New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1866-01-29
DIR. MOTT,

has reached an age 90 advanced although it is but
few years since he was as actively interested ever In
al things related TO the College OF his founding and to
the country be ever periodically loved He took
deep interest In public Affairs at the commencement
Of our civil war and usual with him in all cases
Of STRIFE public or private social ecclesiastical. his
mind was intent on measures Of pacfcation. DR.. Mott
wss ever peacemaker In the most blessed OF the
term but far from being q COMPROMISED He had no
faith in any measure that would ignore what he hsd
long regarded the monster evil Of our land but be
had great confidence. undue confidence perhaps, In
the power Of reason and persuasion. He was like Mr.
Lincoln in this respect; he thought be could reason
men into almost anything the. was right The very
thought Of civil war was abhoent to him. and his ar.
dent prayers were ever going up that in some way II
might be ayerted or healed He has lived to the close
OF this terrible conflict be has the end Of Slavery
which be so deiested. and. in regard to our public
Affairs is doubtless prepared to say with one Of DID,
"Now, Lord. let thy servant depart in peace, siice
mine eyes have seen thy salvation"
But though Dr. Motifs active life has extended nearly
to the present. time 1t is rather in reference to the long
past that he awskens the chief interest in the mind Of
the visitor There Is something in the sight Of so
very old man that makes him an object Of wonder.
As Telemachus said on beLolding Nestor. that bur
yyor Of three generatious- Astonishment possesses
me as look upon thy form; It is though one
Of the immortals." Though yet lingering among the
living, be seems like being Of another world. We
overlook the later years Of bis long and busy life and
associate Lin with the remote past Especially Is this
effect increased since late Of such great import
ance coming seem to have driven that remote
past to still greater distance from u.s. We vastly
further from the men Of the Revolution than we
four years ago.
Dr. Mott was born In the year ira. He well remem.
beIs many OF the events OF the first for national
existence. He took an intelligent interest in the for.
nation and adoption Of our Federal Constitution His
youth and early manhood were spent under the ad.
ministration Of Washington. He was the friend and
sdmirer of Hamilton, and the sermon he preached
he Of his amented death Is yet 10 demand
Of the choicest specimens Of pulpit eioquenee lie
was the intimate acquaintance and counselor OF DE
Witt Clinton. He was tho highly esteemed friend as
well IS the religions instructor OF Kent and Spencer
No cerg, men In our land held high place in
the estimation OF those old political and judicial wor
would have made him their equal To say the least had
he chosen life like their OWL he was, In the t-hest
sense, their religious guide Kent acknowledged bis
obligations to DIR. Mott for having relieved bis mind
from some forms Of skepticsm TO which the active
thinkers of that day specially prone aud Ambrose
Spencer showed by his closing life that the lessons Of
lis early teacher had made their due impression On his
mind. The venerable preacher has survived them ALL
ard now fingers among the men and children OF O
second and third generation-a choice relic OF the
past yet still associated with almost every matter Of
public interest for the present time. g,
Dr. Mott is best known a. tie founder and President
Of Union College. The length Of his connection with
that institution is unparalleled In the history OF toe 1T
erary world He called TO be It's head in 1904, at
which time he was pastor Of the First Presbyterian
Church IN the city Of Albany He 10 still its President
In 1866. We find mention sometimes made In our
clerical charge for nifty years. very rarely there be
cited the of pastorate continuing unbroken for
sixty. but here Is the President OF one OF the first lite
rary institutions Of land continuing IN his high and
responsible Office for sixty years. There Is no case
like 1t of which We ever read and what makes It the
more striking s tue fact that is only within very
few years that this venerable has shown any abate
ment Of his power for such trust For 6y.fve years
he absent from his presiding place at every
College Commencement, and during all that time he
continued well and faithfully to perform OILS high duties
in the chapel and the lecture room. He has conferred
the degree Of A. on nearly 1000 young men (once
Young many OF them quite ODD and by all u that
numb, yet living Is he reveTenced the man who has
exerted the most distinct and pow fu influence upon
their lives.
DIR. Mott has given TO Union College marked and
peculiar character. We do not intend to praise II In
any special manner for its scholarship or its science
Other Colleges Of land may claim TO be ahead OF II
IN certain aspects We shall not dispute that claim If
they choose to make IT, Union College has never In.
dulged In that self.laudaion which has formed go
marked and constant feature Of some others. IL has
sent forth vast number Of graduates OF greatly vary
ing talent and intelligence and yet IT may be claimed
for il that College Ia land has been more emi.
nently and practically successful in what are regarded
among u.s. whether truly falsely the proper aims OF
educ alton; that is from no American College Of the
same age has there gone forth greater number II
who have coDspicuously succeeded IN the political
the commercial the ecclesiastical or TO speak gener.
ally the more active and business ayocations OF the
land We are not saying now whether snch success s
indeed the highest aim Of education, or whether such
an aiu would have been well attained under other
guidance; but we are only presenting statistical fact
Although pupil Of DR.. Mott. the writer must confess
10 difference between his views Of education and
that cherished by his revered teacher The
time may have come when. for Union College, and. IN
deed may say it, for all our Colleges there is needed
more Of the speculative and the theoretical The cry
of practical men, has had its use and It's day. They
have done their work and by their fruits in past times
we have some Of knowing how lar their success
has been a reality or celusion. Whether onr Con-
crosses legislative bodies generally and cur eccle
siastcs conventions. would be deteriorated or made
better BY greater infusion Of another element is
question will not now discuss. But 10 respect TO
what has hitherto been regarded as highest as well as
most useful In American education, DIR. Motifs claim
10 prominent success cannot be impeached. In the
National House Of Representatives, in the United
States Senate. in the Cabinet, the Bench, in the
highest places Of the Bar 10 the Army in the Church
of all denominations In Middle and Western STATES
on the Episcopal Bench Of Bishops even and in pros.
pering Commerce, the names from Union College will
successfully compete. both In respect to number and
eminelce, with those Of any other institution In our
praise and the induction Of sixty years proves 1t be
merely transient or accidental merit He has Ger
tainly been the means of making successful men.
II Is no abuse Of the term to cal Dr. Mott great
man-a great man even among the few 10 whom the
name can properly be applied. We il in no merely
comparative sense He had the positive and substan-
tisl elements Of greatness Without 1t ne could not
have commanded the Of SO many and for 70
long time. But bis chief claim to such a appelation
his chief excellence. or that which be exhibited most
strkinglv In the prime OF life has not been fully under
stood He has been celebrated for his management Of
literary institution. Some have Landed MIN for this
in depreclating sense. He has been famed for his
financial slili but here too there have been opposite
opinions. There Is however, merit which ali must
cOncede who knew DR.. Mott, and heard him preach
40 years ago although his later seculat life las We
would call II without the least thought Of disparsge