The Portland daily press., 1870-05-20


lie commenced By referring TO the events OF
our recent history, aud remarked that the cloud
when SO long over hung the Western conti-
nent passed on to the Eastern, and those who,
UNFOLDING old dynastics and prerogatives, were
made glad by the music of our artillery and
Tue rafting OF the iron hail, as the storm slow
~ drew Its length along, found themselves I'M
willingly but necessarily confronted Thy the
grim vsage of war. The whole civilized world
seems instructive to have felt. during the past
decade, that it was one of those germinal
periods occurring at intervals of centuries
when hidden forces impelled political powers
towards reconstruction.
America knew, before our recent revolution,
the necessities of her condition; and, yet,
| knowingly accepted revolution rather than
emancipation; and we have now hardly ceased
| to rock upon the dead swell of the spent tenn
pest, more dangerous often than the storm it,
sell. England is undergoing revolution OF
wider scope than any in her history, which
must remodel her Constitution, overthrow the
supremacy of her arisocracy, weed out her
rotten boroughs, establish representation upon
population, and pace the practical direction OF
| her affirs in the hands OF her people. She
I fully comprehends it,and, yet with the chronic
| inefficiency which governing classes Railways
manifest in such emergencies, and perfidious
| to herself as to others, freely seeks to popular
| ize her Government. by enlarging suffrage
without abridging prerogatlve, and span by
span, without plan or purpose, is buDglingly
endeayorng to bridge the gulf of her necessi-
ties. He alluded, with peculiar force, to Spain
letting slip the opportunity of centuries for
national aggrand:Z :ment, in pupy efforts to
ill vacant throne, rather than trust a people
ready to tread out, in the wind-press OF their
Indignation, all obstruc ing forms OF church
and state in the search for civil and religious
liberty. Better to Prm, or Espartero, or
whomsoever chance may elevate to the kingly
martyrdom, a crown OF thorns than the jewel
less crown of Isabella. He next referred to
tfn1tn Inv
the awakened enthusiasm of q people whose
dreamy lmbecility for centuries had only
nursed bigotry and invited desp otism. He
then passed on to speak of Austria. Prussia
and France, remarking of Napoleon III. that
he is Disgusting, even to himself, that he is the
empire, and that he shall sooner or later die
"no son of his sue eeding." To Alexander
alone OF monarchs did he attribute the dis
cernment to discover that men are the strength
of the State and to broaden the foundation of
his throne by the acknowledgements OF 100000
of serfs In this period Of universal revolu-
ton it is fitting that we inquire for sure foun-
dations. In the day Of outward strength the
storm came sud len as the ball of fire before
the eyes OF Saul. To the world at large De-
mocracy had faiied the Republic aCds divided
In the clear light of 10 day no revolution is
more Ineligible. Slavery, though protected
under the constitution, could not peacefully
protect itself against the laws of DEVELOPMENT
in American society. The election of 1860 de-
that the forces of development in favor OF free
society had been too strong to be peacefully re-
sisted. The only course that remained for its
preservation was separation. No ar was ever
more impersonal in its origin, aim or character
on both sides. 1t was natural development
of a great absorbing social force, struggling
Tor life. and madly tearing down all cOnstitu-
tiOnal barriers, that it might live The strug-
gle could only end when the people insisted
that war should be met by war, prerogative by
,l,r ,,-l,x-
we came surely to understand the relations of
| the contending forces, and the underlying me-
cessitios of our social and political position.
| Ii the structure of our political organization
was saved, it was from no power of self preser-
walton. but from its conformity to the public
| acM and conscience. and however hallowed by
age and sanctilied by tradition, whatever was
not normal to democratic organization and ex-
expansion has been trampled out in war, or
will fall away before the corroding breath of an
emancipated public opinion. 1t is not by the
wax and parchment of lawyers that the indie
peDdence of men can be preserved. The speak
er then went on TO enumerate some of the ele-
ments of permanency, pamlng, LIST, Trust in
God He did not mean simply belief, but that
trust which recognizes the eternal purposes
and experimenting power of God; I'd, Faith
in humanity. AS the sum of the Christian s
creed is to honor God and love man, SO the
creed of the citizen is to have trust in God and
faith in man. Without this faith in humanity,
DIS SuCD. lteT6 eau UGitEeE Jruc III
the church nor true democracy in the State.
The responsibility Of national permanence
rests not upon the weak backs and knees of
politicians They are as class but negative
element in the State The church, the press,
the college, are the only sources of safety to
saved the nation when the storm of rebellion
came. New men sat in the council and in the
camp. They were the products of the time,
and filled with its ideas, and therein lay, our
safety; not III their greatness, but i'll their hde-
ity. Success came when, from the substratum
of the army emerged men who were of the peo
pie and filled with their ideas. The ark of po-
ltical safety has been committed to no chosen
tribe of Levi. We, each in his appointed
sphere of industry and influence. are common
workers in a common cause. The church,
through the ages, has spoken in a clear voice
its message of contentment and submission in
the ear of Labor; its message is yet to be de-
livered to Capital in its pride and power. The
college makes, first, men, then, scholars. Of
the educated men of cur generation, the future
will esteem most those who with the stoutest
heart and firmest purpose, irrespective of
scholastic requirements or OF worldly calling,
shall lend their talents with most earnestness
| to the elevation of mankind. Their field is a
continent fresh from the hands of nature, rich
| to profusion in all the opportunities for human
| industry and avenues to work. What field
| for human activity! Nothing but himself
| stands between man and his highest useful
w
| the popular mind, it looks to those best fitted
| by education and opportunity to speaks its
voice and direct its energies. Whatever we
| gather of wealth or honors must soon fade
away; whatever of truth we contribute to the
| moral forces, whose ever-fowing current bears
| up the hopes of all the future, will forever re-
main to fertiiza the earth and bless mankind
At the conclusion OF Mr.. Pomeroy's Grafton
the Germanias played Auber's overture to
"Feersee," after which the exercises closed
with the singing of the Fraternity Song.
The committee on the part of the Alumni
and Undergraduates of Bowdoin, members of
the chapter, are entitled to the highest praise
for the excellence of their arrangements and
the successful manner in which everything has
been carried out The committee on the part
of the graduates was Gen. j. Marshall Brown
Maj. w. L. Donnell, G. f. Libby, Esq, Dr. F.
II. Gerrish and j. Fl. Hinkley, Esq, of this
city, and on the part Of tho undergraduates
| Messrs. q. B. Weston, G. L. Shepard, w. T.
| SANFORD, H. Harris and e. I. Deerng. After
| the exercises the Fraternity partook of their
ANIMAL supper at the Falmouth Hotel.
Our shipping Interests.
mnntino of shinovnnrS shinmosfars and