Year: 1873

gave us stirring notes OF patrlOtlsin, eAhorIabon
TO sacrifice and calls to high and noble ell
deavor. The scholar was abreast with the
soldier in the great work of the war. And so
now the echoes of the Commencement time, as
they come in from all our seats of learning,
are very practical, full of sober sense OF the
gravity Of the situation, and thoroughly
Imbued with the consciousness of responsible
ity under unusual and perilOus besetments
This is the cheering sign in all the outlook
For the dangers through which we are passing
now-and with us we know not how much OF
the hope OF humanity for all coming time-are
not such as awaken or startlo the
ordinary observer: it is the worm ana
rot that lie low for us instead OF
storm and tempest that threaten. There is
no bowling gale to stir the blood, no trumpet
call for stOut-armed, plucky men, for Drawn ana
nerve and muscle. The crisis that impends
calls for cool, deliberate counsel, for honest,
utterly honest work, for educated brains The
best men of the country see pretty clearly
what the rule of the politician is bringing us
to, and are almOst-alas for the partisanship
that compels us to say, almost-ready to CO.
operate in any organized effort to Overturn
the whole regime That they apprehend the
danger is encouraging; it is to be hoped they
may combine to avert it,


Another excellent sign was in the fact that
the Southern Alumni of the various Northern


institutions were well represented at the ami
versary gatherings, and were most cordially
received. The narrow partisanshiD that whlnes
perpetually over old scars, and earns sneak
ing and precanous subsistence by keeping
alive passions that ought to have been buried
long ago, found neither place nor voice at
the festivals of learning. Here all was
peace and reconciliation and fraternal love.
These were the teachings of the polit-


cal economy as well as of the moral
science. They studied years ago together the
dictates as well of the sound philosophy as OF
the Christian charity which waits on culture.
Among the best and heartiest talks of the
time was that of Gen. Randall l.. Gibson of
Louisiana, at Yale. 1t was the earnest elo-
auent utterance of a scholar and gentleman,
addressed to his peers, and was responded to
heartily by his classmates and the Alumni gen
orally. 1t was very natural sympathy that
was expressed for the Southern people, who
are ring ruled and robbed; for educated men
college graduates-are invariably the victims,
never the perpetrators, Of robbery and mis-
rule. The union of educated men of
both sections and all parties Is 8 the
hope of the country. The interests of learn
ing, philosophy, culture, morality, religlnn,
everything, depend on putting behind u.s. so
soon and 80 far as we can, the animosities
that engendered and fed the war, and the
dreadful corruption that followed and still
follows in its train. 1t g the pOliticalHbuzzard
alone that is interested in continuing both,
and he is neither gentleman, scholar, nor states
man. The speeches of the Commencement
time and the recent movement at St Louis
for an Alumni Association of the West Point
Academy, in which all graduates, Federal
and Confederate, shall be members, lndl-
cate in the near future a more intimate
union of educated men against the special
form of ignorance which, not knowing its
place, seeks high position; not distinguishing
between meam and tuupt, steals when itreaches
it; and having no moral standards, debases,
degrades, and demoralizes the whole commu-
nifty. Ignorance. vulgarity, dishonesty, and
greed are at the top, and partisanship put
them there. The work of the trained and edu-
Gated brains of the country is to upset them.