The gold leaf., 1898-05-05
A PATRIOTIC SPEECH.
DR.. kILOO, PRESIDENT OF TRINITY
COLLEGE, TALKS ABOUT WAR
he Delivers an Impressive and lnspir.
Ing Address to the Students-Tells
Them to Support Their Country and
Acquit Themselves Like Patriots
Spain, Reddened With Innocent
Blood, Must 60 Down-Ood's Call to
Right the Wrong.
Durham Correspondence News and Oh
server, April 9ith.)

durham Correspondence News and Oh
server, April eith.)
In the chapel at Trinity Colleg,
yesterday morning DIR. Jno c. Kilg,
made most impressive talk to the
young gentlemen of that institution
1t is so freighted with good sense and
patriotic sentiment as to make i,
good reading for all North Carolin-
lans, and certainly no ether medium
would place it in the hands of SC
many of the true sons of the North
State as the NewS and Observer. |,
was an impromtu talk, came from the
heart Of Trinity's big hearted and
patriotic president and went direct
to the hearts of one hundred and
fifty of as brave and true young men
as ever pressed North Carolina soil.
| am indebted to Mr.. ID. w. Newsom
for this excellent report. DIR. kilgo
said:
congress passed yesterday dec
laration of war. 1t will be something
for you to remember, that during
your college days the United States
went to war with Spain. 1t will be
something for you to remember the
causes which led to this war 1t has
been one of the strangest orderings
of history that the critical questions
of human history have been settled
largely on the battle field. 1t is the
peculiaritv of human nature to think
itself right even when it is wrong.
and to hold most tenaciouslv to its
opinions and these have been broken
or maintained at the expense of life
And SO question arises between
America and Spain. Congress can
not settleit. diplomatic relations can
not settle it, and now it must be set
tied with the sword This is certain
ly no time for frivolous thought, no
time for unpatriotic feelings. Thous-
ands of lives may 60 down. it may be
settled without the loss of many
lives. No man can prophesv the
issue. 1t Is certainly very trying to
see a number of young men with
fresh faces, full of hope, buckling on
a sword, shouldering a gun, and
" Sai p" TN ltdtS Oh UHeIT
cheeks, anxious hearts standing by to
see these men move off to the field of
81 confess that | had peculiar feel
ings the other day when | met two
trains of American soldiers moving
on to the field of battle Never be
fore did | experience such strange
feelings.
What is the duty of the college
student in an hour like this? What
can you, as student, do? Be faith
full to your country, young men.
We hear a great deal about patriot
ism and the love of ones country.
There are times when your country
does not need your patriotism. At
such times we are most likely to be
boastful. In an hour like this what
should YOU do? You can give to your
country your moral support, your
prayers, your taxes. You can serve
it at home and let it know, and let
those know who defend her honor
and maintain her national integrity,
that down to the last American man
there is feeling of high regard for
The purposes and plans of this govern
ment.
Il do not know that any of YOU
wish to volunteer. More than thirty
years ago there came crisis like
this in this institution. Young men
like you then rose up, walked out
Of Trinity College, shouldered their
guns, and never came home again.
Trinity College has its brave young
students scattered over the battle
fields of this Southland would not
advise you to join the army, would
not put a straw in your way if you
Felt called to it. That is the question
that must be left with you, as with
all men. But venture the assertion
that there is no true born American
anywhere between the Pacific and the
Atlantic, between the great lakes and
The Gulf. who would stand by and
see his country DETAINED or in ustice
done her, and never lift his hand for
her defense. They may not need you
and me to fight, they need us in
other places. Fill your place, young
man. and if they need you and me ere
ong, be men and respond. There
seems to have come the time in the
worlds history and progress when a
nation like Spain. from every finger
which drops blood. and that OF inno-
cent men and women, with a history
'f murder and outrage and robbery,
hat God should write Ichabod on
Gibraltar, and Spain must 20 down.
And wish to emphasize to you when
EVER you lead your country along the
ines Of crime and wickedness which
spain has Travelled, you may expect
o run some day upon the same hand
and America will 90 down.
.'God never gives nation a per-
'etual lease on life. only as it stands
~ God and the right. The perpe-
uity Of nation depends upon the
righteousness Of the people, and you
must maintain your government in
righteousness. do not believe there |
las been battlefield upon which
1od did not go. and in which the
of God did not settle some |
questions Of moral and religious
ruth. And there are some in this |
t may be the beginning Of immense |
ssues. Before it is over every civil |
lied nation on the globe may be
plunged into war. 1t may be settled |
n two weeks. But this / venture, |
whenever an American fleet thinks |
he time has come to open its guns on
Zorro Castle that it will be done bv !
he true courage Of American men.
nd that victory will come to them.
II else death will meet them.
God calls America to-day to right |
enturies OF wrong. and to avenge |
he blood OF innocent men and |
women. Let America obey her God.