road　to　military　glory；　and　it　may　readily　come　to　pass　that　〃the　race　will　not　be　to　the　swift；　nor　the　battle　to　the　strong；〃　as　you　regard　your　classmates　to…day。
  It　must　be　admitted；　however；　that　great　leaders　are　born。
  A　rare　combination　of　natural　qualities　causes　men　to　develop　greatness。　Education　and　training　make　them　greater；　nevertheless；　men　with　fewer　natural　qualities　often　succeed；　with　education　and　training；　when　those　more　richly　endowed　fail　to　reach　the　higher　places；　and　you　have　doubtless　witnessed　that　in　your　experience　here。
  A　man　in　a　great　place　in　modern　times　is　not　respectable　without　education。　That　man　must　be　a　God　to　command　modern　armies　successfully　without　it；　yet　war　is　a　great　school；　men　learn　quickly　by　experience；　and　in　long　wars　there　will　be　found　men　of　natural　abilities　who　will　appear　at　the　front。　It　will　be　found；　however；　in　the　long　run；　that　the　man　who　has　prepared　himself　to　make　the　best　use　of　his　natural　talents　will　win　in　the　race；　if　he　has　the　opportunity；　while　others　of　equal　or　greater　natural　parts　may　fail　from　lack　of　that　mental　and　moral　training　necessary　to　win　the　respect　of　those　they　command。
  Towards　the　close　of　our　civil　war；　men　came　to　the　front　rank　who　entered　the　service　as　privates。　They　were　men　of　strong　natural　qualities。　How　far　the　best　of　them　would　have　proceeded　had　the　war　continued；　cannot　be　told；　but　it　may　be　safely　assumed　that　if　they　possessed　the　moral　qualities　and　the　education　necessary　to　command　the　respect　of　the　armies　with　which　they　were　associated；　they　would　have　won　the　highest　honors；　and　yet　our　war　lasted　but　four　years。
  Some　of　them　had　the　moral　qualities；　some　the　education；　and　I　have　known　of　those　men　who　thus　came　forward；　some　who　would　certainly　have　reached　the　highest　places　in　a　long　race；　had　they　had　the　training　given　to　you。
  War　gives　numerous　opportunities　for　distinction；　and　especially　to　those　who　in　peace　have　demonstrated　that　they　would　be　available　in　war；　and　soldiers　can　win　distinction　in　both　peace　and　war　if　they　will　but　seize　their　opportunities。
  〃There　is　a　tide　in　the　affairs　of　men　which；　taken　at　the　flood；　leads　on　to　victory。〃
  Great　responsibilities　in　time　of　danger　are　not　given　to　the　ignorant；　the　slothful；　or　to　those　who　have　impaired　their　powers　of　mind　or　body　by　the　indulgences　of　life。　In　times　of　danger　favorites　are　discarded。　When　work　is　to　be　done；　deeds　to　be　performed；　men　of　action　have　their　opportunities　and　fail　not　to　seize　them。　It　is　the　interest　of　commanders　that　such　men　should　be　selected　for　service；　when　success　or　failure　may　follow；　according　to　the　wisdom　of　the　selection；　as　the　instrument　may　besharp　or　dull；　good　or　bad。
  I　would　say　to　you；　lead　active；　temperate；　studious　lives；　develop　your　physical　qualities　as　well　as　mental。　Regard　the　education　acquired　here　as　but　rudimentary；　pursue　your　studies　in　the　line　of　your　profession　and　as　well　in　such　other　branches　of　science　or　language　as　may　best　accord　with　your　inclinations。　It　will　make　you　greater　in　your　profession　and　cause　you　to　be　independent　of　it。　The　latter　is　but　prudent　in　these　practical　days。
  Study　to　lead　honorable；　useful；　and　respected　lives。　Even　if　no　opportunity　presents　for　martial　glory　you　will　not　fail　to　find　your　reward。
  Avoid　the　rocks　of　dissipation；　of　gambling；　of　debt；　lead　those　manly　lives　which　will　always　find　you　in　health　in　mind　and　body；　free　from　entanglements　of　whatever　kind；　and　you　may　be　assured　you　will　find　your　opportunities　for　great　services；　when　otherwise　you　would　have　been　overlooked　or　passed　by。　Such　men　are　known　and　appreciated　in　every　army　and　out　of　it。
  Knowledge　derived　from　books　may　bring　great　distinction　outside　of　the　field　of　war；　as　an　expert　in　the　lessons　of　the　military　profession　and　in　others；　but　the　lessons　of　hard　service　are　salutary　and　necessary　to　give　the　soldier　a　practical　understanding　of　the　world　and　its　ways　as　he　will　encounter　them　in　war。　I　would　advise　you　to　go　when　young　to　the　plainsto　the　wilderness　seek　active　service　there；　put　off　the　days　of　indulgence　and　of　ease。　Those　should　follow　years。
  Take　with　you　to　the　frontier　your　dog；　your　rod　and　gun；　the　pursuit　of　a　life　in　the　open　air　with　such　adjuncts　will　go　far　to　give　you　health　and　the　vigor　to　meet　the　demands　to　be　made　upon　you　in　trying　campaigns；　and　to　enable　you　to　establish　the　physical　condition　necessary　to　maintain　a　life　of　vigor　such　as　a　soldier　requires。　You　will　by　these　means；　too；　avoid　many　of　the　temptations　incident　to　an　idle　life　all　calculated　to　win　you　from　your　usefulness　in　the　future；　and　by　no　means　leave　your　books　behind　you。
  When　I　graduated；　General　Scott；　thinking　possibly　to　do　me　a　service；　asked　me　to　what　regiment　I　desired　to　be　assigned；　I　replied；　to　the　regiment　stationed　at　the　most　western　post　in　the　United　States。　I　was　sent　to　the　Indian　Territory　of　to…day。　We　had　not　then　acquired　California　or　New　Mexico；　and　our　western　boundary　north　of　Texas　was　the　one　hundredth　degree　of　longitude。
  I　know　that　that　early　frontier　service　and　the　opportunities　for　healthy　and　vigorous　out…door　exercise　were　of　great　advantage　to　me　in　many　ways；　and　would　have　been　more　so　had　I　followed　the　advice　in　reference　to　study　that　I　have　given　to　you。
  There　are　many　〃extreme　western〃　posts　to…day。　It　is　difficult　to　say　which　is　the　most　western　in　the　sense　of　that　day；　when　the　Indian　frontiers　did　not　as　now；　lie　in　the　circumference　of　an　inner　circle；　but　the　Yellowstone　will　serve　your　purpose　well。　And　if　any　of　you　wish　to　seek　that　service　your　taste　will　not　be　difficult　to　gratify；　for　the　hardest　lessons　will　be　certain　to　be　avoided　by　many。　There　will　be　those　who　in　the　days　of　youth　will　seek　the　softer　places。　They　may　have　their　appropriate　duties　there　and　do　their　parts　well；　but　it　may　be　considered　a　safe　maxim　that　the　indulgence　of　the　present　will　have　to　be　paid　for　in　the　future　A　man　may　not　acquire　greatness　by　pursuing　religiously　the　course　I　have　indicated　as　the　best；　but　it　will　be　safe　to　assume　that　when　the　roll　of　honor　of　your　class　is　called　after　a　length　of　service　equal　to　mine；　but　few；　if　any　of　your　number；　will　have　done　their　part　well　in　public　estimation　save　of　those　who　shall　have　pretty　closely　followed　these　safe　rules　of　life。
  Gentlemen；　I　bid　you　welcome。
  ADDRESS　BY　HON。　G。　W。　McCRARY；　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Secretary　of　War。
  GENTLEMEN　OF　THE　GRADUATING　CLASS：　Although　not　a　part　of　the　programme　arranged　for　these　exercises；　I　cannot　refuse　to　say　a　word　by　way　of　greeting；　and　I　would　make　it　as　hearty　and　earnest　as　possible　to　you；　gentlemen；　one　and　all；　upon　this　occasion；　so　interesting　to　you　as　well　is　to　the　entire　army；　and　to　the　people　of　the　whole　country。
  There　are　others　here　who　will　speak　to　you　as　soldiers；　to　whom　you　will　listen；　and　from　whom　you　will　receive　all　counsel　and　admonition　as　coming　from　men　who　have　distinguished　themselves　in　the　command　of　the　greatest　armies　the　world　has　ever　seen；　and　by　the　achievement　of　some　of　the　grandest　victories　recorded　upon　the　pages　of　history。
  I　would　speak　to　you　as　a　citizen；　and　as　such；　I　desire　to　assure　you　that　you　are　to…day　the　centre　of　a　general　interest　pervading　every　part　of　our　entire　country。　It　is　not　the　army　alone　that　is　interested　in　the　graduating　class　of　1877。　West　Point　Military　Academy；　more　than　any　other　institution　in　the　landfar　moreis　a　national　institutionone　in　which　we　have　a　national　pride。
  It　is　contrary　to　the　policy　of　this　country　to　keep　in　time　of　peace　a　large　standing　army　We　have　adopted　what　I　think　is　a　wiser　and　better　policy　that　of　educating　a　large　number　of　young　men　in　the　science　of　arms；　so　that　they　may　be　ready　when　the　time　of　danger　comes。　You　will　go　forth　from　this　occasion　with　your　commissions　as　Second　Lieutenants　in　the　army；　but　I　see；　and　I　know　that　the　country　sees；　that　if　war　should　come；　and　large　armies　should　be　organized　and　marshalled；　we　have　here　seventy…six　young　gentlemen；　any　one　of　whom　can　command　not　only　a　company；　but　a　brigade；　and　I　think　I　may　say　a　division；　or　an　army　corps。
  The　experience　of　the　past　teaches　that　I　do　not　exaggerate　when　I　say　this。　At　all　events；　such　is　the　theory　upon　which　our　government　proceeds；　and　it　is　expected　that　every　man　who　is　educated　in　this　institution；　whether　he　remains　in　the　ranks　of　the　army　or　not；　wherever　he　may　be　found　and　called　upon；　shall　come　and　draw　his　sword　in　defence　of　his　country　and　her　flag。
  It　is　a　happy　coincidence　that　one　hundred　years　ago　to…day；　on　the　14th　of　June；　1777；　the　Continental　Congress　passed　the　act　which　fixed　our　national　emblem　as　the　stars　and　stripes。　It　is　a　happy　coincidence　that　you　graduate　upon　the　anniversary　of　the　passage　of　that　actthe　centennial　birthday　of　the　stars　and　stripes。　I　do　not　know　that　it　will　add　any　thing　to　your　love　of　the　flag　and　of　your　country。　I　doubt　whether　any　thing　would　add　to　that；　but　I　refer　to　this　coincidence　with　great　pleasure。
  Gentlemen　of　the　Graduating　Class：　I　am　not　qualifie