The Savannah morning news., 1902-06-12
WEST POINTS DAY.
Continued from First Page,
The orator of the day was Gen. Hor-
ace Porter, ambassador to France.
AmbassadOr Porter's Address.


years of history pass in review before
us and we would fain light the torch
of memory and count the brilliant
beads of recollection. When our an
cestors threw down the gauntlet to the
mother country and resolved to con-
quer the right to form government of
their own, able leaders were found who
had gained a valuable experience in
battles with savage tribes and especial
ly in the French and Indian wars, but
there was a total lack of officers who
had received military education and
drill masters for our troops were eager
~ sought among the trained soldiers of
Europe. This want led our statesmen
at an early day to consider the question
OF establishing a training school for
officers Of future armies. Washington
favored West Point which had been so
closely identified with his military
career, as the most appropriate site for
such an institution. During his sec
ond administration, in 1874, a military
school was located here but in 1896 the
building was destroyed by fire and for
several years the instruction was sus-
pended. In Washington's farewell ad-
dress, that immortal document, we'll
described as unequalled by any compo-
sltion of uninspired wisdom, he formu-
lated memorable maxim in the
war is one of the most effectual means
OF preserving peace" Two days be-
fore his death in 1899, he wrote to
Hamilton letter, probably the last
one his illustrous hand ever penned,
saying: THE establishment of a mil
itary academy upon a respectable and
extensive basis has ever been consid-
cred by me as an object of primary
importance in this country, and while
l was in the Chair of Government
omitted no proper opportunity of rec
ommending 1t to the attention of the
Legislature" Thus this infant of the
Stars received at it's baptism Wash
ington's dying benediction.
THE present permanent academy
was founded in 1902. The class that
year contained two cadets. During
the ten years following the average
number was twenty. We might say of
the cadets of those days what Curran
said of the books in his library:
not numerous but select
The instruction was then
as meagre as the rations and this new
born child was so poorly cared for
that it was scarcely provided with de-
cent swaddling clothes. In fact the
necessity of the school came to be Sc
riously questioned. But then occurred
the War of 1872; the institution received
some consideration, was more efficient
ly organized and the maximum num-
Der of cadets was fixed at ESQ The
golden age of the academy, however,
began with the advent as superintend-
ent, of a soldier who seemed especial
ly created for the position as that man
Of honored memory. crowned awith the
title of Father of the Academy" Col.
Sylvanus Thayer.
Its Value Demonstrated.
"After the close of the war of 1912,
when the drums had beaten the glad
notes of victory and the bugles had
| sounded a truce, there was a period
of some thirty years in which the
colors were furled and swords were
sheathed. Again a lack of apprecia-
| ton of the work of the academy pre-
| vailed, and there was much grumbling
| at the expense it entailed. But then
came the war with Mexico. An adj
venturous campaign was to be I'M
| dertaken in an unknown land, where
| skill and science were to play an i'm
| portant part, and her graduates were
| gladly sought TO complete the organi-
zation of the expeditionary army. The
encomiums passed upon them by their
commanders for the practical manner
| in which they applied scientific knowl-
edge, and their devotion and personal
gallantry in the triumphal march from
the Gulf of the Halls of the Monte
zumas silenced all DIRECTORS and con-
WINGED the most reluctant that the
| living had justified their schooling by
blood for gold, the dead had amply
repaid the cost of their education
| with their lives.
"At different periods campaigns
against hostile Indian tribes, the most
distasteful of all warfare, tested the
powers of our little army In 1861 the
| Temple of Janus again threw wide its
portals and the nation entered upon
the most appalling struggle that the
| new world has ever known. For four
long years the arts of peace gave way
TO the science of destruction; blood
flowed as freely as festal wine and the
high carnival of slaughter reigned un-
til the record of the carnage stag
gered humanity. West Points gradu-
ates in that war from leaders of
armies to commanders of companies.
by their brilliant feats of arms and
conspicuous display of American man
hood. challenged the admiration of the
world.
I'm subsequent years an attack was
made again upon the academy. A rep
resentative in Congress proposed to
abandon 1t and sell the property. The
answer made to him was in substance:
There never was but one American
who tried to sell West Point. and God
in His Providence, did not permit him
to succeed. His name was Benedict
Arnold
The War with spain.
TN the war with Spain, West Point
again proved her usefulness. Her Of
fcers bore an honorable part in liber-
ating an oppressed people, lighting
their watch-fires even in the lands of
the antipodes, dipping the fringes of
their banners in the waters of Oriental
seas, settiog cur country a century
ahead in history and raising it to the
proud distinction of a world power.
I'm this contest the blue and the
gray of the previous struggle were
blended into one harmonious. patriotic
color and men whose opinions had
cnce made them foes, again marched
shoulder to shoulder beneath the folds
of the red white and blue, that BAN
ner which represents a trinity of coll
ors-a unity of loyalty.
THE most recent prominent event in
the annals of the Academy has been
the donation of the majestic building,
with its chaste lines and graceful pro-
portions, the hospitality of which we
to-day enjoy. The donor, by this act Of
rrinceiy generosity gained title deeds
to gratitude of which he can never be
is possessed. 1t has been said that graf
itude is debt in which IL is left to the
debtor to pay in whatever coin he
pleases. Alasi We have no coin save
the fervent tribute of thankful hearts
with which to pay the priceless debt of
gratitude we owe to Gen. George w