The Placer herald., 1858-10-09
Brown University-Senator Gwin's Speech


New YORK, Sept. 4, 1858.
To the Editors of the Journal of Commerce.
The attack of the Providence correspon-
dent Of the Evening Post, upon Senator
Gwin, in his statements of the events attend
ing the commencement of Brown University,
is in character with every alusion to that
gentleman which appears in that paper The
sketch of Senator Gwin's speech is libel
upon what he really said l was present
and heard every word uttered by every speak
er. was struck with the effect Mr. Gwn's
remarks produced upon the august assem-
blage of alumni of the venerable university,
and have sketched what every gentleman
who heard it will say is near approach to
the very words Of the Senator lie spoke
so slow and deliberately, that it was easy to
catch his meaning, and therefore have had
the less difficulty in preparing what follows
AS to Ex.Gov. Boutwell,, the sketch of his
speech published in the Post, so far as it al
ludes to Senator Gwin, is equally false. l
would net be surprised if he was the Posts
correspondent He did make most dis
agreeable speech for the commencement of
a literary institution, by fervent hopes that
the time would soon come, when the negro
and the white man would be on an equality,
eat and sleep together, on this continent-
The introduction of this sectional question
into the ceremonies of the commencement
of a venerable and renowned university,
sufficiently stamps the man. In response to
the following sentiment read by the Presi-
dent Of the University
"2He Granite coasts Of New England and
the Golden shores of CalJo,nio-a the
bounds of an Imperial Republic, and Of this
our Republic of letters
Senator Gwn sad, Mr.. PreSident:-I am
informed that this ancient seat of learning
sent forth Bachelors of Arts before the Bat
tie of Lexington. 1t is, therefore, menu
meni Of which Americans may be the proud
der because we have so few to boast of. Ex-
cepti' AS to churches and institutions of
learning or usefulness, the age Of so called
monuments has passed away. In former
times they were ererted-oten vainv--to
commemorate the trumphs of ido|atry or
of baibarous power. This idea prevails from
the pyramids through the temples of Greece
and Rome to the castles in which the teuda
Barons Of the mi Idle ages found shelter from
the retrbution due to rapiGe and crime. As
a Traveller on the Pacific, have witnessed
the gigantic monuments of Spanish rule
now crumbIing to dust for neither the ca
thedral nor the massv hat;Iemen,s could
resist the attacks of that spirit of free thought
and free action which our history has S; nc
tfied hy the name of Rerolution!
The monuments of our age and country
are living ones, and it depends only upon
the people that they be perpetual. The rail
way, the telegraph, the bridge, the break
water, the lighthouse, the aqueduct, the fac
tory, and above all free institutions!
My State is not ten years old. | cannot,
therefore, like Rhode Island claim Il at re-
volutionary origin which is the foundation
Of the North American peerage. But al
though my constituents, as a mass, canno.
personally recur to that glorious struggle in
which the soldiers and statesmen of Rhode
Island were in the foremost ranks, they still
treasure the legacy of your forefalhers as a
precious Inheritance, and strive, by honest
industry and the maintenance of the right,
to follow and to emulate the example Of their
children. While constituting. as they do,
mosaic of all the sections of this Union, they
are but apprentices in the art of self govern
ment, and always regard a Rhode Islander,
when he comes among them, as Past Mas
ter IN the Grund Lodge of Democracy.
| have often inquired Of myself whv so
few of the descendants of the Roger Will
liams Colony settlement should have found
their way to California. A delightful so.
journ here during the past few weeks has
enabled me to answer the question &c nv en-
tire satisfaction. You are wei! enough off at
home, and wise enough to let well enough
alone. The sea and fisheries carry off for a time
those restless spirits which belong to every
community, and they, | fancy, are always
happy to return to the blue waters and green
fields of old Narragansett While in agri-
culture, commerce and the various trades and
manufactures, the more sedate and old fash
ioned portion Of your population find ample
and remunerative occupation.
But this does not prevent our wanting to
see more of you in the Far West. We want
you to explore the inexhaustible ocean haunts
of our fishes; we want you to lay the kees
and shape the water lines of our nascent
commercial marine; we want in our councils
the practical wisdom and experience which
you have gathered in the primitive field of
sefgovernment
And gentlemen, we mean to haze you.-
Before the expiration of another year, week
ly four horse post coaches will start from
Fort Leavenwor,h St. Louis, Memphis and
San Antonio, for the Pacific, carrying pas.
sengers by the northern, middle, and south
ern routes, over the Rocky Mountains, pas
sing over the rich plains of Kansas and Ne
braska or through Utah, or winding around
the hills which conceal the nexhaustible