The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1896-07-09
M'LAURIn
TO The CADETS.
-ANNJAL GRAFTON AT THE COM.
MENCSMENT IN SUMTER.
The Advantages Of the South Carolina
Military Academy to the State and
its People and the Reasons Why
it Should DC Maintained by
the Public.

the Public.
The following are extracts from the
address Of Congressman John L. sc
Laurin, to the Citadel graduates at the
recent commencement at Sumter:
2h: C?s1iJnan and Gentlemen 81
Sae Soa'o; II Visitors: I am fully
sensible Of the high compliment you
have Taid me- in selecting one not q
graduate OF the Citadel to deliver your
annual address. [ can claim, however,
q lineal descent, for if I sn not son
OF the Citadel, I am son Of her daugh-
ter, the South Carolina Military In
st;*ate.
I Aa7c always felt that the four years
os steru military discipline, with its
,euforcel habits of self-control, and the
example and influence OF man whose
guiding star is duty he's been worth
more to ne than sry scholastic trs;e-
iHg received elsewhere.
Ehe first step towards success any
vAy IS to imbue the boy With the spirit
OF the soldier, for life is one long bat
sle, and it is the soldier Split which
wins success; the timid and irresolute
are crushed and run over, and the COW
49,: deserts. Mhiie the tEs;Sed soldier.
fertile n ezpedlents, tactI0l and Feso'
lutte, Fashes steadily to the trout, until
success crowns his efforts, Q. death
c;&iEos him as her OWE.
1t would be presumpt;7e for me, in
ehe presence Of mee grown gray IL the
service OF the Citadel, to say much
|roncerniIg it's history and work. Per
Knit me- however, to briefly allude to
us Selesis, because in its original con-
cert it is closely related to few
thoughts that will express later.
Col, J. ?. Thomas, in his excellent
work, gives most Interesting account
al the early history of the Citadel. In
1922 Denmark Vesy, free negro, or.
gsuizcd q most formidable insurrec-
z;cn II the city Of Charleston. He
WAS one cf those bold. strong charac-
eers sho are bora leaders Of men. On
Saat:ay night. June Is, the negroes
were Re rise and suddenly seize the
-Arseosl, Guaru House and other de-
cs:tories Of arms; then, reinforced By
sae country negroes, were to sweep the
town lv fire and sword. Through
The detection of one of the
<>oaspirators the plot failed, and
Fesy, with several Others, was tried
condemned and executed. The alarm
caused by this threatened outbreak led
to the enlargement of the Arsenal and
other military posts. Ten years later
rame the qualification excitement OF
1882, and two hundred thousand dol
lars vas appropriated for munitions OF
war and, as q consequence greatly in
creased the Importance of the Arsenal.
\ garrison was kept up until 1872,
when Governor Richardson conceived
toe idea Of using these military posts
US schools, holding that as they had to
DC maintained, it would only be
snail additional expense to impart in
strrctiol to the young men constltu-
ting tie garrison. Thus we see the
origin and purpose Of the Citadel was
- :; Il II
.astic teatS graft u ION the old
trunk. Therefore in purpose and
practice the Citadel bears close re-
:a.ion 10 the militia system Of the
country, and T desire to express few
thoughts on this line, for in it are
so;ac OF the germs which must give
.iiv OF death to us as Republic.
There are two State West Points in
the South that should forever com
.oaud public confde1ce-the Virginia
Military Institute and the South Caro-
Ina Military Academy. Standing out
hold and unique, the ''militsry set up
is as distinctive as that of West Point.
True nurseries of the citizen soldier,
she safeguard of a republic, Long
may they live. In every town III the
South their young men are found as
officers Of militia, imparting scientific
and technical knowledge as labor of
love
Young meD, you may well be proud
Of your alma mater. Hers Is glorious
record, and it is tor you to see that the
high standard OF excellence is main
taiued where Hagood, CApe.s, a
Crawford anda Thomas placed it. On
one occasion, after Rome had been
sacked By barbarians, there was a
meeting Of the Senate to determine the
question of removing the seat Of En-
pire to another place. The counsels
OF the weak and demoralized were
shout to prevail, when some bold old
Roman exclaimed: ';Rome foreTer!"
Il was electrical in its effect. Do not
permit the seat Of your empire to be
removed to another place. Her home
IS the CITY by the Sea-" famed by
the gentle ocean breeze and the soft
breath Of the magnolia. 4 few heroic
exclamations: The Citadel forevern
and she lives. Scared by battle. torn
lay earthquake and devastated BY fire,
she Las survived ltall. What shame
and ignomy to permit her, in this
noondav Of life. to wither and die s.
slow and sure death by starvation, her
beautiful limbs, Ike the heggac,
stretched by the roadside.
There is. it must be confessed,
.isep-seated and Just conviction among