Addresses　to　the　Graduating　Class　of　the　U。　S。　Military　Academy；　West　Point；　N。　Y。；　June　14th；　1877。　By　PROFESSOR　C。　O。　THOMPSON；　MAJOR…GENERAL　WINFIELD　S。　HANCOCK；　HONORABLE　GEORGE　W。　MCCRARY；　Secretary　of　War；　MAJOR…GENERAL　JOHN　M。　SCHOFIELD；　Superintendent　U。　S。　Military　Academy。
  ADDRESS　BY　PROFESSOR　C。　O。　THOMPSON；　　　　　　　　President　of　the　Board　of　Visitors。
  YOUNG　GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　GRADUATING　CLASS：　The　courtesy　of　your　admirable　Superintendent　forbids　a　possible　breach　in　an　ancient　custom；　and　lays　upon　me；　as　the　representative；　for　the　moment；　of　the　Board　of　Visitors；　the　pleasant　duty　of　tendering　to　you　their　congratulations　on　the　close　of　your　academic　career；　and　your　auspicious　future。
  The　people　of　this　country　have　a　heavy　stake　in　the　prosperity　of　this　institution。　They　recognize　it　as　the　very　fountain　of　their　security　in　war；　and　the　origin　of　some　of　their　best　methods　of　education。　And　upon　education　in　colleges　and　common　schools　the　pillars　of　the　State　assuredly　rest。
  To　participants　and　to　bystanders；　this　ceremony　of　graduation　is　as　interesting　and　as　exciting　as　if　this　were　the　first；　instead　of　the　seventy…fifth　occurrence。　Every　such　occasion　is　clothed　with　the　splendor　of　perpetual　youth。　The　secret　of　your　future　success　lies　in　the　impossibility　of　your　entering　into　the　experience　of　your　predecessors。　Every　man's　life　begins　with　the　rising　sun。　The　world　would　soon　become　a　frozen　waste　but　for　the　inextinguishable　ardor　of　youth；　which　believes　success　still　to　be　possible　where　every　attempt　has　failed。
  That　courage　which　avoids　rashness　by　the　restraints　of　knowledge；　and　dishonor　by　the　fear　of　God；　is　the　best　hope　of　the　world。
  History　is　not　life；　but　its　reflection。
  The　great　armies　of　modern　times　which　have　won　immortal　victories　have　been　composed　of　young　men　who　have　turned　into　historic　acts　the　strategy　of　experienced　commanders。
  To　bystanders；　for　the　same　and　other　reasons；　the　occasion　is　profoundly　interesting。
  For　educated　men　who　are　true　to　honor　and　to　righteousness；　the　world　anxiously　waits；　but　an　educated　man　who　is　false；　the　world　has　good　reason　to　dread。　The　best　thing　that　can　be　said　of　this　Academy；　with　its　long　roll　of　heroes　in　war　and　in　peace；　is；　that　every　year　the　conviction　increases　among　the　people　of　the　United　States；　that　its　graduates　are　men　who　will　maintain；　at　all　hazards；　the　simple　virtues　of　a　robust　manhoodlike　Chaucer's　young　Knight；　courteous；　lowly；　and　serviceable。
  I　welcome　you；　therefore；　to　the　hardships　and　perils　of　a　soldier's　life　in　a　time　of　peace。　The　noise　and　the　necessities　of　war　drive　men　in　upon　themselves　and　keep　their　faculties　awake　and　alert；　but　the　seductive　influence　of　peace；　when　a　soldier　must　spend　his　time　in　preparation　for　the　duties　of　his　profession　rather　than　in　their　practice；　this　is　indeed　a　peril　to　which　the　horrors　of　warfare　are　subordinate。　It　is　so　much　easier　for　men　to　fight　other　men　than　themselves。　So　much　easier　to　help　govern　other　men　than　to　wholly　govern　themselves。
  But；　young　gentlemen；　as　we　have　listened　to　your　examination；　shared　in　your　festivities；　and　enjoyed　personal　acquaintance　with　you；　we　strongly　hope　for　you　every　thing　lovely；　honorable；　and　of　good　report。
  You　who　have　chosen　the　sword；　may　be　helped　in　some　trying　hour　of　your　coming　lives　by　recalling　the　lesson　which　is　concealed　in　a　legend　of　English　history。　It　is　the　old　lesson　of　the　advantage　of　knowledge　over　its　more　showy　counterfeits；　and　guards　against　one　of　the　perils　of　our　American　society。
  A　man　losing　his　way　on　a　hillside；　strayed　into　a　chamber　full　of　enchanted　knights；　each　lying　motionless；　in　complete　armor；　with　his　horse　standing　motionless　beside　him。　On　a　rock　near　the　entrance　lay　a　sword　and　a　horn；　and　the　intruder　was　told　that　he　must　choose　between　these；　if　he　would　lead　the　army。　He　chose　the　horn；　and　blew　a　loud　blast；　whereupon　the　knights　and　their　horses　vanished　in　a　whirlwind；　and　their　visitor　was　blown　back　into　common　air；　these　words　sounding　after　him　upon　the　wind：
  〃Cursed　be　the　coward；　that　ever　he　was　born；　　　　Who　did　not　draw　the　sword　before　he　blew　the　horn。〃
  Young　gentlemen；　the　Board　of　Visitors　can　have　no　better　wish　for　our　common　country　than　that　your　future　will　fulfil　the　promise　of　the　present。
  ADDRESS　BY　MAJOR…GENERAL　W。　S。　HANCOCK。
  To　me　has　been　assigned　the　pleasant　duty　of　welcoming　into　the　service　as　commissioned　officers；　the　Graduates　of　the　Military　Academy　of　to…day。
  Although　much　time　has　elapsed　since　my　graduation　here；　and　by　contact　with　the　rugged　cares　of　life　some　of　the　sharp　edges　of　recollection　may　have　become。　dulled；　yet　I　have　not　lived　long　enough　to　have　forgotten　the　joy　of　that　bright　period。　You　only　experience　it　to…day　as　I　have　felt　it　before　you。
  I　have　had　some　experience　of　life　since；　and　it　might　be　worth　something　to　you　were　I　to　relate　it。　But　youth　is　self…confident　and　impatient；　and　you　may　at　present　doubt　the　wisdom　of　listening　to　sermons　which　you　can　learn　at　a　later　day。
  You　each　feel　that　you　have　the　world　in　a　sling；　and　that　it　would　be　wearisome　to　listen　to　the　croakings　of　the　past；　and　especially　from　those　into　whose　shoes　you　soon　expect　to　step。　That　is　the　rule　of　life。　The　child　growing　into　manhood；　believes　that　its　judgment　is　better　than　the　knowledge　of　its　parents；　and　yet　if　that　experience　was　duly　considered；　and　its　unselfish　purposes　believed　in；　many　shoals　would　be　avoided；　otherwise　certain　to　be　met　with　in　the　journey　of　life；　by　the　inexperienced　but　confident　navigator。
  You　should　not　forget　that　there　were　as　bright　intellects；　and　men　who　possessed　equal　elements　of　greatness　in　past　generations　as　in　this；　and　that　deeds　have　been　performed　in　earlier　times　which；　at　best；　the　men　of　the　present　day　can　only　hope　to　rival。　Why　then　should　we　not　profit　by　the　experiences　of　the　past；　and　as　our　lives　are　shot　at　best；　instead　of　following　the　ruts　of　our　predecessors；　start　on　the　road　of　life　where　they　left　off；　and　not　continue　to　repeat　their　failures？　I　cannot　say　why；　unless　it　proceeds　from　the　natural　buoyancy　of　youth；　self…confidence　in　its　ability　to　overcome　all　obstacles；　and　to　carve　out　futures　more　dazzling　than　any　successes　of　the　past。　In　this　there　is　a　problem　for　you　to　solve。　Yet　I　may　do　well　by　acknowledging　to　you；　to…day；　that　after　an　active　military　life　of　no　mean　duration；　soldiers　of　my　length　of　service　feel　convinced　that　they　might　have　learned　wisdom　by　listening　to　the　experience　of　those　who　preceded　them。　Had　they　been　prepared　to　assume　that　experience　as　a　fact　at　starting；　and　made　departures　from　it；　instead　of　disregarding　it；　in　the　idea　that　there　was　nothing　worthy　of　note　to　be　learned　from　a　study　of　the　past；　it　would　be　safe　to　assume　that　they　would　have　made　greater　advances　in　their　day。
  Were　I　to　give　you　my　views　in　extenso；　applicable　to　the　occasion；　I　could　only　repeat　what　has　been　well　and　vigorously　said　here　by　distinguished　persons　in　the　past；　in　your　hearing；　on　occasions　of　the　graduation　of　older　classes　than　your　own。
  You　are　impatient；　doubtless；　as　I　was　in　your　time；　and　if　you　have　done　as　my　class　did　before　you；　you　have　already　thrown　your　books　away；　and　only　await　the　moment　of　the　conclusion　of　these　ceremonies　to　don　the　garb　of　the　officer　or　the　civilian。　The　shell　of　the　cadet　is　too　contracted　to　contain　your　impatient　spirits。　Nevertheless；　if　you　will　listen　but　for　a　few　minutes　to　the　relation　of　an　old　soldier；　I　will　repeat　of　the　lessons　of　experience　a　few　of　those　most　worthy　of　your　consideration。
  There　is　but　one　comrade　of　my　class　remaining　in　active　service　to…day；　and　I　think　I　might　as　truly　have　said　the　same　ten　years　ago。
  In　the　next　thirty　years；　those　of　you　who　live　will　see　that　your　numbers　have　become　sensibly　reduced；　if　not　in　similar　proportion。
  Some　will　have　studied；　have　kept　up　with　the　times；　been　ready　for　service　at　the　hour　of　their　country's　call；　been　prepared　to　accomplish　the　purposes　for　which　their　education　was　given　to　them。
  Some　will　have　sought　the　active　life　of　the　frontiers；　and　been　also　ready　to　perform　their　part　in　the　hour　of　danger。
  A　few　will　have　seized　the　passing　honors。
  It　may　have　depended　much　upon　opportunity　among　those　who　were　well　equipped　for　the　occasion；　who　gained　the　greatest　distinction；　but　it　cannot　for　a　moment　be　doubted　that　the　roll　of　honor　in　the　future　of　this　class　will　never　again　stand　as　it　stands　to…day。
  It　will　be　a　struggle　of　life　to　determine　who　among　you　will　keep　their　standing　in　the　contest　for　future　honors　and　distinctions。
  You　who　have　been　the　better　students　here；　and　possessed　the　greater　natural　qualities；　have　a　start　in　the　race；　but　industry；　study；　perseverance；　and　other　qualities　will　continue　to　be　important　factors　in　the　future；　as　they　have　been　in　the　past。
  Through　continuous　mental；　moral；　and　physical　development；　with　progress　in　the　direction　of　your　profession　and　devotion　to　duty；　lies　the　road　to　military　glory；　and　it　may　readily　come　to　pass　that　〃the　race　w