Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-06-10
commencement at the University.

Commencement at the University.
We are under obligations to an esteemed friend
FIR the following interesting account of Commence
ment week at the University of North Carolina.
We understand that the young gentlemen of the
University who took part in the public exercises &C.
o,it,ed themselves well, and some Of them remarka
br WELL 1t was evident that they had given faith
tl attention to their studies, and that their verv
competent and able instructors had been dilgent,
naent, and thorough in the performance of their
duties.
We have heard the address of Henry W. Miller,
ESQ. before the Societies, the address of Hon.
Warren WnsIow before the Alumni Association,
the valedictory Sermon by Bishop Otey, and the
address of Rev. DR.. Hawks before the Historical So
ciety, all spoken OF in terms Of warm commentator
Wepresume they will be published The address of
Mr.. Miller we understand though far from being of
aparzan or sectional character, was mainly devo-
ted to the present condition of the country and to
the Importance of union among the Southern people,
with view to protect the Constitution and preserve
the Union of the States. Its whole tone, and the
sentiments expressed were such we understand, as
should command the cordial approval of every true
hearted Southern man. The orator, we learn was
Justly severe upon the prevailing and increasing
follies and fanaticsms Of the North and took ard
maintained the position that the only hope for the
preservation of our institutions was to be found in
requiring of the free States rigid observance OF
the federal Constitution.
THE COMMENCEMENT AT CHAPEL HILL.
MEsSRs. EDlroRs: The press is well nigh ub,ouit.
Gus in country, yet it by means follows that
every Editor is every where. Now inasmucb as the
ten thousand readers of the Standard will REQUIRE
their usual description Of the sayings and doings at
Chapel Hill during the present week and inasmuch
as YOU were not here, let me supply your lack of
service as best may So you may still be the Stan.
dard for attention to all that concerns the vital in
terests Of our homes and homcfiks Doubtless
many in all parts of our State. like yourself would
have come up to this feast Of reason and flow of
SOUL" if they could have come For their comfort
under disappointment, and to reward the Gilicent
anralst Of A. d. 1857, ask for a corner in one of
your weekly issues.
Monday, you know, begins Commencement week
at Chapel Hill, and the intellectual feast begins, as
every Christian feast ought to begin, with the
ship of the God of Christians The Senior Class
was fortunate in inducing Bishop Oey to come from
his far distant hcme, to give them solemn words of
warning and cheerful words of hope Bishop Otey
is man utterly without pretentousness-whose
heart is warm and eye sing 10 the great work be.
fore him. His words and Mariner may not be die
tated by mans wisdom, but in all Cody sincerity
and simplicity he sets solemnly and mpressively
before the people the will of God for their saliva
ton The Bishop chose for his text Romans II:
IS, c'Judge this rather, that man put a stune-
bling block, or an occasion to jail IN his brothers
wy, and enforced frcm it the high religious obi
CATION that rests on each to secure his own we'll be-
ing along with that of others--hat each man is re-
sponsible to God for all the good he can do to his
fellow man. The text represents life as pilgriu,-
age, performed not by isolated individuals along
common road, but by caravan where the safety of
each was OF interest to ALL and the safety of all
of interest to each That individuals could do much
for and with masses he illustrated very finely by the
influence of Peter the Great. Napoleon Bonaparte,
Byron Tamerlane, &c. The will was most often in
fault when men did not much for their fellows The
resolution to do great things for others should he
formed by his young auditors while they were at
College, and as they leaving its walls forever
Influences adverse to such high resolves surrounded
them. Sill, means to evade their opposition were at
hand In his own case the example and teachings
and familiar intercourse of the present senior pro
fessor of the University WERE under the blessing of
God the means by which he himself had been pre-
served from many OF the snares set for youth and
he had ever done any thing good for his fellow.
men, he had derived much of the stimulus to do so
from that venerable man. 1t is almost needless to
say that the sermon was listened to by large and
intelligent audience with marked attention. and it is
uOpeu tuat ltS pNUOSOpnlC OeQuCtOnS, ana earnest
exhorations fell like good seed into good ground to
bring forth hereafter hundred fold of fruit
On Tuesday all of US who could get there assem-
bled at the Chapel to hear Dr.. Hawks tell the story
of Mecklenburg, and pour forth his heart to ,ind-
cate the honor of what call its Declaration of In
dependence. That essay is wonderful thing display
ing immense patience and labor in the collection Of
its materials admirable skill and taste in its arrange
ment passages of exquisite beauty and pathos, and
strong emotion and deep feeling in its uterance 1t
was evidently work of love thus to plead with
North Carolinians for the honor of North Carolina
sketch of the address as delivered at Charlotte
has been widely circulated in the papers, so that it
is not worth while to attempt one here. Dr.. Hawks
repeated the address at Chapel Hill by the particu
lar request Of the Historical Society of the Univer.
sity, whose guest he was while here We can only
say that, if DR.. Hawks did not prove what every
North Carolinian wished to he proved it not
for the lack Of dgent research, skifu colocatons
glowing appeals polished irony, piercing wit, or
charming delivery. Said one of his hearers, eff
DR.. Hawks is not right he ought to be,"-said an
other, I" must get cool before can decide what
ought to believe The subject of this hearted
much be said on both sides of the question, and
well said, that would greatly delight in seeing it
all together There is providential mystery con-
nected with the discussion. Why was it that
was led to where " the resolves" Of the 3lst May,
l775, preserved until all who had heard them
read had ded-and could be called on to say
whether there two such papers published in
l775. or to declare which of the two is the right
and only one? Had the resolves of the 3lst been |
discovered before the year 1919, perhaps we never
would have heard of the Declaration of the Goth
Tuesday afternoon occupied by meetings of |
Inc two Literary Societies to which the public was |
not invited: So concerning them only re-
cord the fact that such meetings were held, and |
doubtless were deeply interesting to those who could
say "open sesame" to those mysterious doors.
On Tuesday night the competitors in defamation
from the Freshman Glass appeared in the following
order: