The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-02-18
SECOND LECTURE IN THE COURSE OF THE

Collegian and the Clerk" The lecturer said that
by Collegian he meant man who had received
a full collegiate education, who had studiously de-
voted his energies and his intellect to the various
branches of learning taught in our colleges, and
who, at the expiration of his term had received
diploma or certificate to that effect. By Colepian
he meant him who had burned the midnight oil in
searching after the treasures of antiquity and
brought to light the hidden gems of thoupbt which
mark the ucubrations of the ancients, and stamp
them with value
In Europe, he said, the collegian is tutored till
he reaches the age of 25. Not only is he compelled
to undergo the stated number Of recitations and
examinations; to read the stated number of books:
but when he has finished the Collegiate course nj
20, he is accustomed to devote years to study ira
vel and meditation. Within the time-honored walls
OF his Alma Mater, years of wearisome labor are de-
voted to study, so that when he goes forth with
his diploma in his pocket it is recognized by every
one as certificate of industry, genius and intelli-
gence. The collegians of our American institu-
tons, on the contrary, end their course where the
European begins. AT nineteen the greater part of
the students of colleges sent forth into the
world as graduates. In other words where the
european coegians course begins, ours ends. In
England, collegians form a class which adorns
Parliament; monopolizes the bench; graces the bar
and fills the professors chairs in all the seats of
learning, wherever learning is priced the
coilegian is honored. In France they are of
that cass-aye! they form the class who seek a
liberal policy in the government. Restrain the
frivolity of the Partisan, and who if thev were
only unmuzzled would drive the imperious Napo-
leon Ill. from his throne and restore France to
that freedom to which she has so long been stran-
ger. Contrast the American collegian with his
Il t6p a eoT III In bf eouptrE does he sho
bates, or stand forth lumnary to those who have
not been so fortunate to possess his advantages?
Has he monopoly of the bench? Does he edit our
papers or write our literature? Does he control
the public mind, or instruct those who lack know
ledger As general thing-No He and his in
huence are lost or merged in the mechanical and
mercantile interests. He either sinks down into
the private gentleman, rushes into the excitement
OF trade or is lost in the mechanical arts. The end
for which he was designed, or rather for which his
collegiate course should have moulded him, is en-
tirey lost sight Of The bench has him not ex-
ciusiveiy nor is the bar entirely partially
his In this country, parents are generally of the
opinion that collegiate course is unnecessarily
They look upon such destination for their sons as
superiuous They argue that genius will RISE and
their cnlidren possess one scintilla, success is
suredly theirs. They forget all the while that
cultivation, long and arduous study, developes
that genius and supplies all its defects
In addressing Catholic audience and mavhap
catholic collegians, the lecturer thought he would
remind them that they were playing but sorry
part. The noble ends they should work are nearly
it not totally neglected. Catholic collegian has
become but name, dream, myth. All its an
cent characteristics are dissipated all its former
colossal proportions dwarfed. Is it right he ask
ed, that Alma Mater should be blamed for the dimi
nutiveness of her brood-for the imbecty and
weakness of their achievements Is it lust that her
watchtul care should be in this manner rewarded
1t Is the cry of every one and the newspapers are
filled with articles which accuse our Colleges of the
want of vgor, of the lack of intellect greatness and
discipline, which characterize the grey headed in
stitutions of Europe. We may find one of the
causes OF the low position Catholic graduates occu-
py, by comparing the ages at which they receive
their. diplomas with those of Harvard and
Yale In the former, boys of eighteen and nine
teen, who should be at the Academy, are
graduate !, and allowed to attach A. B.. to their
names, while in the latter from q to % is the ave.
rage age of the graduates. 1t is to be supposed
that men whose intellects more matured and
ripened by longer years of study and discipline,
should be the best prepared to occupy the loftier
spheres of action in the world 1t has been limited
as remedy for these evils to take away from the
clergy the management of Catholic Universities and
Colleges and put the same in the hands OF laymen.
1t would be difficult matter to do ti:is; not only
because the clergy would not willingly forego the
pleasure of being the instructors of the youth and
the excellent opportunity they have of training
them up in the paths of religion and morality but
the work is entirely theirs, and they should have
the recompense This project is impracticable,
because these institutions entirely the property
OF the clergy. BY their exertions they were
founded-by their labor they are maintained. Be
SIDES, IN the support of their colleges the clergy
look for no support from the laty. They are un-
indebted to the State for appropriations or to pri-
vate individuals for bequests. And when it
Is taken into consideration that the sala-
rles of professors in cassocks average not
more than $500 per annum, and this pittance
Is compared with the well paid pro fessorships of
Colleges conducted by laymen, it forms no small
item In deciding two questions Men of genius
who had not devoted their lives to the service of
God in the capacity of priest, would rather stick
to their dusty garrets, and thread-bare garments
and make companions industrious spiders that fes-
toon their apodes with their gauzy weavings, than
sacrhce the pleasure OF their thoughts and compan-
ionship of their books to embark in such hazardous
enterprzes-for the empty title of professor and
doctor. These sensitive men would rather hang like
penduums between kiss and hiss, than be sub
mItted to regular round of duty, and above all to
receive regularly at the end of each quarter a
fourth of the three hundred dollars per annum
which satisfies all the temporal wants of the
priest Boys are far from being angels. American
youths are especially addicted to many practices
unknown to those of Europe and the hand or
voice of layman would not restrain them with
half the facility that he whom both young and old
were accustomed to call father, could Again, it is
urged that they either openly mock or else
hypocriticay comply with the religious
exercises they are compelled to perform. The lee
turer thought the instances where religious training
was properly conducted no young man could be the
worse for it.
The colegian of 25 is an over-match for the clerk
OF that age, while at q they are both equal in
everything. The blushing collegian of 10. who has
seen nothing of the world fresh from the college
walls, with experience, as it were-a ship with
out rudder-is thrust upon the world to battle
against the many and varied oppositiors that spring
up In his path at every turn. How is it possible
for him to succeed? His collegiate education, far
from being benefit to him, is source of misery
"a heritage of woe.
The lecturer then went on to take view of the
second branch of his theme which on account of
the lateness of the hour we are compelled to give
In more condensed and unpublished form. He
called the attention of the audience to the Clerk
not the clerk of the old law books-but the Ameri-
can Clerk-him of the counting-rOom, sales-room
and warehouse. In these latter days, commerce is
power and her temples in every mart, every
store house, every exchange. When the Union
was nearly swamped by the late financial
crisis, commerce upheld it; commerce with the
widely separated nations of the earth replenished
the almost impoverished Golfers of our merchants
and banks, and reinstated them a basis
The clerk is the back bone of the commerce of our
country, the future germ of the short-lived aris-
tocracy. He is the power 1t is true he is some
times 'fast he drives his fast horses has his seat
at the OPERA INDUCES in his regalias, &C., but he
takes every opportunity for improving his mind
While he does not neglect pleasure, learning and
reading are not altogether thrown aside. He
it is that founded mercantile libraries and has his
regular course of lectures. The arts and sciences
are likewise patronized by him. He builds fine
marble houses; frescoes them with beautiful works
of art, beautifying and adorning the city wherein
he resides, and eevating the taste of his fellow
citizens There are some things however he cannot
do. Our Government was founded by meu of edu-
cation and scholarship-in other words collegians
To coegians the clerk therefore confines the main
tenance and regulations of that government. He
expects from the ranks of the collegians all the
Cays, Websters and Calhouns to be selected. Con-
tent with his part, be looks to the coegian to per-
form the task his education and culture should
qualify him for doing.
THE CINCINNATI OPERA-HOUSE.