Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1859-06-15
Commencement at Chanel Hill.

COMMENCEMENT dt Cudpcl t1uls
correspondent of the Fayetteville Observer furn-
ished for that paper of the 9Th instant an admirable
account Of the late Commencement at Chapel Hill.
We make some extracts as follows:
"It is just twelve years, the time for three gene
rations of students, since President Polk and Mr..
Secretary Mason visited our University. No other
of our Southern Institutions has been so honored by
the presence of the Chief Magistrate of our Union at
its Commencement President Polk and Mr.. Mason
were Alumni Mr.. Buchanan was at that time Sec
rotary OF State, and he now brought with him the
Secretary of the Interior, graduate Of 1881 When
this visit was planned another distinguished Alum
NUS the late Postmaster-General Brown, was to
have been of the party. But his work on earth is
done, and his absence was deeply felt as appeared
from the touching illusions to it by those who
permitted to execute their common plan. That
President Polk should have revisited the scene of
his youthful labors and early triumphs was but nat
ura graceful and grateful tribute of honor to his
Alma Mater. But as President Buchanan had no
such ties to the University, his visit must of course
be taken as compliment of higher order-one
given to an Institution not for what it has been to
himself but for its WORTH and for the excellence
of its influence on the country of which he is the
worthy and distinguished Chief Magistrate.
\ X
Fifty of the Alumni joined the Association, and
the attendance of the children of the University,
now numbering 1904, was unusually large. Mr.. B.
F. Moore presided on this occasion the Senior
Vice President The officers for the coming year
are Robert B. Gillian President; Mr.. B. F. Moore,
Rev. DR.. Hooper, Rev. Thos. B. Slade, Gen. George
Whitfield, Hon. II. IT, Clark, and Mr.. Robert R.
Bridgers, Vice Presidents. Gen. VIM j. Cowan, of
the Glass of 1908, and Mr.. Secretary Thompson re-
corded their names in the Secretary's book, which
now contains the autographs of 1886 members of the
Association. The orator for the day was the Rev.
DR.. Hooper, who graduated in 1809 just fifty years
ago. The Hon. Calvin Graves and Mr.. Paul C.
Cameron accompanied him on the Rostrum, which
was graccd by the presence of President Buchanan,
President Swain, Mr.. Secretary Thompson, and sew
| eral distinguished Alumni. Dr. Hooper's address
was most taking effort in his own peculiar and in
imtable style, full of life genial wit delicate humor
and sage reflections all clothed in classical and ele
giant English from the well indebted After grace
full ausion to his present circumstances, to his dis
| tinguished auditors, and to himself he described
college life as it fifty years ago, showing in
most attractive style 1.-THE hole of the pit" whence
this great and prosperous University was digged.
| Hence he drew many serious and thought-evoking
| reflections, and so closed an address which was
greatly enjoyed and will doubtless be long remem-
bered. copy of the address unanimously
and heartily requested Republication by the Alumni.
All hope that this request will be complied WITH for
the address is of much historical value moving one
10 InanhlleSS LOT inc past anu IopclulleSS loF te
future. President Buchanan evidently one Of
Dr. Hooper's most delighted hearers.
President Buchanan attended all the public exer-
cses of the Univerrty and also registered his name
as member of the Philanthropc Society. His
quiet unassumng, affable ways are we'll calculated to
render him popular, and it is said that he was par
tcularly fond of engaging in repartee with the young
ladies' especially if they were lively and pretty.
Had he been raised in North Carolina he could hard
ly have been batchelor to this day. DIR. Hooper's
proclamation of his own candidateship for favor with
the ladies' although no bachelor, received with
hearty mirth, which no enjoyed more than the
President; and his announcement that Jupiter anc
his satellites seemed likely to revove in orbit
twelve years, and his calling the attention of the
Professor of Astronomy to the fact equally well
received. Indeed the girls and all voted the Presl
dent to be "a nice old gentleman"
On Thursday at 10, the President held a reception
under the old poplar, where many of his Southern
fellow citizens young and DID, high and low, learned
and ignorant polished and plain husbands ant
wives, maidens and lovers, shook their President'
hearty hand. How striking the contrast of tina
scene with that of some drawing room" on tn
other side of the Atlantic.
He consented to grace the ball on Thursday nigh
for little while, the observed of all observers
left on Friday morning for Raleigh, expecting t
spend Sunday with his old friend, the Hon. Weldon
n. Edwards, in Warren county, and to return theme
Immediately to Washington. His visit has give
great pleasure to Others and he frequently declare
that i: had afforded him such as he had rarely er
| loved"