The blood of Virginian orators flowed in Anstey's veins, nor did he discredit his ancestry.
In an impassioned yet deliberate and logical speech Anstey declared that great injustice had been done Cadet Richard Prescott, and by the members of his own class.
"Every man within reach of my voice knows Mr.Prescott's record," declared the Virginian warmly.

"When we were plebes, who stood up most staunchly as our class champion?
Why, suh, why did we choose Mr.Prescott as our class president?
Was it not because we believed, with all our hearts, that in Richard Prescott lay all the best elements of noble, upright and manly cadethood?
Do you remember, suh, and fellow classmen, the wild enthusiasm that prevailed when we, by our suffrages, had declared Mr.Prescott to be our ideal of the man to lead the class in all the paths of honor ?" Anstey paused for an instant.

Then, lowering his voice somewhat, he continued, with scathing irony: "_And now you give this best man of our class the silence, and seek to remove him from the presidency of the class_!" "It's a shame!" roared another cadet.
There were cheers.
"It is a shame," cried Anstey in a ringing voice.

"And now you seek to deepen the shame by further degrading Prescott, who has always been the champion of our class.

Mr.President, I move that we lay the motion on the table indefinitely.