The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-07-30
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE Commencement.
Eulogy on Daniel webster by
Rufus Choate.
PHE SCENE Ar ITS DELIVERY.
INTE RE TING INCIDENTS
&c.. &C.. &c.
PHE SCEyE Ar ITS DELIVERY.
Special CORE spondasnce Of the New York
Neraio.
HANOVER, n. H.,


Neraio.
HANOVER, N. H.
Wednesday July u, 1853.
This is the town Of Hanover in tie State of New
Hampshire, the seat Of Dartmouth College Itis the
twenty seventh of July, 1853. An unusual number
of people to be collected here for any purpose have
met to-day, on the occasion of the annual commence.
ment Of the College, and now, at two o'clock in the
afternoon, they are crowdng around the old College
Church, in which RUFUs CHoATE, q graduate of
Dartmouth, in the class of 1919, and the greatest
American orator living is to pronounce eulogy
upon DANIEL WEBSTER a graduate of the same
institution in the class Of 1901, and the greatest
orator, American born living or dead How eager
and anxious the people are to gain admittance Mr..
CHoATE was requested to speak out Doors where
all could have an opportunity to hear him but the
state of his health would not permit t.;yMany must
be disapponted-that is evident-for the church
will hold but small part of the multitude which is
every moment increasing around the doors. Ladies
are admitted until the gallery is filed, and the
matrons, and the brighteyed rosy checked intelli-
gent looking girls from the mountains and valleys
around-beautiul as the romantic scenery which
they inhabt-improve the privilege conceded to
them but they cannot all get in. One is now stand
lady who accompanies her may be permitted to en-
ter; she is willing to be excluded herself, but she
wants much that her friend should get in But the
officer at the door is ihexorabe. He says the men
must have the next chance in the body of the house
the undergraduates, who have been largely instru-
mental in getting the thing up must get in, and he
really can admit no more ladies at present. The
Chief Marshal of the day, Mr.. Duncan "a brotheriu
" n ChOatp mGu 10 fho etc oP
and says in loud voice" Ladies, we cannot do for
you all that we woud but we will do all that we
can To an intelligent American audience, on the
occasion of funeral services for the greatest "of
Americans, shall not appeal in vain for the pre-
seryaton OF order" The people clap their hands
the few words of the Marshal seem to have
put them in good humoG, and they quietly re-
sign themselves to the slim chances for getting
within hearing Of the orator. An old man near me
says"I have never seen the like of this before
l am now in my seventysecoud year, and don't re-
collect to have been absent from but one commence
ment since l was sixteen, and l never saw such
company here beiore.n At length the door is
opened, ard we enter the church. 1t is draped in
black and white. Over the pulpit hangs portrait
of Mr.. Webster, surrounded by Grape, and under it
are the now immortal words:-" STILL LIvE.- One
present. On the temporary stage erected around
the DESK and scattered through the house. are men of
wide public and professional distinction. In pew
but short remove from the speaker sit Mr. Web
ster's only son, FLETCHER WEBSTER Esq, and his
grandson and namesake, Fletcher's son DANIEL
fine looking boy. How insnctively towards his off.
spring and Observation-Disclosures the only channels
in which his blood now runs-turns something Of
~ ~.
followed the great statesman whose death is mourned
to-day!
Prayer is offered by the Rev. DR.. Fisher, of Gin.
cinnati, and, after music, which occupies few mo.
ments, the orator rises. He Is man of extraordi-
larry personal appearance-tall, rather dark, with
black hair which curls all over his head sparkling
and penetrating eye, and sort of illuminated coun
tenance. His looks bespeak him no common man.
Labor long professional labor, thought and study.
have left but little flesh upon his large frame, and
the shattered nerves culver and shake throughout
his whole system. He is man OF wonderful talent
and of brilliant genius. Through many years he has
been the friend and associate of Mr. Webster Often
with him, often against him, at the bar /; his on
ponent in the last case which Mr.. Webster tried l.
Mutual respect, mutual admiration, mutual friend
ship long subsisted between them And now, at
the College which, in their youth educated and nur-
tured both-on which the names of both have since
shed renown-here, amid these intensely Interesting
scenes of memory-here, amongst old friends and on
hailowed ground, tie living has come to speak of
the dead Let us hear him.
MR.. CHOATE'S SPEECH.
1t would be a strange neglect Of a beautiful and
approved custom OF the schools of learning and of
ono OF the most pous and appropriate Of the Offices
OF literature, il the College in which the intellectual
life of DANIEL WEBSTER began, and to which his
name mparss charm and illustration should give no
formal expression to her grief in the common sorrow
if she should not draw near, Of the s.ddest in the
procession Of the bereaved to the tomb at the sea.
nor fId in all her classic shades one afectonate and
grateful leaf to set in the garland with which thew
have bound the brow CT her child the mghtiest de-
parted Others mourn and praise him by his more
distant and more general titles to fame and remem-
brance-his supremacy OF intellect his statesman
ship OF so many years. his eloquence Of reason
and Of the heart, his love of country incorrupti-
BILE, conscientious and ruling every hour and
act = that greatness combined of genius, Of
character, and manner of place, of achieve
ment, which was just now among us, and ia
not, and yet lives still and eyermore. Ym coma