The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-07-05
OLD WILLIAM And MARY.
Annual Meeting Of The Association Of The
Alumni.
ADDRESS BY MR. WILLIAM REYNOLDS.
Tho Banquet-A Brilliant Scene and Hand
some Menu-Flne Series of Aftcr-Din-
ner speeches-Pleasing Episode.

WILLIAMSBURG, Va, July Especial J.
When tho college commencement exercises
proper had been concluded yesterday the
Alumni Association was addressed by Mr.. Will
liam Reynolds, of Baltimore. He was intro
duced by Hon. b. b. Munford in very comph-
mentary terms, speaking of him as q leading
lawyer Of Baltimore and the president Of the
Bar Association of the United States The
orator took as his theme the Typical Re-
former" He began by saying that
the campaign of education" is an
expression which we might naturally
| expect to enlist the sympathies of college men.
| From the very time the phrase first came into
| vogue 1t appeared TO take the popular fancy,
| but during the last six months, since an OK
| President OF the United States chose il as tho
subject OF his speech about the results of last
years congressional elections the newspapers
throughout the country have had 50 much 70
say about 1t that It has grown familiar TO us ALL
Ile sad that 1t would DO very inaccurate
! to limit the meaning of this term campaign
| of education " TO discussions about the tariff.
! the silver question. sub-treAsury scheme. etc,
| for il has far wider scope as 1T is applicable
| 20 every organized. concerted effort through
appeals 10 the intelligence, the judgment and
conscience Of those around us, 10 influence us
| to some action or course OF cOnuuct
| which will enure 20 public beneft.
| In other words. it applies TO every
attempt TO carry out reforms whether
| social or political by the simple moral
| power of knowledge and truth. The phrase
| is.well calculated to strike responsive chord
| in the breast of every one Of us, for where Is
| the man who at some time in his life. and
especially during his college days has never
| felt within him the impulse to become TO
some extent and III some measure at least
| reformer?"
After continuing at some length in this
strain the speaker said that in seeking for
the greatest of reformers we have no embar-
rassment in making a choice for as We look
back through the long vista of past centuries
there rises before us the figure of one
reformer 50 colossal in its proportions
as TO dwarf all others-for who among
all merely human reformers can bear
comparison with the great Hebrew law
giver. who left the palace of the Pharoahs
to cast his Hot. with his own despsed klns-
men trembling under the lash of their Egyp-
tan taSkmastor, and who organized that race
OF bondsmen in the most wonderful nation in
all history" He then said that the system of
laws given TO the world by Noses forms more
than any other the basis of our modern
Jurisprudence. This system being founded
upon the moral principles of politi-
cal science, upon which even our
own republican America in this boasted nine
teenth century has been unable 10 make any
improvement, the speaker declared that
startling as the assertion may seem. 1T is no
rhetorical eKaggeration, but simple state
ment OF the literal truth The orator went
on in speech full of sound logic and brstng
with facts. TO show that the position he had
taken with regard - the greatest and grand
est Of the ancient Hebrew race was correct.
The address throughout was marked 10y evil
dences of profound thought, and was a fine
literary production, and will add increased
lustre to the already high reputation Of Mr..
Reynolds as an orator and thinker.
MEETING OF THE ALUMNI.
Immediately following this speech the
Alumni Association OF the college was called
TO order by Hon b. b. Munford, its presi-
dent. who announced that the first business
in order was the election of officers. il has
been the custom heretofore TO change
the officers at each annual meeting.
but on this occasion the bylaws
were so amended as TO make the officers
of the association eligible for only three con
secutive terms. After this the old officers were
reelected as follows; President. Hon. h. b. |
Munford. of Richmond. First yice-President, |
Captain Alexander ,. Payne, Of WarrentOn: |
Second Vice-President Mr.. r. 81. Hughes. of |
Norfolk; Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. IL. ID. |
Cole, Of Williamsburg Executive Committee, |
and Colonel ". II. Palmore, of Richmond.
The question arose as TO the best method |
Of increasing the membership of the associa- |
ton and in order 10 accomplish this, and to /
interest the younger alumni of the college. |
the bylaws were amended so az 10 allow all |
students who have attended lectures here to |
Join without the payment Of an initiation fee
This was for the special benefit Ofthe students |
since 1888. A committee was also appointed |
to formulate q plan for celebrating IN an ap- |
prOpriate manner the bi-centennial Of the col |
lege in 1898. and 10 report at the next meet
ing of this society. and then the sOuiety ad-
journed TO meet again In July, 1892.
THE ALUMNI BANQUET.
While this ended the business Of the asso-
citation the most pleasing feature of the oc-
casion remained TO be attended 10, and that
needless to say. was the alumni banquet
At T. NJ the members of the society who had
Just LETT the chapel. where the meeting was
held. and who were scattered about the beau
tful campus, were summoned 10 fall in"
No second command was necessary, and soon
a long column OF twos headed by General
William b. Taliaferro and Mr. Munford.
marched across the grounds and entered
the spacious dining hall of the Col
lege Hotel. When the line entered the
building Kesnich's band played an inspiring
march which was kept up until the guests
were seated at the table. loaded with every
delicacy that could tempt the appetite Of the
most fastidious eplcurean. The president sat
at the head Of the table with Mr. Reynolds,
the orator of the day. on his right and Mr.
Wyndham Meredith, who addressed the liter
airy societies, on his left. At the other end Of
the table sat Mr. Robert NJ. Hughes the first
with General Taliafcuo
on his right and Judge Waller
r. Staples on his left Soon the guests were
busy in their attention % the sayory yiands.
which host of walters were constantly plac-
ing before them.
THF ToAsTs.
After full justice had been done the lavish
spread the president announced that the
casts. which have already been published
would then be read and responded to. These
.oasts were gotten up with good deal of
taste and printed upon a very neat folio card,
one OF which was placed at the plate of each
person present.
The frat toast, "Our Alma Mater" was re-
iponded 10 by Hon. James j.. Gordon IN a
speech full OF pathos and Tenderness. His
sllusion 10 the past history of old William and |
Mary and her honored emaritus president.
Colonel B. s. Ewell, was beautiful III the ex-
rene, and his hopes and prophecy as to her
uture greatness met responsive feeling IN
he hearts Of his hearers.
The next teast was also "Our Alma Mater"
md was responded TO by Colonel William
II 1 IT,