The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-07-01
COMMENCEMENT.
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA.
Jefferson society celebration.
University OF NIRGISIA,l
June 10Th, 1869.

p~rpIcATroS OF II WASHINGTON SOCIETY
HALL.
Tho exercises are represented on all hands
IN have been of n deeply interesting charac-
Ter. The dcdicatory address OF Mr.. George;
Perkins, Of Farmvillc. was n VIVID his'orlcai
skctch Of The Society from its origin, IN iS5i.
down to the present time. 1T was said 10
have been an address of unusual intcrcst-
we'll conceived, ia good taste, we'll written,
hr;cr N treat yirtucl. and very well deli
vcrcd. Mr.. Perkins has taken the deepest
interest in the Society since his connection
With the University, and now that he goes
forth with his b.. J.. diploma, he carries
with him her best wishes. Mr. John wise,
nr vour rity-an old and honorcd member
Of the Misunderstanding called out, made
IN imDromptu speech, which, well spoken
Of bv those who heard it.
The hall is very handsome onc-cnmmo-
dious, comfortable, and very admirably
arranged for it, purpose. When iully
finished in the style proposed 1t VIII TIC one
If the finest society halls in the country.
rho old members of "thc WASH Who
remember the cuddy in which we used TO
meet wonld rejoice to see this noble hall ana
the one hundred and sixty members who
gather III 1t.
MEETING OF TIE BOARD OF TRUSTEES.
There are present Just Il quorum of the
Board-viz.. u. J. Barbour, rector ; Dr.
John r. Woods, of Albcmarlc Colonel W.
/. NJ. Word, of BotctotTt; DR.. Thomas j.
Prctlow, of southampton; Colonel Samuel
Watts. Of Portsmouth. ,
They have been attending to the usual
routine OF business, and to-day had a CON
ference with the trustees OF the Miller
fund" By the terms al the donation thus
fund (SIoO, 000) is to be held in trust for the
benefit of the school of "Analytlca! ana
Industrial Chemistry only the interest to
be uscd-and if in the Judgment of these
trustees the fund should be perverted from
the design Of the donor, they can withdraw
it and appropriate it TO some other lnstlt,-
So, even if The Scalawa9S and carpet
bacgcrs succeed in getting possession Of the
University. they cannot lay hands upon
thc "Milicr fund" The trustees (em-
Jraring such men as Colonel r. J. Ram
dolph, Judge William J. Robertson, Judge
Alexander Riycs. etc. are all warm friends
of the University, and the Board OF Visitors
will have no difficulty in making satisfactory
arrangements for the disbursement of the
interest on this noble bcnefaction. But |
must hasten on to speak OF the
CELEBRATION OF THE JEFFERSON SOCIETY.
The hall was even more dcnscly crowded
tonight with al audience III po>SlbIc) more
brilliant than the one which assembled last
night. The decorations Tonight We're the
Sumc as on last night. save that the motto oi
lhc .Wash" Society had been removed,
aud that of the "Ictf"-" Hacc Ohm Mcnu-
nrssn Observation-Disclosures on the arch
over the stand.
After PRAYER by Rev. Mr.. Tinsicy, Mr.
shepard Barclay. of st. Louis, Mo, presi-
dent of the Society, gracefully introduced
as entitled to the "dcbatcrs' medal this
wear, Mr.. William w. Adams, of Peters
burg During the year now nearly gone
the struggle for thiS-our highest h"nor-
has bccn fierce and bitter: the clash of con-
tlicting opinions has sometimes Jared our
structure 10 its base. and the strong cables
which bind Us together have sometimes we'll
uiuh parted in the storms OF adverse tIc-
tionS: but now, as we stand together for
the last time rs ~ Il society, and feet the
..ncar proximity OF Il lasting separation,
the voice Of opposition is huShcd, the Will
of the majority is freely recognized aS The
will Of all, and the old Society. with one
accord. proclaims that "William w. Adams,
of Petersburg, Va. is her best dchatcr:|
Turning to Mr.. Adams, he appropriately
and f%cclinglv expressed the best wishes and
hopes of the Society for him, and cNhortcd
him to work for his native Virginia, con-
,ludin" rs follows:
.Acccpt, then, sir, this wcll-won prize,
and with ii my cordial and sincere congralu-
EationS. May il serve tG urge YOU Oh to the
proud victories of pcacc, and prove 4 beacon
light to guide YOU safely in the course OF
right and duty. With il YOU carry our
very nindcSt wishes. May prosperity ever
attend YOU even until the sunset of life has
faded away andthc twilight and darkness OF
death have taken YOU from mortal sight
forever
Dir. Adams gracefully introduced his re-
Sporsc with an ~alluSion to the motto OF the
Sncictv-"In after years ii will he delight
tul to remember these things lind then
said "Thosc whose hair is Silycrcd by the
hand of time may smile at the triumphS III
early wears. But when the heart is huoyant
with the warm emotions of youth, Wncnthc
honor is The Gift of those whose generous
impulses have not yet been dcadcnrd Ivy
contact with the cold and selfish world-all
the more highly should it be cStcclncd-all
the more fondly should it be cherished. |
know not how it may be with others hut
as for me. | would rather pluck the tiny
rosc' nd rs it gli>tcn> with the pure dew
drops Of morning, and h~luShin%ly blooms
in the S~pring-timc. than to gather the full
blown tlower whose petals are whitening
under the Sultry rays of the meridian sun
and Soilcd with the dust of the stern rcali-
ties of life
He thanked the President for his kind
words. and said, III aught were wanting
to complete the satisfaction of this ocra-
sion. its more than furnished when
| receive from YOUR hands the
highest honor Of my Society," He e.
pressed for the Presidents future welfare
the best wishes, and the sentiment was lusl-
ily chccrcd by the students. Turning tothc
Society he expressed the hopcthat he would
ever appreciate the high responsibility he
had assumed in accepting this prize. "ln
Wonder dear old hall our society glrds the
armor ON her sons, and sends them forth to
the great battle of Life. Tonight she has
made me Il stanGard-bcarcr i'll her ranks ;
and although | cannot promise TO plant her
banner upon the licld OF immortal fame, of
this much he assured, that on The proud
heights of honor its folds shall ever wave,
till cold death shall destroy the hands that
grasp it. and silence forever the beating OF
this grateful heart He should devote what
talents he possessed to the interests OF his
native South. and asked no higher honor
than TO have ii said of him lie has done
we'll his duty in life. He has proven himself
worthy the laurcls with which the Jefferson
Society once crowned his youthful brow
After earnestly and t%celinglv assuring his
comrades that they and the Society would
ever dwell i'll his memory, he concluded IL
follows:
Can the child forget that mother who
has tcndcrly uurturcd and prepared it for
the rude shocks of after years? !Snd so I'll
not forget this my Alma Mater. I'll not
forget her noble guardians whose eminent
abilities and higli-tonedc characters have sown
such golden harrestS in our southern land.
And more than all, | will not! %cannot--
forget you, tellow-membcrs who have shown
Yourselves such faithful friends to me, and
who have touched Il chord i'll my heart to-
night which shall yibratc rs long as life
shall last. And now tdrtareiI! But not to
sweet remembrance.
No!