The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-17 00:00:00

THE NEW PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED

STATES.

The President elect, Mr. Buchanan, having been
the President of the Board of Trustees of the
Franklin and Marshall College since its organisa-
tion in 1853, the students, to the number of over
100, provided themselves with a band of music,
and waited upon Mr Buchanan at his residence,
Wheatlands, for the purpose of congratulating him
on his election to the highest office within the gift
of a free people. The visit was suggested and
arranged among the students themselves, who laid
aside for the occasion all their party preferences
and prejudices. On their arrival at Wheatlands
they were received most cordially by Mr. Bu-
chanan, to whom they were introduced by the
President of the college. The address having
been delivered to Mr. Buchanan, he replied to
it at some length. He thanked his young friends

for the visit: for he was sure that their con-
gratulations were sincere, as they sprang from
the warm hearts of youth which bad not yet
had time to become corrupted and hardened in the
ways of the world. The bosom of youth was the
abode of sincerity and truth, and it was indeed a
pleasure and an honour to receive the warm out-
pourings of their hearts. He referred to the ad-
vantages which those present could obtain from the
noble institution of which he was proud to he the
president of the board of directors ; he reminded
them of the responsibility which would rest upon
them in forming and administering the future go-
vernment of the country when the present genera-
tion had passed away ; and exhorted them not to
neglect or abuse those opportunities, or to idle
away the golden hours allotted for the improvement
of the mind. Mr. Beehanan said he had been a
college boy him!, lf, and none of the best of boys
either, bieg fond of fun, like themselves. There
were many little eccentricities in the life of a
college student that might be pardoned or
overlooked ; but there was one habit which, if
formed at college or in early youth, would cling to
them through after life, and blight the fairest pro-
spects. He referred to the use of intoxicating
liquors, and declared it would be better for that
youth who contracted an appetite for strong drink
that he were dead or had never been born ; for
when he saw a young man entering upon such a
career, a fondness for liquor becoming with him a
governing passion, ho could see nothing before
him but a life of sorrow and a dishouourable
grave in his old age. He urged them to learn
thoroughly all they undertook to learn, to acquire
knowledge distinctly, and then they would be
able to use it to advantage in after life. Ho
hoped his young friends would avoid the practice
of having a smattering of everything. He thanked
them for their congratulations upon his election to
the high and responsible office of President, but
whether the event would prove to be a matter of
congratulation time alone could determine. With-
out saying which party *as light or which was
wrong, the fears of the " father of his country" had
at last been realised, and theynow behold a sectional
party—one portion of their Union arrayed in political
hostilityagainst the other. The object ofhisadminis-
tration would be to destroy any sectional party,
North or South, and harmonise all sections of the
Union under a national and conservative Govern-
ment, as it was 50 years ago. Unless this were
done the time might come when the sectional ani-
mosities which now unhappily existed might break
up the fairest and most perfect form of government
the sun ever shone upon. But he trusted that the
same Power which had. watched over and preserved
them in the past would continue to smile upon
them and make them a prosperous, united, and
happy people. In conclusion, he said that if he
could in any degree be the honoured icstrument of
allaying this sectional excitement and restoring
the Government to the principles and policy of the
fathers, he would then feel that he had not assumed
the arduous duties of the office in vain.
At the conclusion of Mr. Buchanan's remarks he
shook hands with each of the guests, who, after
giving three cheers for the President of the Board
of Franklin and Marshall College, and the Presi-
dent elect of the United States, separated.