Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1873-08-08

OH plausible ground, OF having gone over
to the Democrats. Such an amalgamation
of the Democracy with its allies would
have two bad effects 1T would arrest the
dissolution of the Republican party, and
it would let down the Democratic spirit to
the level of the half-emancipated Republi-
cans. The true thing to do is to encour-
age the other organizations, but resolutely
maintain the Democratic standards of po-
litical doctrine for unless Democracy can
be again made living conviction in the
public mind reforms of the Government
will never be more than skin-deep.-N Y.
World. .-
commencement at St. Johns College.
On Wednesday, the 30th ult., an unusu-
ally interesting programme Of exercises
was given at Mcdowell Hall, in celebra-
ton ofthe eighty eighth annual commence
ment of St. Johns College At the ap-
pointed hour, 10 o'clock, the members of
the Faculty, Visitors and Governors, &C
companied by the President and Vice
President of the College, followed by the
graduating class, and other dignitaries
filed into the Hall to the inspiring music
of the Naval School Band, and took their
seats on the platform. After prayer by
the Rev. DR.. Nelson, Vice-President of the
College, the following graduates, orators
of the day, were introduced: birmingham
Gordon, of Baltimore, James p. Dawson,
of Talbot county, William Richie, of
Frederick, Walter r. Crabbe, of Baltimore,
Samuel Ridout, of Annapolis, Sidney
Walter, of Somerset, and Henry B. Writ,
of Elkton, who, by their Well-written, and
Welldelivered orations reflected great
credit on their lima Mater, and were re-
warded with rounds of applause from the
sterner sex, and with beautiful floral tri-
butes from fairer hands. We regret that
space will not permit US to enter into de-
tailed account and description Of these
really excellent essays, but we must be
content to give our readers merely the sub
ject, and names of the orators Salutatory
grafton, Heningham Gordon, of Baltimore,
Nd; "The Age we Live in" James P.
Dawson, of Easton, Talbot county, Md. :;
''The Duty and Dangers of Independent
Inquiry" VIM. Richie, of Frederick, Md. !;
THE Study of English Literature" Walter
R. Crabbe, of Baltimore, Nd; "hiberty
and License" Samuel Ridout, of Annapo-
lis, Md. "The Influence Of Revolutions, on
the Progress of Society,"" Sidney Waller,
of Somerset county, Nd. The Valedicto-
ry Grafton was delivered by Henry B.
Writ, of Elkton, Cecil county, Nd. At
the conclusion of the addresses, the Prin-
cipal conferred the following degrees: DR..
Jno. w. Brewer, U. S. N, the honorary
degree of A. M, DR. Ninian Pinkney, U. S.
N, that of LII. D., and upon the Rev. j.
nj. Dashiells, that of D., also that degree
of B. A, upon all the members of the grad
uating class. The johnson prizes" were
next awarded-one of $50, and one of $780,
to the writers of the best, and second best
essays-to James r. Randall, the prize Of
$50 was awarded for his essays on Tenny-
son, and to Heating S. Nelson, the prize of
$40 for his essay on 'Old Mortality" The
Alumni also awarded prizes of $40 and
SO to the best, and second best inpen-
manship-W. o. Latchford, of Howard
county, receiving the first, and Bayard r.
Price, of Baltimore, the second. Three
were awarded to the prepararatory classes
for rapid improvement. The Hon. An
drew G. Chapman, of Charles county. Md,
having been selected as orator before the
Alumni, was next introduced, who address
ed the graduates at some length in an able
and eloquent manner, reminding them of
the duties they had to perform, in build
ing up, and placing old ST. Johns on a
footing with similar institutions. The
Hon. Reverdy johnson, was then introduc-
ed, and addressed the audience for short
time, in his usual feiicitous style, which
concluded the exercises of the day. At
night the banquet of the Alumni was held
in the same hall. Quite large number of
the sons of old ST. Johns, with the Visi-
tors and Governors, the Faculty and 9th
er invited guests, gathered around the fes-
tive board which, spread with all the de-
licacies of the season, was grooming be-
meath the superintendent weight of
creams, ices, confectionery, and all the 9th
er appurtenances of first-class affair. 1t
was decided success, genuine social re-
union, at which many happy things were
said, number of toasts appropriate to
the occasion offered, and responses made
full of enthusiasm. In short, the events of
the day have disclosed the fact that St.
Johns is doing good pork in the cause of
higher education, and can exhibit results
which will compare favorably with those
of any similar institution in the country
and the further fact, that the Alumni of
the College, are beginning to take deep
er interest in her welfare, and material
prosperity.