Delaware State journal and statesman., 1862-07-01

There is always a pleasure iu attending the
Commencement Exercises at this widely aud Ia
nably known institution of learning fact, Of !
!, hch the large attendance Of ladies and gentle
nen, fem various other places, as well as from
iur own city, is proof positive. On Thursday |
hrre WAS an immense aud most respectable an
Hence. The spacious Hall of the College WIS
'rowdcd to its utmost capacity, anil many were
sad to avail themselves vi standing ruon wher
.yer it could be found. The Hall was lastefuily
l. corated. FestoOns of eyergreens, decked with
flowers, hung suspended from the columns in front
vi the .nrge platform erected for the occasion, aud
brhind the chair Of the President of the College,
AMI the invited guests aud friends OF the insti-
iinu. occupying the platform, n very large and
Flag Of our Union" gracefully drop
ped its striped and star-spangled folds alung the
wall. Ga tbs stage n large number of geulemen
occupied seats, among which were the President,
Rev. Mr.. Reilly the Rev. Mr.. Dunn, OF Phila
lphia tue Rev. Mr.. kenahAu, Philadelphia;
the Rev. Mr. Prendergrast, West Chester tue
Rev. Mt. Cullen, Philadelphia; the Rev. Mr..
O'Brien OF st. Peters, IN this city and the Rev
MIR. llaviland, Of Philadelphia. Mr. Denuis
kelly. Of Kellyville, Pennsylvania Mr. X hiain,
Philadelphia, Mr.. Walter Kelly and other gea-
tlemen also occupied seats on the platform One
eud of the platform was occupied BY bra5s
band which frequ, ntly discoursed "most elo-
ttutut music httIluH itli iut hhtlc W AhN
music of the Union" aud the heartthrobs Of
patriotism.
Long before lO O'clock the hour for the "least
Of reason and the How of soul, the hail was we'll
filled, and the auIience was entertained by the
band with ." Hail Columbia" " The Star span
glel Banner" and other national airs. Al 10
o'clock, the students ul the College marched iuto
the Hall, in rank, and the speakers Of the day
look their seats the platform. Immediately
II ~. - 4
mtnced.
The literary exercises for this scar, consisted
OF the discussion by eleven OF the students OF
the question ." Vas Cesar q Great Man ."
Our readers who were no, present. cannot form
any idea, from the title of the subject, of the
real interest the discussion OF the question excl
ted among those present, and of the power of
thought and oratory which held the continued
attention Of pfomsouOus audience for nenrly
Two hours. II IL eyideut it was not due to the
subject discussed, considered strictly in ITSELF
II Was the novel treatment OF it,--the apt appli-
cation, by many OF the speakers, Of the men aud
,yents of our own country and day, the logical
rlnnexi0n of the historical illustrations and the
central reasoning, to the thought and feelings OF
tue American mind, at the present me,-and
the harmon zinR OF the principles and feelings
evolved by the consideration Of the oharaot ter
and deeds OF lhe great Roman Captain, with
the principles that govern our actions and tue
feelings that move us and possess in the i'm
pending crisis of our loved couniry-an empire
greater Than the Roman. Notwithstanding the
space it will demand, we eau best and only, give
au idea OF the present interest and epposlteness
ii! the intellectual treat, by noticing, however
hiCty and hurrledly, the remarks OF each
speaker separately. In the same counexion. WI
vi notice tho oratorcul qualities of each. We
must first, however, in general say, that seldom,
II ever, have We seen from boys, such u hue dis
play OF 0rntory--suGh truh and power IN ez-
presslon-such force and grace ot geaticulatiou--
such apprehension of the full value aud quality
Of the thought--sueh mastery Of the feelings
anl such power in giving expression to passion
/ derived from reasoning This is great praise
and Is not entirely deserved by all; but il mus
hr remembered that II is applied To boys an,
very Young men Thus looked at, we think the
Judgment will stand without further qualh1a-
lion.
Muster Peter Callan, Of Philadelphia, Rcte,
as President during the debate, and opened ia
subject by some very happy remarks
Having stated the question, he gave to il
few words, aud passed to some opposite remark
on the Study Of 0ratory. lle considered o.a
tory as the second bect Of the students ahors
to become enlightened, useful, aud yirtuous wa
his first. Considering the very early period, b
sail, at which we begin to exercise the ;aeultl
OF speech, and the frequency with which "
exercise it, it is wonderful why there are go fei
masters of it-so lew even who are tolerabe il
publc-be the audience OF whatever description
In other nrts and sciences, numbers without an
special application or study, acquire high dc
gree Of skill, and become in some measure mas
teis und models, but in Oratory,--in the US
and sway Of those powers of speech, which, froi
the cradle to the grave are continually exereisel
how lew aW1ug the lelrled surpass their ta
low creatures Of common information and mod,
rate nttainments To the deficiency Of orators IN
10 the general quality of oratory, he attribute
the lack OF cultivation Of the art. We CONSIDER
as thing that is natural to us we do not regal
II ns an art. Yet il is an art-a difficult and Il
intricate art--and the general ignorance OF ihi
fact is the cause of the general deficiency. VI
CAlan then gave fine description of the pow,
and influence of the orator, and Of his master
over his fellow men OF Mr.. Callan'a mannt
and voice we eau speak very approy.ngly, thong
= in the quality and management of the latter /
q In superors His voice acks in volume, an
4 he in confident bldness. But he acqutt,
e himself spleudidly as President Of his youn
o leow-students and debaters.
Mr., James Brophy on behalf of the affirm,
tive opened the debate. His speech as gener
survey Of the question ia dispute, and tor Il
ready grouping of all the strong points, famol
e leeds and great natural abilities of his hero,
C.esar,-wus very able. His arguments we
q many aud well presented 10 show that Clss
was an orator, statesman, writer, watri0
. conqueror. of the first class To prove i
points he quoted freely from the contemporari
= Of the oonquerOr of Gaul. We cannot f0llt
p him We find that if we attempted even to 81
$ the heads of the arguments Of each speaker,
o We hoped, il would occupy far too much OF o
e space Mr. Brophy has very powerful yoiC
e but it is wanting in musical tones That, no
p. ever, may be but temporary defect. His del
IS very was very good and effective, and le close
nnd the hearty plaudits Of the audience. 4
a. speech contained many fine sentences and sol
a. very thougLtful generalization.
lie Mr.. Andrew 0ibney opened for the negatiN
81 If were asked said he, " what is the fret. t
I'd second and the last principle of the yrtuo
y mind 2" | should reply, alt is the love
u Country" Without it man is the basest Of
40 kind A selfish, cunning, narrow speculate
" 4 trader in the dearest interests of his specie
Reckless of every tie OF nature, Of sentiment,
al affection An Arnol--a Cataline-a C,rsa
:, Cpsar, continued he, planted in the minds OF
l. brave and formidable people the fatal seeds
nv that revenge and hatred which finally assisted
nj the destruction Of the Roman Empire he stud
c not the happiness 0t the nation, but his o
n advancement which he accomplished by vic
he ting the laws and destroying the liberties Of
ID country" Mr., Gibney spoke with great app
prmteness and fine effect. He has clear, maj
d. voice, and managed ii well Ills action was
nd good tasie, but rather limited.
no Master Lawrence Pehm4n of this city spo
,ss next. His speech was argumentatiye and
OF strong sentences, but he did not do them
justice iu their delivery. lie displayed M
or judgment in emphasis, aud appeared to unt
Iil. stand what of ornament of delivery his thoug
u demanded but he was not always equal to
il huppest effort. lie has not energy, not VI
lin enough, not conscious power enough fol
nd speaker There is no dash in his manner.
a., la snu,e rasnpcta the hest ana ,Lar of tho