THE BATTALION
37
or men, who like Clay, Lincoln and Carlisle, have by hard
work long continued, reached eminence and distinction as a
reward of genuine merit.
But is it true that the history of this country has been
made by men with little or no training in their youth?—I
think not. Bear with me, while I select only a few notable
examples, out ot the many, to prove the reverse.
Who was the founder of the greatest political party this
■country has ever known?—A party, however badly degener
ated as claimed by some, must still have been based upon
great principles of governmental liberty, to have endured for
a century. The same fertile brain that gave us the declara
tion of independence, perhaps the most remarkable pronun-
ciamento in history. The University of Virginia was also the
ehild“of his genius., William & Mary College enrolls his
name with others of her famous alumni.
Columbia College, N. Y., gave us our fhvt Secretary of
the Treasu;y, and so well was the work organized and con
ducted, that his method and system are said to have been in
practice as 1 ite as 1860. Next to Hamilton in this capacity,
should perhaps be mentioned Salmon P. Chase—r graduate
of Dartmouth, who supplied the treasury at Washington dur
ing the trying hours of civil war.
It is customary now to make frequent reference to the
moral bravery and great integrity of Andrew Jackson as a
friend of the people against the bank of Philadelphia, and
the monied power of the country; but his nerve and strength
must have failed him in the trying hour of his greatest need,
except for the resistless power of Thomas H. Benton in the
senate—a son of William & Mary College. You will in a
little time hear of the “Monroe Doctrine ” I shall not pre
sume to pass upon its wisdom or statesmanship, but would
lixe to claim that it must be second in importance to his other
great work as special commissioner, in negotiating the pur
chase of Louisiana territory, by which we gained possession
of the Mississippi river and all our territory west to the
sRocky mountains from Spanish possessions on the South to