6
THE BATTALION.
the Calliopean who made an elegant and well chosen address
of welcome.
The program being read by the secretary, Mr. Kerr, Mr.
L.E.McGee came forth in the well chosen declamation of“rhe
Chariot Race of Ben Hur.” On closing Mr. McGee received
a handsome tribute of flowers in the shape of two large bas
kets that would make any young orator’s heart leap in de
light.
The orchestra furnished some excellent music and Mr-
Sneed stepped to the floor with the very excellent essay
“Duty.” One is agreeably surprised in Mr. Sneed; from his
modest demeanor and genial, silent disposition one would
hardly expect him capable of such bursts of sound sense and
eloquence for which he has here become noted. Mr. Sneed’s
essay was simply “good.”
At the close of Mr. Sneed’s essay the society settled into
a prolonged silence, it was plain that they were expecting
something good; nor were they to be disappointed for Mr.
John Radford was the orator and he was now to speak. He
spoke at length upon men and their conditions, mentioning
the fact that the world was too apt to take men as they find
them, too apt to be led by the ready smile and flattering
tongue bringing out that a man may smile and be a villain
still. He said that it must not be thought that there is neith
er party nor sympathy in the soul of such men as the book
keeper because he evidently toils from day to day. Some men
are incapable of expressing their feelings and it must not be
thought that silent men are always stern, cold and selfish.
Mr. Radford s oration was complete in point of oratory,
rhetoric, delivery, and general elegance.
Music again followed and the society prepared for the de
bate, question, Resolved, that the present tendency of the
republic is toward dissolution.
Affirmative, McCarthy, negative Robson. The presi
dent selected for the tribunal Messrs. Oayitt, Roundtree and
Smith, and the debate was only opened by Mr. McCarthy.