The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1915-06-22

the nmencement OF the University
of Virginia, Tuesday, June IA.
Gentlemen of the Literary Societies,
Ladies and Gentlemen.
The genius of the place. the spirit
of the mighty dead. recalls the past
in viyidness and power. Among his
many titles to fame ne chose to rec
ord on his tomb these three Author
of the Declaration of American Inde-
pepdence: OF the statute of Virginia
for Religious Freedom; and Father
of the University Of Virginia. III
Emerson was correct in saying An
institution is the heightened shadow
of ore man" the last recited title is
Of itself sufficient to transmit his fame
to this and all future ages.
But standing here, mere impressive
than the memories of the past is the
thought that we stand face to face
with the future. When the French
Revolution began n the young men !
from all parts Of France locked to
the standards OF the Republic. the
Generals would say Children, there
are some Generals among you. Time
will show who they are and you shall
have your places" l do not know
how many future Generals and Gov
ernOrs. and Judges and Bishops, how
many men of genius who shall achieve
world wide reputation. / have the
oho 10 duuI cSSs Dut L NIO" tHdt ID
future and it, boundless opportunities
are before you.
mo pent up Utica contains your oW-
But the whole boundless continent
is yours"
Some of you have doubtless seen the
original Of the great picture by Meis-
Sonier 1897" The painter depicts
Napoleon, at the very acme of his
fame on horseback on a little hill at
Friedland. surrounded by his brilliant
staff while there passes before him in
review the columns of infantry, artil-
lery. cavalry. of the magnificent army
which had just won the victory over
Russia at F~riedland. On his face there
is the sense of power of the great
Chieftain as he cOntemplates the
misht of that splendid organization.
But it does not compare in potential
ity with the control over the future
n in shaping the destiny of man.
kind, which is committed to the hands
of the young men who are gathered
here and elsewhere in these great in
stitutions Of learning on these bright
June days.
We know something Of what Vir-
ginia has accomplished, in making
history. We know somewhat of the
work of Washington, of Jefferson, OF
Marshall. of Madison. and Monroe
something of the destinies woven by
the genius of Lee and Jackson, O.
Johnston and hundreds of others, who
have made the name of Virginia for
ever famous. but who car tell us wha'
the young men who are now coming
upon the scene of action shall achiev,
in that greater future of the rae,
which is unfolding before us.
Allied With North Carolina.
No two States in this Union hav,
been more closely allied, in good for
tune and in evil fortune, thar Nortl
Carolina and Virginia. Closely con
nected in their origin, by intermar
r1ages. and business relations, the
have been almost as one. In 1856
when Virginia called for aid w
poured our troops like an Alpine tor
rent across your Southern border, an
they stayed with you until the end a
Appomattox. More than once O
twice during these four ~eventful year
the memory of which shall never b
forgotten. when the troops Of on
State were struggling in the lists wit
overwhelming odds their comrade
from the other came to their al,
They said unto him, Master here al
two swords, and he Said unto Their
1t is enough" Again and again @
many a field it might have been sal
of these two States.
In political contests when gre:
questions were to be settled Virgin
and North Carolina have usual
thought and acted together. In IL
strenuous debates which culminat,
in the armed struggle for liberty I'll
men of these two States acted as
10y common impulse and certainly wi
a common understanding. If yo
had the gauntlet thrown down
Patrick Henry in the State House
iliiamSbur we had our Declar
ton of independence at Mecklenbur
" you had the early organization
your State government in opposite
10 IA crown. on first of August, III
we had our revolutionary State go
with Cornelius Harnett
our State President. In May. IT.
you Instructed your delegates at Ph
adelphia to move for Independent
On IL April the previous month, MOI
CarOlina had already given the 81,