Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1903-06-25


June 3, and so many of our readers
having expressed a desire to possess
It in print, we herewith publish the
address in full;
Bishop calloway's Address.
Fellow. .Mlssissippians, Ladies' and Cen
tlemen-I congratulate you upon the aus
marks an era in the history of our beloved
State-and bid you welcome TO It's bril-,
liant and jubilant ceremonies. With glad
hearts we hail the completion OF mag
nlhcent structure which will ever be the
pride OF our people, and with patrlotc
reverence we dedicate IL TO the cause OF
human liberty and constitutional @ govern, govern
ment. Fair to the eye OF beauty, every
line and curve the perfection OF grace anu
symmetry, Ii has all the charm OF an ar
chitectural poem, and Is awe-inspllr'nage ae.,as as
miracle In stone. As Reginald Heper
said of the Tai Mahal In India, 1t looks IKE
the conception Of Titans and the handi
work Of jewelers."
Aned TASTE. sturdy strength and progressive
spirit OF an all-conquering people, ana the
freely given treasures OF proud common mon
wealth Consummate wisdom has been dls-
played In its planning and construction.
IL did not rise like the walls OF Thebes at
the strains OF the Orphean Tyre, but as
wise men planned and patriotic hands helu
the plumb line, and critical eyes Watcneu
1t grow from deep foundation to ioIty
dome, Ia.
the new, our prayer is that the glory OF
this latter house may exceed the FORMER;
Mighty memories linger around that old
building, and honored names are assoclateu
with its sacred history WONDERFUL scenes
were enacted there--scenes tragic. heroic,
and sometimes comc-that chAngea tne
currents OF the century and nightly al
fected the nations destiny. Though lts
walls are stained and bare our loving I'M
Aginations have adorned every square 1907
of space with the portraits of heroes and
hntrintS WlpSp features grow stronger anu
dearer with passing years. Its heavy nt-
knasphere Is vet tremuious With the echoes
of eloquent voices and the strange presence
of conscious but unseen spirits, Those OLD
corridors have felt tho tread OF giants,
and in those halls mighty leaders strug-
CLING for political mastery nave won VIC
tory and met defeat. Dear old capitol
treasury of nearly II centurys halloWed
and historic memories-memories OF peace
and war-may the day long delay Its COM
ing when the violent hand Of an aggressive
commerciallsm will profane thy sacred pill
lars and command that not one stone shall
be left upon another,
wrought since the old capitol was FIRST oc-
cupied In 1899, Then the white popula-
tOn OF this young commonwealth was ohis
i7s ,661 now our aggregate citlzenshlp IS
t.5TO.00O Then there were only 454 stu
dents In college; now there are over 3,oOO.
Then there were only S,2i3 pupils In ne .e
common schools; now there are il=,oto'
OF whom POS SAC are cOlored
Mississippi was ordained by Providence
TO commanding position IN the slsternooo
of American commOnwealths. our state
Is fortunately located within those gentle
genial parallels of latitude In which great
reaults are wrought, out under IaVoraDie
conditions, and which have been the home
and scene of the worlds grandest elylll-
cations, With an average temperature dur
ing the year of GA degrees, with SKIES as
soft as those that bend over iialy, WIN
valleys as productive and beautiful as the
Nile, with many streams that drain ana re
fresh every foot of our soil, and laYed by
- .b., ri miuhfipSf
we have all the geographical and topo-
graphical conditions that enter into men
tai commercial and industrial empire,
The musical name OF Mississippi INKS
to MS the aboriginal history of America.
Some Of the most poetic and powerful In,
dian tribes claimed this as theiS beautlfnl
the forests in search of game, ana rowed
up and down the rivers, their dipping
and dripping oars keeping time with the
heart beats of their innocent hopes III
the stories of their brilliant feats had nave
been preserved and woven into literature
by the genius of some ]. Fennimore Cooper,
our American youth would have read win
thrilling interest tales equal to Ihe Deer
SLAYER" or The Last OF the Mohicans.
The pathetic story of the maid OF Iasca-
coula and the mysterious music OF our
Southern sea on the trembling Tyre OF n
Henry w. IsongfellOw would make melody
like the song of Hiswatha. To these. po-
etic sons of the. forest we are indebted Tor
the beautiful names given many OF our
streams and counties, and Tor the charHi-
ing traditions that have come down In the
folklore OF the generations;
nlfcent inheritance in the character OF
our fathers who laid the foundation or TINS
great commonwealth; Ihey Mere Sonto,S no' bnt aut
mostly men Of education and wealth, seek
Ing better lands and more inviting nelds
for the Investment OF thsir eaP,aa, @ erid ana
flowed in their rich veins, and by virtue OF
certain historic conditions IL has kept sin,
gularly free from foreign admixture
dare TO affirm that the white poruiatlon
Of Mississippi contains larger per cent
of pure American blood and orthodoxy In
religious faith. than any other section OF
do not flourish in these parallels and We
have been but slightly affected by the IN
flux Of foreign doctrines and customs
What n heritage OF heroic aud historic
names have we 10 fire our souls and stir
every noble ambition What manly cour-
age to he Initiated What sublime achieve
torIes shss 10 10 be be rppeated What radiant vir-
tues TO be reincarnated No State ever
had purer patriots or drawer leaders or
greater statesmen or manlier men or holier
women Let me call the names of few
on the canonized roll OF our heroes ana
sages. -.
chIeftain and highest citizen and grandest
hero, who led no army save nj Mississippi
command. and championed no principle or
policy without her direction or cordial
support In early years he was the pride
Of her chivairy at a later period her
greatest statesman and parliamentary lead
or and In old age her patriotic benedic-
ton His splendid genius was Mississippis
rarest Jewel. his teachings were her doc
trines: his ohlation Of himself her sacrifice
his sufrerings her hittercst pain his death
her sorest bereavement. and would that
his honorcd remains. sleeping on these CAPT
tol grounds. were her most sacred treas
ure He will ever be euthroned the un-
crowned chief Of an Invisible republic of
loving and loyal hearts.
There was Sargent s Prentlss. the al
literative music OF whose Inspiring elS.
sweep Of his infsllible logic. Chief Justice
Taney said III he were not the greatest
Of orators | would pronounce him the pro
the eagle eye, the marvelously musical
voice. the frail crippled body and the vast,
eager crowds hanging breathless upon his
rolten speech. Sre the .woof of many thrill.
lug stories OF the earlier times. and form
a picture hung up in every southern home
In The Southwest. The traditions of his
triumphs in the court at Nicksburg. Jack
son. New Orleans and elsewhere and the
legends of his unriyaled eloquence on great
national issues addressed to enraptured
thousands belong TO the forensic history of
the last two generations. Political friends
and foes alike accord him prominence.
Al the bar ne was the acknowledged mas
ter, whether stealing away the technical
hearts Of the stern judges or weaving q
seductive tale into the honest ears Of sworn
jurymen. When great orators are being
the same class with Sargent s Prehttss.
He shines alone-a star Of the first mag
nitude He Vet reigns without rlyal-no
one daring 10 usurp his throne or wear
his golden crown. The tall trees that
stand sentinel over the grave Of his sleep
lug genius two miles south of Natchez are
drapA in long moss Thus nature seems
TO provide her own mourning emblems TO
perpe tuate a nations grief for her greatest
orator. As the wind slghs gently through
the rIoss-hung branches, low, sweet dirgc
falls upon the car and sweeps in solemn
numbers through the chambers of the soul.
and thus through the passing days and
years our soft Southern winds give plain
tive voice to Americas sorrow that the
cruel grave claimed all too early her might
ias; master of eloquence and persuasive
s1eeah When cnly ~ he fell asleep, the
Horfa filled with his fame, ard a great
ratia gratefully bending at the feet OF
bis majestic genius.
There was Lucius Q. c. Lamar. whose
s,sltiess character and broad statesman.
sti, and sZAlntless leadership Mississippi