Year: 1868

voices OF his Worshlppers, OF 10 Dehoiu pro-
cessons of captive kings following victo-
rious ,consuls up the way of Triumph. as
we to witness the restoration of the dis
tinctive features Of southern society and
government. More important than south
ern society, great principles had fallen.
But he believed that though our social sys-
tenn ia lost our rights and Liberties will De
restored, and be trusted that the day Of our
redemption draweth nigh. But, If reco-
vered, their future maintenance will re-
ouire the recognition OF other principles Of
conduct, or new applications Of old rules
hitherto imperfectly applied. And it
is equally certain that it is the
part of wisdom for us to endeavor to i'm
prove, purify, and strengthen the new po-
iitical edifce into which We have:ebeen
transferred, and not waste our time in use
less loneings for our former home, now
fallen to rise no more. He did not propose
to discuss party politics, which he deemed
unfit for the time and place. But he knew
that to attempt to discuss some topic entirely
unremote from the anxieties of the honr
would be as uninteresting to his audience
as was to the Parisians the disquisition of
the g. ".IMonite,sr on the probable site2of
ancient Troy the day after news came OF
the disastrous retreat of the grand army .
from Moscow. @....,-... - e.,fr...rs-


We have lived to see the failure Of one
experiment of free government, and 1t be-
comes us to apply to the future the lesson
taught by its entire story, and see to It
| that if the new experiment fails the fault
shall not be ours. We must heed the les
sons of the past, find out what ought and


what ought not to have been done, and as
far as we can, seek to avoid in the new ex-
pertinent the errors Of the old. He did not


refer simply to the condition Of the South,
for our suffering is but the, result Of the
failure of great principles, and the whole
country may at any moment be reduced to
the same condition. Az ~ s&E, s. ,.s'~


The speaker, with an ability worthy Of
the illustrious name he bears, next re-
viewed the theories Of Government, sketched
the history Of the formation Of the Consti-
tuition of the United States, and showed
that those principles of our fathers have so
far failed that "the little finger of the Go
yernment under which we now live is
thicker than the loins of the DID," He
said that the fathers had the true theory
that our form Of government could only be
successful by the increased intelligence OF
the people, and that they had devised
liberal schemes Of education. The people
of 1861 were certainly far more intelligent


than the people ofSl7S0. And yet, in spite
of all this, the speaker avowed that his
"belief in the capacity Of men to govern


themselves, in the truth Of the theory Of
the founders of our political system, and Of
a successful application Of that theory has
survived the rude shock to which it has


been subjected" He had confidence that
we should yet succeed {; and though it would
cost much, it was worth every sacrifice, for
if our theory Of social organization be false
or impracticable, then political liberty is an
impossibility and social happiness q dream.
He then proceeded to show that one Of the
great causes of our failure grew out of q
defective system Of education. With pro-
! found ability and thorough knowledge OF
| his subject, he pointed out that our system
| haG cultivated The head and rot the heart !;
that it had taught men TO look after their
own interests exclusively, and to respect
the rights Of others only 80 far as, not to
violate those rights that in the eye of our
system the Levite and priest who simply
passed by "the man who fell among
thieves did no lcro7g, they did nopositive
injury to the man. He showed by mas
terly argument that the tendency of this
system was to teach that while an individual
may not violate law and infringe the rights
of his neighbor, yet il those rights inter
fere with what may be esteemed by O ma
jority the public veal, the majority will
repeal the law, Or even 60 step further,
and strike down at one blow both law and
right. He CITED several examples to show
this, and naively said: {" The day will
come when some speaker can tell you, with
out violation of the rules of your Society,
and even without offending the sensitive
ear of loyalty, how selfish and unbridled
majority will crush not only the rights of
individuals in State, but the rights of
States in q society Of States" He showed


that our system had taught men to
be great on great occasions, but
had not inculcated the obligation of carry
ing the same principles to the ordinary
duties of everyday life. 9" If education
can teach man that it is sweet and hon
orable to die for his fellows, can it not,
ought it not to teach him that it is no less
his duty, no less his glory to sacrifice his
desires, his passions; his supposed interests
Tor their good If it be mans duty to
die for his country, is it less his duty to
live for it?' He refuted the idea that
these duties should be taught only at home
and from the pulpit. "While we are teach
| ing boys Latin and Greek, are they not all
the time forming habits Of thought and con-
duct which will influence their future
lives for good or for evil, long after they
shall have forgotten all they learn frem
books 7" He said that every hamlet had
beside it enduring monuments of self-sa-
crifoe-and let our youth learn, 81 let them
never forget that the humblest citizen may,
nay that he must illustrate in his daily life,
and apply in all his daily intercourse with
his fellows the same spirit which bore our
Jackson to his glorious death and to his
imperishable renown," After.some further
illustrations of his subject, and some words
of cheer, he concluded as follows: And
if this wisdom be too high for man, is it Gre
dulity to believe that the sovereign Of our
social state, the spotless Prince of Peace, and
Freedom, crowned and reverenced by our
Fathers, shall yet return to reign over US 7
Be assured, my brethren of the Alumni,


that he will return, and that the time Of his
coming is at hand, The rays from his God
like brow already begin to penetrate the
darkness and blackness in which his peo-
pie have SO long wandered. The usurper
trembles on his rayished thrones, and when
our banished Lord returns let the people of


the South and North, with hearts humbled
by the stern christening of their sin, and


elated with the consciousness Of fsundeseryed


deliyeYance, welcome his coming with Loud
acclaim, and Joining hands around His glo-