The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-07-03
THE Y. NJ. |. EXERCISES.
tpsLIysRr or DIPLOMAS And DIS
INJECTIONS
No ,be Confederate Authorization. John
Is. Gordon's Eloquent Address
Tho Graduates.

As soon as tho sixth annual conVen-
zion OF United Confederate Veterans @o-
,ourncd sine die yesterday moinins' 'h-
CLOSING exercises Of the Virginia Military
Institute were held in the big auditorium
at tho fxposiuon-GroundN "ehe'"'
Scott Ship. the superintendent OF the
institution. presided over the simple o0'
highly interesting proceedings ""'o"
Voc witnessed by several thousand fe'e-
,ans ladies. alumni OF the school. ana
o,bers interested iu the welfare OF the
institution. General Ship read OUT the
names OF those who graduated I'M" year
sronn tho Institute and OF those VINO nae
obtained distinctions. The dipiou'os
were presented 10y General John i. cor
don. OF Georgia. the general commanding
the United Confederate veterans
GEN. GORDONs SPEECH.
when ho had performed this duty Cen
eral Gordon said.
Now. gentlemen OF the Virginia Military
Institute. 1 have conferred upon me the
great honor OF being permitted 10 act AS
tho organ OF this great institution iof
This occasion. applause l am dehsht-
ed 10 learn that its influence Is not con
nned SOLELY to Virginia. but that It Us
from ocean 90 ocean. The lessons that
YOU are learning are 90 be carried as
seeds and planted in the soil OF every
State In this Union. (Chccrs) am not
going TO dttaIn you TO make "a speech
Nou hive speeches made 20 you every
hour OF your lives by the memories when
come down 90 You from the past OF the
great institution OF which you are pupiis.
applause It's leading men are eAeiH-
.plars worthy OF your imitation. Ihose
who have passed from the active walks
and the academic shades or Lexington
are your cXcmpiars. ln the silence OF
his dying chamber lies one OF the heroes
OF that Institution. who. like a maryrcd
son. has borne iu all these years since
the great. struggle the wounds, from
which he has been dying dying. and
dying with faith ia his God ana Jesus
Christ. ] refer 90 my friend and your
offend. that splendid soldier. General
ColstOn. tChcors) III ] wanted 10 con
5ure up n your hearts everything That
was great in soldier. great in citizen. and
great in Christian life. 1 have only 20
mention the one name-tho name OF
Stonewan Jackson. loud applause)
Dear friends. those of us who repre-
sent the generation that is fast passing
away. whose locks are growing white and
who are beginning 20 stand on the di-
Viding line between the past and the
eternal future. are looking 60 you 20 take
our places. / know that your stand viii
be worthy. because you have inherited
during al these years Of your tuition the
qualities of that mantle Alexander TO
whom ] have already referred. and who
as tutor brought the boys Of the Virginia
Military Institute 10 Richmond IN 1871.
applause Your record was made IN
the past. Live up 10 ~. and n ever you
feel a spirit Of cowariice-and ] don't
mean cowardice I'm battle. but that sort
of cowardice that would quail when IL
would cause an EFFORT. when 10 would
cause blood. II 10 need be. to stand by
the truth-rcmCmbcr that you are bows
who were educated az the institution where
Stonewall Jackson was. cloud applause)
And now. my friends. 7 point TO him not
only as n soldier. but as a Christian
man. And almost unequallod, as he was
in the field he was far greater-iufnitely
preater-as man and Christian.
(Cheers) To him. as guide In life,
point you. young gentlemen. Remember
'Stonewall Jackson was never ashamed
20 say that he was a child Of God and a
follower OF the Lord and Saviour Jesus
'Christ. Everywhere, in private. I'm public,
or on the battlefield. Stonowall Jackson's
hand was laid in the hand of God. Now
my young friends remember that the
crandest soldier in this world Is the sol
,dier who SIS ready 10 face death with the
hight Of an uncouded conscience ON his
brow. as bowling his head % the great
Captain OF our salvation. Take him
young gentlemen. rs your guide. and
mankind will be blessed because you
have lived. cloud opplause)
The list Of graduates who received di-
OBJ l,tr
them IS contained in the following gem
cral ORDER
Headquarters
Virginia Military Institute,
July 2. 1896
General order. No. IS.
Trnon the recommendation Of the Aca-
donnie Board the following members
Of the first class have been declared by
the Board OF Visitors graduates Of the
Virginia Military Institute in the order
of their names:
Il. $. Spilman. Virginia. 23o 90; T. r.
Train. Illinois. 22542. r.. NJ. Morgan
Virginia. 900; J. X Sheppard, North
Carolina. 100: n. W. Daniel. Virginia
21g..2: a. -. Keen. Virginia. 2o1 66. r.. T..
Wills. Virginia, 206.f1. H. j.. Jo0rcss.
Virginia. e01.50. W Hutton. Maryland.
202.S1. j. l.. billiard. Virginia. 20l rs. IT,.
r. Hinton Virginia 20l.52. IT, G. Shirley.
West Virginia. 200. j. c. Roche. Viz
pinia. lgS 30: J. Janncy. Virginia. isS 81.
O. NJ. Brooke Virginia. 1916. W. w.
Holt Virginia, 1860. j. Cooke. Virginia.
1918: r. ". Poatross Virginia. 800 l5,
j. T. Harrison. Virginia 1868; J. Il.
Hicks. Virginia. 1856. G. T. Michel
NO. 1912. g. @. Dickinson W. Va.
1914: Il. W. Williams. Va, 1Si.1l; J. T..
Orme. Georgia. ISIS, w II. Peek Vir-
glnia. 1915. J. y. Hukford. Virginia.
1915. j.. W. Griffin Virginia. 1915. n.
r.. g. Hinton. Virginia.
Distinguished Graduates r.. s. Spilman.
Virginia; 4. b. Frain, Illinois. K. NJ.
Morgan. Virginia. j. Is. Sheppard. North
Carolina.
Graduates IN Engineering Course-R.
NJ Morgan Virginia. ~. p. Jcnress. Vir-
ginia. j. Janncy. Virginia j. Is Shcp-
yard. North Carolina. III. Is. Hinton. Ma.
gina. W ). Hutton. Maryland Il. b..
Mills. Virginia. ". W. Holt. Virginia. h.
G.. Shirley. West Virginia; T. c. Roche.
Virginia. J. Cooke. Virginia. j. 5 Dn-
lard. Virginia, W. IT. Peck Virginia. J.
X. Hicks. Virginia. X. ". Peaiross. Nir-
rlnia. &. r.. Michel. Missouri. g. Il
Harrison Virginia. h. W Williams. Vir-
ginia. II. ". Griffin. Virginia. " S. T..
{. Hinton. Virginia.
Distinguished Graduates in Engineering
Course-R VI. Morgan. Virginia: X. II.
Jenress Virginia; j Janney. Virginia.
J. X. Sheppard, North Carolina; II. X.