an
nounces that political purity IN America is
an 'irridescent dream"
! The result of such theories carefully IN
stiIled into the people has thus lar been that
the laws against bribery, passed In the days
of tenderer public conscience: have become
the merest blOts upon the statute book; that
no political party here, however pure lts
principles, can hope for success NJ the pOlls
without a liberal outlay of what is known IN
the slang OF the lobby and caucus as the
sinews OF war; that systematic organization
| fOi bribery has become strong. factor IN the
machinery of the parties; that the raising OF
great fortunes for purposes OF corruption
| at the polls has been rewarded by promotion
| TO the highest Offices la the government;
| that we have been compelled Ia coin a new
| word for "A strange growth IN the country OF
the Free and the term "bOedler' now Typ nes
a class of men who make business OF at
| tanning political power only To sell ": that
| born leaders OF men are repressed 10 private
| life because unable and unwilling 10 endure
| lhe financial strain Of the elections; that as
| the integrity Of the mass weakeDs. the power
OF the monopoly strengthens, aud tie cruel
lies OF associated capital gall more bitterly
every day, while the rights OF the citizen,
when set against them, are whitening away,
and that The very Iife-blood OF the republican
system is eDbing away In this golden tide.
WRECKS OF POWER.
All along the highway OF the centuries are
strewn the wrecks of powers and principal-
ties that perIshed when liberty came
10 be measured by golden coin. snail