The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1891-07-30
''THkE TENDENCY or MODERN
FINES.0

| Grafton of n. j. NEauldin, Delivered nj
| the commencement Excrciscs Of the
citadel Academy In IIibcrnian Hall,
Charleston, on July LIST, 1891.
The sentiment of every lhoumhtful Der-
son as lie casts about and weighs the trsii-
mony presented through the present condi-
tlon ol affairs, is that This is II time, trying,
IN the extreme, to those who hold the in
lcrcSts OF lhcir country and their people at
hcart, ana however much we may console
ourselves over the thought Of future proba
hliitirs, there is u lingering anxiety ever re-
mlhulnS us OF those misdoings which threat
en- civillZatiOn Itself and demand the intnr
! rcntiOn OF cool reason
There is but one alternative for those who
propose to stand by the right undauntcd bv
lhc threats Ot ambitious Schcmcrs hurled
against principle, that course is found
IN the devotion Of self to the
Interpretation of conscience and i'm the
studied application of infallibc laws found.
cd III the breast of every human being; but
i'll these days of activity when men are i'm
PEELED by Il force which we cannot cyDla;n
ana when lhclr environments are such us
10 demand the cNcrtiOn of their utmost en-
crSies III order to insure success, IL spirit
OF inviduality lays hold upon them, and
forgetting the true objcc. of life they, nm
knowingly, dcthronc every sense of 0bira-
llon imposed by the very fact Of their cyis-
tcnce, and spend their lives isolated from
sympathy and cut of from all that is truly
ENJOY able III the vain attempt to build M
honorable names through sclf-aggrandZr-
mcnt. Admitting. at once. that there are
many ucFlilllUnS from right among men i'm
whose hands the vital functions of the
country ROW rest, it is but natural tliat all
Sho"iu turn to the younger generation
whcrc the hopes OF Il toltcring world are
Sleeping; ana IN attempting to unalyzc this
feature we can do no better than consider
} America typical representative in the com
position OF this Important factor OF populu-
: ton.
For the rising generation, there is an
opening uncqualcd in the annals Of history.
before 1t stand those monuments of libclly
peace and progress, reared .hy the genius
; ana lahors OF It's predecessors; no wonder
; that spirited youth Scizcs with ,amcrncss
: every opportunity to magnify lis country's
; iamc; no wonder that he is able to thrill
his hearers with patriotic fire when in the
: exercise OF privileges conferred by his coun-
try's law. Great, indeed, are the advanta
gcs; they are recognized by the youth but
III thclr cagcrncSs to utilize them, too often
thcy forget the source of their inspiration
, even to the extent of thinking that they
arc better than their fathers. Lurcd on bv
l brilliant prospects and needless of laws
!liat truth has never contradictrd, they bow
before the star-cycd goddess of reform
S WhiCn extracts the cSSrnCc of their reason
t ing power and makes them slaves of GUS
: tom. So il follows that one who does not
| speak III glowing terms Of acts tranSpirin-
around us and cNaIt every vice. fast LAYING
It's deadly grasp upon the youth, gets the
: crcdl Oh beng II pCSSimi>i while he who
floats upon the great wave of the multitude.
, summoning his llnttcry to tickle their cars
} enjoys the fnisc honor Of such rs know not
their own interests
! When we think how rapidly this country
mas ncrn settled and search into its true
cause IL becomes evident that VIC should
, weigh, impartialiy, every question having
any nearing upon our future dCyclOpcmcnt
and give especial stress to the study of pres
chl resources: II is essential that the youth
or impressed with the true import Of their
, country name, and the nature of its gov
trnncnt while all should concur in the sim
gle attempt To preserve that fabric transmit
lru 10 lis from the Fathers Of revolutionary
lame ana strive for p"scrty';; >;.>r 10 leave
, II with prospects still brighter than we
. found.
truly, We have heritage of which we
may hc proud; living under republican
; form ol government, alld prOtCc;cC in our
rights by the provisions Of Il constitution
framed especially for us; there is no greater
| honor, no higher public duty than for men
10 uphold the dignity of that covenant, but
from the fact that our very conditions give
rise to contentious of almost every nature.
we cannot be two crcuESpcct in forming
an estimate OF certain Institutions which
nave risen since the adoption eff the CunSIi.
t"tinh nor can We rely too freely upon the
passing comments ut men WHO MAKE il Il
duty to phitnS"phiZc upon Their prospects
out where plain facts are before LIS and uni !
vrrSal experience trSl:vS more strongly |
lln
mihuS.wr nCrG not hesitate tOcOndcnn SOIac |
ol the so called philunhropic ideas Of the !,
uay and look with pity upon the decline OF |
/ those proud customs which contributed so |
! much towards c,cvating and cabling the !
Instincts Of our foTrta;hclS.
Owing to the fact that there arc prob
IcmS confronting the people of every order
ana on every section it is essential that there
be some binding principle among them;
progress is beyond consideration when n
certain degree of harmony does not prevail:
sui there arc conditions existing among us
WIiCh threaten our civilization: they threat
rn the majesty Of law, the peace and order
"i society, the purity Of the ballot and the
supremacy OF the christian virtues; rcmov-
ing our politics from the domain Of reason
ana principle. they bind the people through
tEc necessity 'f Scf prCScrvalioil
1t is terrible thing to contemplate the
m"a!lAg Of questions which involve the
welfare of II whole republic, puZZ,irp the
: nr"il!S ni statesmen and warping the Judge
mrnt OF the people, they lead to partial lee
'"n'I"n' subordinate the great principles Of
II Tree government to the will of a party
and even threaten its fundamental strucf-
uIr.
Innovations, under any circumstances
Whatever, lead To dcviatomS from the rcg,I
ilr course ot affairs, still. it is better that
new things bc introduced, for by it genius
Is oiSPiayrd, progress is stimulated and the
MorId lS hclicrcd. yet. the injudcous cyrr
clSe OF this privilege in(ringcs upon on
rlSht as il Tree people and brings us into Il
status OF accountability from which there
Is n" escape. Even now. at the close of n
century unparalleled in history, we find
p"rich'hng schemes among men who claim
The honor of being American citizens. striv-
lr@ To rilrct coupling of personal and
private Interests with legislation they en-
courage the comforting OF SpccaI rights and