The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-08

more to me tnau any SCllolas IlC LIalu
ing received elsewhere.
| THE SOLDIER SPIRIT
The first step towards success any
way is to inbue the boy with the spiri
of the soldier, for life is one long bat
tie. and it is the soldier spirit that win
success; the timid and irresolute ar
crushed, run over. and the coward de
serts, while the trained soldier, fertil,
in expedients, tactful and resolute
pushes steadily to the front, until sue
cess crowns his efforts or death claim
him as her own.
''SEElNG THE ELEPHANT
have often thought of that prodiga
son who left his fathers house to se'
the world, 1--WE call it seeing the ele
phant"O and wondered what would
have been his fate had he been trained
four years by Col. Thomas or Col
Coward. He would have seen the ele
phant. no doubt about that, one as big
as Jumbo himself, and possibly ''spen
his portion in riotous living" but wher
the funds played out, a Citadel boy
would never in the world have fed Oh
the husks left by the swine. lie woult
have killed the fattest pig in the bunch
ate spare ribs and backbone, and the
inner man we'll fortified Gf nothing
better turned up), with the airs ant
eraces born in the 'City by the Sea,
he'd have fascinated the old man!
daughter, married, and put hisfather
in-law to tending the hogs. Then with
plenty of leisure entered politics, gone
to Congress, paid the mortgage Oft hi!
fathers farm, provided for the gooe
brother who stayed at home by ar
appointment to 4th class postoffice
know some OF the 'boys" who have
made almost as wonderful a record as
thai. A Citadel boy would aever have
gone sneaking home in rags and tat
tiers, whining and shedding crocodile
tears" He would have pulled himsel
together, redeemed his mistakes, ant
when he went back home, gone with
his head up like a man. If he had to be
come as a hired servant and fed or
husks, he would have gone as far away
from home as possible, changed hi
name and not disgraced his family BY
admitting that he was miserable 1all
ure.
THE CITADEL
II would be presumption for me II
the presence of men grown gray In th'
service of the Citadel to say much con
corning its history and work. Permi
me, however, to briefly allude 10 it
genesis, because in its original concep
lion it is closely related to few
thoughts that will express later.
Col. J. P. Thomas in his elegan
work, gives most interesting accoun
of the early history of the Citadel. Ii
1922 Denmark Vesey, free negro
organized most formidable insured
ton in the city of Charleston. He wa!
one of those bold, strong characters
who are born leaders Of men. Or
Sunday night, June 10th, the negroes
were TO rise, and suddenly seize tn
arsenal, guard house and other deposi
tories of arms, then reinforced by INT
country negroes, were to sweep tn
town by fire and sword. Through th'
detection of one of the conspirators
the plot failed, and Vesey with severa
others was tried, condemned and exc
cuted. The alarm caused by thI
threatened outbreak led to the enlarge
ment of the arsenal and other military
posts. Ten years later came the multi
hcation excitement of 1882, and 5000,
900 was appropriated for munitions O.
war and as consequence greatly IN
creased the importance of the arsenal
A garrison was kept up until In 1s42
Governor Richardson conceived th'
| idea of using these military posts al
schools, holding that as they had to b.
maintained, it would only be small
additional expense to impart lnst1uc
ton to the young men constituting tn
garrison. Thus we see that the origin
and purpose of the Citadel was fo
public defence, and that the scholastic
feature is a graft upon the old trunk
Therefore in purpose and practice th'
Citadel bears a close relation to the mi
litia system of the country, and de
sire to express a few thoughts on thi
line, for in it are some of the germ
which must give life or death to US a
a republic.
TWO RESOURCES OF NATIONAL SAFETY
In national life, in the first outbreal
of war or civil disturbance at home
there are but two resources for protec
ton and safety. They might like no
tells be classified as the European
and American" plans.
| EUROPEAN PLAN.
The first depends upon alarge stand
| ING army, drawn from the ranks o
civil life, to be maintained in idlenes
at the expense of the producers. Con
stituting in the hands Of an ambition
and bold executive, perpetual men
ace to popular rights.
AMERICAN PLAN.
The second depends upon patrioti
and we'll organized militia, ever pres
emit rarely seen, quartered among US
not in camps and forts, but at the hre
side, in the counting room and tn
workshop.
FOUNDATIONS OF NATIONAL GREATNESS
1t has been we'll said that with tn
decadence of the martial spirit the dc
Gag of the nation begins, hence ever,
nation adopts some means to foste
this spirit, varying in degrees from tn
dance of the savage to the science an
calture of West Point.
In critical analysis of the element
al foundations of political economy
there are two essential factors upo
whose proper understanding and ar
plication, the progress, perpetuity an
stability of our government depend:
First. Political wisdom, manifesto
} through broad Craftsmanship.
II Second. Courage disclosed throug
the martial spirit of the people.