The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-03
UNION UNIVERSITY.
The Finale Of the Commencement
'.A Comedy.
Happy Congratulations and Sentimental Fare
wslls-A Great Crowd Of visitors- Address
Of Ex-aovsrnor Seymour on tho
w University Organization
Brilliant Exercises.


.y University Organization
Brilliant Exercises.
ScHENBorADY. NJ r.. July 2 1873.
Frightened BY glorious sunshine and famed BY
delicousy cool breezes commencement day has
been most lovely and cheerful, ana the town has
been intoxicated with the excitement attendant
upon its festivities Throngs OF visitors poured In
from all directions on the early trains, and the
streets were enivened by the briliiancy and nov
city OF great multitude, which seemed gaily to
mock the usual quietude OF their sylvan shadows.
Farm equipages, laden with rural paternity and
beauty, drove to the various hotels at unseason-
ably early hours In bewildertng and confusing
numbers. At halfpast nine the college grounds
were picturesque and inspirited scene
the bright groups OF spectators, which
had gathered on the green to witness the forma-
ton and starting OF the procession in notable con-
trast with the grave stolidity OF the cold limestone
walls OF the halls OF learning, that seem to frown
the very town at their feet into more than natural
solennity Of character. The procession waa
headed by the President Of this University. DR..
Eiphalet Mott Potter, followed by Ex-Governor
seymour. ex-senator Harris, Dr. walworth, Secre.
tary OF the Board Of Regents; James Brown, the
Wall street banker; Howard Potter, the Rev. DIR.
Henry c. Potter, OF Grace church; Garrison Potter,
Judge BlatchfOrd and other gentlemen OF dlstinc-
ti0n. the seniors and the lower classes.
The streets were fringed on both sides by dense
lines OF loOkers0n, among whom eager. feminine
curiosity gained, by its customary and psrd0nabe
audacity, . very conspicuous concession OF posi-
ton. The delicate handkerchiefs which the dear
ladies waved at the manly but selfcOnsci0us
seniors were signals Of admiration which amply
compensated masculine humanity for the incon-
thic iu
by the code of gallantry. The avenue of beauty
was perfect nutter Of semi-j0y0us and semi
envious excitement when all women wished
themselves successful seniors; but this was
over In few moments Then there began great
and frantic rush for the First Reformed church,
where the final exercises were to take place. 1t Is
fine edlfce and was filed to Its utmost capacity.
The airy 1utter OF delicate fans, warmt tinted rib
bons and the ripping surface Of the sea of human
faces, cOntrasted pcturesquey with the sOlidity Of
the noble architecture OF the interior, composed
very pretty scene. Many oil the ancient and ven
cradle graduates Of Union Of long years ago were
there-their honOred presence mpressing one with
a deep appreciation OF the nobility OF that indi-
viduality, bestowed on her vOtaries by education.
Before the opening OF the exercises two strong
and youthful ushers tenderly escorted to the plat
old man on the very verge OF the grave, who is a
graduate OF the class Of 1873 His age is nearly
The following was the
ORDER or EXERCISES
Mnsc By the a 3s eSnSst csp in
Kreutzer.
Music Selections from "Un Balo in Maschera"vcrdL
snd N.S s%es HVwad ae[ea
s. Monuments" william Earl Faulkner Milton
Modern Iconoclasm," Charles Lester Pond Saratoga
:FSs Press" Newton ps p. t., Albany w,. -
Union University, the ALBANY Law school the Albany
g2S
Address on behalf of the Albany institutions by Hon.
ponse behalf Of the Alumni of Union College, by
bripknE . Chorus ballad. and LA sicene"
DEGREES coNFERRED.
"sons to Old Union" BY students and Alumni
Benedicton.
The platform was covered with distinguished
men, the Alumni and faculties OF the University
and candidates for degrees. This being the first
commencement since the new organization, the
presence OF tine officers OF all the different lnsttu
tions, which are now united, was regarded Us very
suspicious.
The Rev. DR.. J. I. Backus, OF Schenectady, an
uncle OF the Walworth parriclde, delivered the
The Hebrew grafton, resounding with echoes of
the eloquence OF Aaron, the high priest. much
appreciated by the attentive audience
conspicuous weakness of memory was
who Illustrated the fact that an author does
not always know by heart the productions OF his
usual bombarded the heroes OF academic struggles
whom they admired with ponderOus bouquets until
the stage was literally covered with carpetng Of
dslocated petals. Some very venerable and highly
respectable individuals sustained Commissions on
various organs Of the lace through unconsciously
! and the dignfed and petted President himself did
not escape unscathed. The comparative GUAM
rsnds usually GOOD meaSs Of ete
mining which OF the class Is pre-eminently the
..adies man. The Grafton, by Eugene L. Mapes, OF
Florida, on "The Limitations OF Philosophy" was
the best delivered, and was quite commendabe.
| The same well remembered scene TRANSFERRED
which do always transpire in all except lew
cases-the martyrdom Of public exposure the
stage; the fearful struggle and the deiusive tri-
a 0de
| and chucKing bouquets at the young man to whom
probably they bear the dlsinterested relation of
Iather mother, sisters, brothers and aunts. II Is at
essss o9ss Of dS SdS asq
After the oratory was concluded che University
exercises, presided over by the Hon Ira Harris.
President OF the Albany Law School and Of the
Board of Trustees were begun by the introduction
OF Ex-Governor seymour to the audience, who ap-
plauded him. He spoke nearly as fOllows:-
EX-GOVERNOR SEYMOUR's ADDRESS,
The interest OF this occasion was augmented by
the fact that the institution had assumed new
enclo. ures from which act 1t had derived anew
more vigor and strength to accomplish success
IMAM III ever pOSSesSeu DeIOTe III tne euuCatlOnhi
scheme the University was the finest feature.
In his opinion all the other colleges IN
the track OF this new departure in education.
going back to the wisdom Of fathers by taxing
one step in the development OF the scheme, I'M
equaed In liberality and DEPTH which they origin
ated. The idea OF college had been Tor years and
still was that OF somewhat secluded place, shut
on from the world, a remaining vestge OF the old
mOnastic forms Learning had in former day Its
origin inreliqious institutions, Of whose influence
its broad field still retained evidences. He would
compare the educational history Of New
York with that OF other states, because
only IN this way could he bring out clearly
its distinct features The colleges OF Massachusetts
We owed much to New England for her
example and teachings, but he vet thought that
of cd wac far hort NJ no