Year: 1875

VISIT OF THE Ex-vIcE PRESIDENT TO THE NOR
NAL AND AGRICULTURAL INSTITUTE AND
MILITARY ACADEMY AT FORTRESS MONROE
MR.. coIlFAx DELIVERS TWO SPEECHES.


FORTRESS MONROE, Va Oct 81, 1875.


Hon. Schuyler Colfax and wife, with party OF
friends, arrived here yesterday morning This morn
ing Captain wood0n, Governor OF the National Mill
tary Asylum Hampton, sent his for tho
party and conveyed them to tho Normal and Agricul-
tural Institute for tho Education Of Coored Youth.
General j. T. B. Marshall, business manager,
Quoted the party through the different recitation rooms
where they had an opportunity OF witnessing its prac-
tical workings and examining the OF studies
pursued by the students AT half past eleven O'Clock
they all repaired to the Assembly Room, where the
students favored them with number of plantation
melodies, which were rendered in pleasing manner.


Mr. Coliax, in some remarks stated that he had been
very much impressed in the few moments he had spent
In the institution not only in listening to the melody
of their voices but also in the thorough and pains
taking manner in which thcy instructed. The
reputation of the school has gone all The land.
We all understand the aims and object OF this school
Now you are here being instructed IN what IS called
normal school, that you yourselves may be teachers,
that its influence will be felt in ten thousand fam
lies And VIII say that the foundation OF all teach
ing is by example You must not only show them the
way, but walk in II yourself, or they will not heed
you. So in regard to all things, you must be exam
pies those who committed to your charge There
many classes Of teachers There the pom
pous ovcrbcaring teacher to whom the infant





bring sunshine and the children clap their
hands for JOY at their approach. You should try 10
bring joyful atmosphere into the schoolroom There
many valuable professions in the world The lawyer
Is very valuable indeed The surgeon is equally valua
bic in his sphere, but Of all earthly professions there
mono superior in its scope TO the teacher, and IL
appreciate the trust and perform duties faith
fully you will have praises which will be inscribed
hearts long after the funeral flowers will be upon your
graves Whatever scholar learns he should learn it
thoroughly II may not be Of use to you now or in
five, ten, or fifteen years. but there will time come
when IL will be all important that should know IT,
IL is not the amount of reading that you do which
beneficial, but II is what you remember. Nor is IL the
amount of money man makes that makes him
wealthy, but the amount he saves. Ho then reverted
to the opinion frequently expressed TO whether
the slaves would have been
happy and contcnted undAr the old order of things.
He was happy TO say that the colored race had moro
than realized the expectation of their friends III for
two hundred and nifty years the white had been
kept in state Of ignorance degradation and seryitudc
they would not have made a better showing. He then
closed with warm eulogy on the late President
Lincoln, which was received with hearty applause.


MILITARY ASYLUM.


The party then proceeded 10 the National Military
Asylum where they were met by Captain Woodfn, and
conducted to the hail. where four hundred
veteran soldiers had assembled Mr.. Colfax spoke to
the veterans for about twenty minutes upon the late
war, its fruits, &C. closing by congratulatng them
upon having such comfortable home provided for
them, and wishing them a cordial farewell. He was
warmly appauded by the veterans, who delighted
with his remarks, many of them coming forward and
shaking hands with him as he left the hall


The party leave this evening for Richmond where
they will spend few days going over the old battle
fields.