The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-07-10
M'LAURIN
TO THE CADETS.
ANNUAL GRAFTON AT THE COM
MENCEMENT IN SUMTER.
The Advantages OF the South Carolina
Military Academy to the State and
Its People and the Reasons Why
1t Should be Maintained BY
the Public.

recent commencement ut Sumter:
w. (Hu;!NIIn a,d GD,H"HtCU Of
tn, Bru,d 81 IISitrrS: | am fully
sensible OF the high compliment you
have paid me in sclectin, one not n
| graduate of the Citadel to deliver your
annual address. / can clui;a, however,
II iineal descent, for ii am not n sou
! OF the Citadel, ana son OF her dnugh-
| ter, the South Carolina Military In
stitute.
l have always felt that the four years
of stern military discipline, with It's
enforced habits of self-control, and the
example and influence of man whose
! guiding star is duty, has been worth
! more to me than any scholastic train
! ing received elsewhere.
| The first step towards success any
way is to Undue the boy with the spirit
| of the soldier, for life Is one long bat
tie, and it is the soldier spirit which
wins success; the timid AMI irresolute
are crushed and run over. and the cow
ard deserts, while the trained soldier,
fertile in eXpcdlcnts, tactful and reso-
lutte, pushes steadily to the trout, until
success crowns his efforts, or death
| claims him us her own.
1t would be presumptive for me, in
the presence of men grown gray in the
service of the Citadel, to say much
concerning its history and work. Per
NIT me, however, to briefly allude to
its genesis, because in its original con-
ception it is closely related to few
thoughts that l will express later.
Col. j. L. Thomas, in his excellent
work, gives IL most interesting account
of the early history of the Citadel In
1922 Denmark Nesy, free negro, or
ganiZed most formidable insurrec-
ton IN the city of Charleston. He
was one of those bold, strong charac-
tcrs who are born leaders OF men. On
Sunday night. June IL, the negroes
were to rise and suddenly seize the
Arsenal, Guard House and other de-
positories of arms; then. reinforced by
the country negroes, were to sweep the
town hy fire and sword. Through
the detection of one OF the
conspirntors the plot failed, and
Nesy, with several others, was tried
condemned and executed. The alarm
caused by this threatened outbreak led
to the enlarG cement of the Arsenal and
oiHcI postS. Leu tutS lhlcE
came tho nullltication excitement OF
1892, and two hundred thousand dol
lurs was appropriated for munitions of
war and, rs consequence greatly in
creased the importance of the Arsenal.
\ garrison was kept ap until 1912,
when Governor Richardson conceived
the idea of using these military posts
as schools, holding that as they had to
be maintained, it would only be
small additional expense to impart in
struction to the young men constitu-
| ting the garrison. Thus we see the
l. origin and purpose Of the Citadel was
for public defence, and that the scho-
lastic feature IL u graft upon the old
trunk. Therefore In purpose and
practice the Citadel bears close re-
lation to the militia system Of the
country, and / desire to express few
thoughts on this line, for in it are
| some of the germs which must give
life or death to us asa Republic.
There are two State West Points in
! the South that should forever com
| mand public conference.-the Virginia
Military Institute and the South Caro-
lima Military Academy. Standing out
bold and unique, the military set mp"
is rs distinctive nI that of West Point.
True nurseries ot the citizen soldier,
the safeguard Of n republic. Long
may they live. In every town in the
South their young men are found as
officers of militia, impart!ng scientific
and technical knowledge rs a labor OF
love.
Young men, you may we'll be proud
of your alma mater. Hers Is glorions
record, and It is for you to see that the
high standard OF excellence is main.
taiucl where a Hagool. ~ Capers, II
Crawford aaun Thomas placed it, On
one occasion. after Rome had been
sacked by harha:iaLs. there was II
meeting Of the Senate To determine the
question OF removing the seat OF En-
pirc to another lace. The cOunsc!s
of the wcak and dcmornliZci were
about 70 prevail. when some bold old
nDmnn exclaimed: "Eumc forever
1t WAS electrical IL It's eject. Do not
permit the seat OF yOUr empire to be
removed 10 another place. Her home
is the CITY by the Sea, famed by
! the gentle ocean breeze and the soft
! breath Of the magnolia. y few heroic
! cXclnma:ion,: The Citadel forever
and She lives. Scared by battle. torn
/ 10y carthguUkc and devastated IT,. fire.
/ she las survived il nj. WHAT shame
and i%uuMy u lcru..t her, IL TIN,
noonluy 9: lie, To wlthcr ami ii" y
low nn,i ,";:r death hy ,ta.NH,:o:. Mrr
h>mi.;u. ,.:.,~. Ike the hcgylr,
stretched hy TIE roadside.