The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-02-28


tory fall far short in force and in eloquence when at
tempting to describe the mighty future with which
II appears TO the human eye. We have now, gentle
men, the opportunity of laying the foundation OF the
morals, the manners and the wills OF those who will
come after us; and II the city has quintupled Its
population in the lifetime Of not very old men: what
arithmetic can be used to calculate what ~ VIII come
TO when we are passed away Think, then, OF the
responsibility which rests upon us in furnishing
rich and liberal foundation of learning for those who
are to follow. The political economists of the old
countries will calculate for you to nicely what in
crease will take place in them by propagation or what
decrease will be effected by called salutary caami.
tes but where is the Nautilus learned enoughto tell us
what the population of America will be in few short
years l believe, sir, extravagant AZ it may seem,
that the whole world will be here. (Cheers.) The
nations Of the Old World decrepid and rendered
efets by constant marriage with their own race.
France, SPAN, and Germany present to-day the
same appearances as when they were described by
Tacitus; for although civilization and religion has
changed the habits and morals of the people, their
faces are just the same, the result of what may be
termed incestuous intercourse Here it is longer
the marriage of brother German, or brother Frank,
with sister German sister Frank, but the marriage
Oh people nvgorated by the infusion OF blood from
every part of the globe. Here we have improved
The stock by judcious crossing Of the breed; and,
notwithstanding some nonsense which we hear about
the AnglySaxon race, can see no difference be-
tween the grandchild of the Frenchman the German,
Or the Engishman; but l can see, that from this
happy amalgamation Of race will be sent forth the
apostles of freedom to go to revive the sunken nations
Df the Old World. This sir, makes me anxious that
our youth should be worthy OF their high vocation.
villa University then be allowed to 60 down for the
paltry sum ofa few thousand dollars when know the
effect which must result from its want in fifty years?
Weigh the disgrace which will fall upon your city il
for want of proper timely support this institution fall
Or be transformed into source of error. Rich
men, think of the want Of q University in this
metropolis when its population shall be two millions
Of souls and answer me, can you appear confidently
before your God and say that you had the means OF
a0rdng education to the people but would not do it2
But at the same time, think of it with its streets
thronged with two millions of people-think then of
the venerable walls of this University, containing
within chair for professor in each department Of
study, teaching the thousands of the growing up
youth. Look upon this picture and that, and recol
lect that the life of man is short, but the endurance
OF mind eternal and that it is in the power OF man to
prolong his existence to immortality by leaving the
impress Of his benev0lence his morals, and his char
acter, to be transmitted to after generations. The
rich men Of New York can now transmute, by
into the virtues the dignity and the grandeur Of the
people of that great nation which will flourish upon
this territory when they have passed away. I de-
precate the c0ntemptuous manner in which some gen.
tlemen sneer at the diffusion Of colleges, and say
"Oh, college in wilderness, what's the Of itl"
Sir, regard college school in our distant vii
ages rude, frail, and tottering though the ediice
may be, with the same feeling with which | could
the weakly germ will become mighty tree, under
whose Shadow thousands will soon rest and drink in
the waters OF learning and life. The reverend
gentleman here reviewed the collegiate endow-
ments of other countries, and proceeded :
Take the nation of the Dutch Why sir, in the days
Of her prosperity that country, with her small popu
latiOn Of two and half Millions founded five noble
universities, from which were sent forth men Of the
most radiant and glorious names. Grotius Gree
titus Why, sir, it was worth the expense of the
founding the entire five to give to the world that one
firmly founded university for every four millions of
her entire population. Munich, which Is only one
fourth as large as New York, and young city, has
been adorned with magnificent university, under
gem Of beauty with its one thousand students and
its library of half million of volumes. And after
these examples Of royal exerton, will republican New
York, with one hundred thousand monarchs, and
revenue fifty times greater than that of the King of
Bavaria fail to establish university but rather let
one perish7 Gentlemen, you cannot shake of the
point OF this question Is mighty republic afraid to
free the human mind, and are monarchies more de-
siroua to elevate it? In Paris it is refreshing to see
the mechanic, the carpenter, the mason the brick
layer, returning from his daily toll walk into the
lecture halls Of the greatest universities the world has
yet seen, and, placing the tools Of his craft in cor
ner, listen to lessons of instruction from the lips
of professors unequaled in talent or eloquence.
Will you see that in New York No, sir
for notwithstanding all that has been done here in
the way Of educating the children Of the poor the
Institution is not half popular enough. want to see
this University progressing, and its difficulties swept
away; with its halls open TO the journeymen me-
the day. Don't permit yourselves to condemn it for
its embarrassments 1t got in debt in 1887 and 1885,
when our money affairs were inflated to point of
ruinOus bursting, and If you blame every private in
will escape unscathed 1t is easy to censure, more
so, perhaps to some than to applaud. If the insti-
tuition has had difficulties, not dollar Of the money
has been wasted. It is all here, in your noble po
and the ample halls OF this building. You can no
more carry on an institution of this sort without
money than you can make bricks without straw and
the New York University will stand either as the
glory or the shame Of the city Your wealth cannot
be better employed than to make it the latter. A
man wants but little money during his time here; he
can only spend in lifetime few thousand dollars,
nnless he wish to be as many regret to say it
are, what l call vulgarly ostentatious. daughter
and cheers) man "vulgarly ostentatious" cares
not for the advancement OF religion, the morality
of society or the good of the community in which he
moves. In fact he is not respectable man, Uaugh-
ter.) And if my Heavenly Master had not commanded
me to associate with publicansand sinners would not
like to be in the same room with him. loud cheers)
will conclude with practical illustration Of what
mean by respectable people, and announce to you
institution $4,000; George Douglas, Esq, SO 0O0 and
Mrs. Douglas Cruger, 81 900, with a promise, that
sooner than the undertaking should fail $4,000 more
would be forthcoming tn min Cloud cheers2 Now.
speech (Cheers.) The Rev. Doctor resumed his
seat amidst tremendous applause.
The Rev. DR.. KREBBs followed with an eloquent
address in the same strain. He announced that the
following residents of the Seventh ward had subscrib
ed the annexed amounts:-His Honor the Mayor,
81 900; B. Crosby, Esq, $1,000; and that j. K.
Herrick Esq, had given 81 500 to found perpetual
scholarship. (Cheers.)
Chancellor FERRIS announced that Edward Wool
|sey, Esq.. had given $1,000.
The Rev. DR.. ASA d. SMITH said that Arson G.
Phelps, Esq., had subscribed 81 600; John T. John
|ston-a worthy son of worthy sire-$l 900; and
mr.. James Boorman, So 900, coupled with condi-
tion which Chancellor Ferris had accepted (Cheers)
1t was also announced that the firm Of Messrs. R.
la. L. Stuart had subscribed 50 600. (Applause)
The Rev. Dr. SMITH submitted the following reso-
buttons, which were unanimously adopted
Resolved That this meeting have heard with interest
The statements which have been given concerning the
workings OF this institution and its prospects, and that
s worthy Of and justly claims the confidence Of this
|luunity.