Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1865-06-30

fCpaACAiCAIEu.J
Mr.. Editor We had the pleasure of
attending the anniversary exercises of the
Zetegathean Society on last Friday eve
ming at their hall. The hall was crowded
to OVERLOOKING and it was with great diff
Guilty that seats were obtained by all who
were honored with an invitation. The
music was furnished by Pinney's popular
Band of Columbus, and was of a superior
order, such as he always furnishes. The
audience was a select one, rarely do we
see such a collection of beauty and intel
ligence as are usually present at the SOci-
ETY. exhibitions. The evening was pleas
ant with the exceptions of the oppressive
heat which rendered it somewhat uncom-
Portable making it necessary to bring
fans into constant use to create a breeze,
which hUttering caused a little unayOida-
Bile confusion. But the exercises were
further marred by the appearance of bur
lesque programmes, which some how or
other ~insinuated themselves in a mysteri-
GUS manner throughout the assembly
The effect of this was to cause a little
mirth at first, and create some disorder
which only lasted through the first two
performances, for the select Grafton Of
L. Thomson gained their attention, the
restlessness passed away and when he
closed the audience as quiet, and con-
tnued so during the remainder of the
evening.
The exercises were opened with prayer
by a member of the Faculty. The salu-
tatory Grafton by 7. G. Read, subject The
Traitors Doom was but an echo of pub
lie sentiment in regard the punishment Of
traitors, there was nothing new; simply a
rehash of what we nave read in the jour
nails for the past month. He has a good
voice, and speaks IN a manner which II
more animated would be very effective.
The next was an essay by John Creath.
Subject, Love of Retirement. The nat
ural pitch of his voice is on a very low
key, which makes his reading monOto-
nous. His style of writing is heavy and
dull, his ideas were good but not express
ed in a racy or pointed manner. The Sc
lect grafton by E. Thomson, was we'll de-
livered. The gentleman enunciates dis
tinctly, and adapts the tones of his voice
to the different shades of feeling in his
selection with great precision. He is a
pleasant and entertaining speaker. The
next grafton, by E. D.. Whitlock, sub
ject, Whence Is Greatness Z? was too
long. He is not animated enough in his
manner and his style of speaking is mo-
notonous. There was a lack of original
ity in the production. The discussion
came next. Question, Should the Right of
Suffrage be Universal?" 1t is the same
question they discussed at their last ex-
hibition, and was far more ably handled
on this occasion than before. It was con-
Quoted on the part of the affirmative by
A. S. B. Newton and John 2. Rea. The
leader made a strong speech in favor of
suffrage, his reasoning was conclusive, ell
ocution good and style clear. But Mr..
Rea made poor effort, more of an attempt
at rhetorical display than at argumenta-
ton. He speaks in a sing song tone with
his head thrown back, eyes fixed upon
one place, and gesticulates altogether
with one hand. He possesses no charac-
t~eristic of a debater. The negative was
conducted by j. T. Thompson, and JAS.
Stewart. Mr.. Thompson made the speech
of the evening, though longer than the
others, yet the audience were Interested
for it had the smack of originality. He
is extemporaneous and unstudied in his
manner, his style of delivery was better
suited to debating than any other one on
the occasion. His effort was spoiled, to
some extent, by the relation of some very
common place incidents. Mr.. Stewart
was very deliberate in his manner, and
forensic in his style, it had the merit of
brevity, but did not come up to the X
pectations of the audience. The Declam-
alton by E. I. Nelson, was a poem from
the Atlantic Monthly, difficult to speak,
and rather obscure in its meaning. The
audience did not seem to appreciate it
The next was a medley of what they call
ed poems grouped together, and christen-
ed with the ~enphonious name of ''Zetega-
theana," which was poorly read by FL. G.
Neal. The performance closed with an
Grafton from Mr.. Murray, Subject, Lines
of Life" It was beautifully written and
we'll delivered Astounding in fine senti-
ment, and deeply imbued with the true
its beautiful adaptation to life in giving
it a glorious Specification. President Mer-
rick pronounced the benediction and the
exercises closed, having lasted for three
hours, andwas, upon the whole, as good as
any former entertainmentgive blythe So
ciety. SPECTATOR.
June oath, 1865.