American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-10-11


COMMENCEMENT OF JEFFERSON COLLEGE,
NJ. Edilor;-Durng a short stay in the
West | had the pleasure of witnessing the An
nual Commencement of Jefferson College; Can
onsburg Pa. And as there are many OF your
subscribers who are deeply interested IN this in
stitution, will you permit me, sir, through the
medium of your valuable paper to give them
some information.
There were torty-tive young gentlemen upon
whom the degree of a. b. was conferred, and
among the number one from our city. The
exercises Of the morning comprised the speeches
of those appointed by the faculty as Orators OF
the Day, thirteen in number. And if the three
best speeches on that day were to be taken as
the criterion whereby to Judge either of the
talents Of the graduating class, or of the rank
of this college, | have no hesitation n "a ing,
that the former will compare with the Alumni
of any college in the land, and that the latter
will rank amongst the first, especially in time
to come, under the management Of its new
president
The venerable Mathew Brown, D. d. delv-
cred very appropriate valedctory. lie has
been connected with this college for twenty
three wears. He has been eminently success
full, and retired from his office, bowed beneath
the weight of years, and laden with such hon
ors as might well make him proud. The de-
gree of l.. l.. d. was conferred upon him by
the Trustees.
In the afternoon the Rev. Dr. Breckenridge
delivered his inaugural address. 1t was char
acterized by his usual ability, though it differed
somewhat from his usual style. 1t was one
continued burst of eloquence; replete with the
most chaste and beautiful imagery land so strong
and clear withal, that the most fastidious and
cod-hearted critic could not but bow before
the majesty of the speakers power. He spoke
of the intense excitement of the age OF the
necessary progress of humanity; of the extern
sion of the sphere of action; of the improved
facilities for the application Of moral power,
and of the increased length of human life in
the aggregate. Oh it was noble speech, alive
with sentiments, the very utterance of which
makes the heart swell with the rush of feeling
He said he was not only Protestant, but In
tensey so; not only an American, but profound
ly such. And whilst he desired the prosperity
of all countries and the freedom of the world,
yet above all he wished the prosperity of his
native land, and the pcrpetuity of its glorious
liberty. After the speech the president elect
was duly sworn into office. May his career be
prosperous one, and may he continue to in
culcate those American sentiments SO eloquent
! ly uttered IN his speech, ana may he long con-
tinue to be an honor TO his country and bless
ing to his Church.
The Board Of Trustees conferred the degree
of l.. L. d. upon Henry Clay; Of d, ID. upon
MIR. Mckinney, of Pa; Prof. Thornwell, of S.
c., pastor elect of the I'd Presbyterian Church
of this city, and several others whom we do not
remember; of A. NJ. upon a very large num-
Der, among whom we only particularly noticed
DR.. Snodgrass of our city.
1t seems the friends ofthis college have great
hopes of DR.. BIS success. The Alumni have
organized themselves into an association, adop-
ted a constitution, sc. They were addressed
by DIR. Baird on the evening previous to COM
mcncemcnt, but we were not present. Great
efforts are going to be made to give more
promising aspect to the education of the West,
and to check the tide of emigration TO the East.
Five thousand dollars have been pledged to in
crease the college library, and additional COL
lege buildings are to be erected.
Let the West go on, and cover her noun
tans and her valleys with school houses and