Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-07-16

We may pursue his m;nions oack I" "a'"'
Up, then. nv comrades. Cir your loins anew
Raise high the standard Of the good ana r .oe'
| Lift TO His praise your ringing hattie hyn"'
And give TO Cod, conseerafed Inn
The public celebration ended with BENG
diction by the chaplain. IL was highiy
credtablc to the society in all respects
At the close the members marched to tie
American, where the society dinner 'ooA
place Seventy members were present.
Al iha American. dinner worthy the
reputation OF that well kept hosiery was
served. to which full justice was done
After the wants Of the inner man we're sat
isfed. the President, Hon. II. III. Powers,
of Morri>yille called on President Buck
ham, who responded in his usual happy
vein. He was followed by Professor j. T..
Goodrich. of the University, and the Rev
T. II. Byington, of Brunswick, Maine
The meeting then adjourned, on account OF
the latcness of the hour. after pleasant
and profitable relnion.
Celebration OF the Alumni.
The annual celebration of the Alumni
OK place Tuesday afternoon, in the College
! Street Church, = fair-sizcd audience being
in attendance. On the platform were the
President of the Associate Alumni, Prot.
SeIm II. Peabody. of Chicago, Ill the or
atnr Of the day. Hon. William p. Wells. OF
Detroit. Mich; the poet, Rev. L. E llerriek.
of Chelsea. w.. and the chaplain, Rev.
Ebenezer Cutler, D. d of Worcester, Mass.
After prayer by the chaplain. Professor
Peabody introduced to the audience the or
ator Of the day, who spoke substantially as
follows
Mr. WELLS's GRAFTON.
/ Gelfisiaen Il 'uDiai ofihe TmrGsfy:
/ 1t was my privilege and pleasure, four
years ago, upon the twentieth anniversary
| OF the graduation of my class. to be in at
tendance here. to witness the Inauguration
OF ore of nv classmates as President of this
/ University. and to hear the words with
wnlch. on that occasion. he saluted the
/ Alumni ard friends OF our Tina Mater. As
listened to his address. and recalled his
/ long and honorable devotion TO the welfare
OF this ustituti1n-iortunate indeed in his
/ lust prom 1tIun-it seemed to me that, apart
from the precious services he had been able
To render 10 the University. the happiness
Of his lite must have been bcT0nd the com
mon lot Of men. Looking again upon the IA
mIiiar landscape and the smiling skies.
which stu! Keep tor rs their perpetual
and undecaying charm. almost enyied him
/ the tranquil Years which he had spent here,
in the pursuit Of delightful studies. in low
ing companionship with nature and with
letters For the JOYS OF Il scholastic life, in
{ such a beautiful environment as this, |
thought that one might well exchange all
the alluriug prospects AID dazzling prizes
which are offered 10 labor ~ the world OF
secular pursuits.
A. We return t. cur Alma Mater in after
years We iecl tina. VIC revisit too seldom the
/ scene. hall0wci and beloved, OF our con-
,ocr4tion t. culture. Drawn a. we are by
the exigeucics Of az active life from liberal
studies and pGT>dIts. It may not be map
propriate 10 turn aside from the paths Of
literature and philosophy to the practical
/ affairs Of the world, and to consider, in the
briet tins whi1h custom sll0t> the speaker
before the Alumni. tho relation between
collegiate Institutions and outside lie. And
this, then. Is my sutiect-The relation of
cdacaied men to American politics.
The political condition Of the country i
a
ton of Affairs L. worthy of observation and
staly The American system of govern
men. !. permanent and enduring one
though there are those who are wont u de-
cry and be!ittle Il. To such men the labor-
Of our ancestors seem 1t little worth or val
uc Oars l. representative government,
as IL has been from the foundation. though
/ The principle OF sell government was not
/ original Nth the founders OF the Republic,
/ but was brought ifum across the sea The
WI. of the majority ot The people c1usti-
/ tute- the legislative poker Of the nation.
/ The people are constantly divided into po-
/ litical parties. and these parties are indeed
/ the very >ut-Isncc ana superiority OF free
/ government The idea OF representative
government involves the IDEA u division
( OF the People into parties \ review OF the
actual state ot our politics would reveal
I some facts not entirely cheering to the pat
II Il and the lover 90 his country Bat all
who are not blinded vii join in g-a'ulation
thGt the century DOW ciu-ing-the first Gen.
tury OF the AepIl.ic-ha> brought 10 oar
people - great "a measure OF happiness and
Ut sperity AID IN the oeutury'- history
enough vii. be found Tor a sober exultaiion
and the indulgence of just pride The
God %: our fathers is indeed oar God.
The political power oi the country. al
ways shifting, forms the course OF the
o,uatry- There is mach in oar political
condition mat raei- revision and cOrrec-
lian The standards and .noti,c~ % politi-
cal aD.iou arc not always such a. t. com
mend themselves 80 the judgment and con-
sc.cccs Of tle people The attainment OF
power is made the ultimate and not the
laboril-atc object If party. The caucus
is the potent ruler ct American politics.
W hen we inquire tire ,aU-S Of the darker
side of our politics tie answer = not far to
seek. Wig are the seeds OF corruption
s,wu throughout the iand ; why can an III
famous r.u- RIB a great city, and Tweed
narrow il miss having d monument erected
q his honor in the metropolis he bad
p.uui--ei7 The answer Is found in that
dete>tah.c maxim. 70 the yilt0gl belong
the -qoi.-.
iac,a-iicring the relation Of educated
men 81 American politics. it shoud be
u-;ed that superior anu cultivated minds
a.,s b.. most important iuhuenee on the
public o.. large ana this influence l. not
cxertel solely Ly educated statesmen 10
public iic. but in q thousand other ways
Another TACT q be renem bersd is the we'll
nigh complete separation OF educated men
from political parties Their connection
with them extends only 10 the perlunctorv
discharge Of civic duty. |, Is taken toy
granted that there l. No place in politics
Tor cultured and educated minds Tais alb
sencc of edIeatci men from politics
shows an utterly INADEQUATE idea OF
citizenship aud disregard of its
dntes. Bl; it arises ron aversion and
disgust with the methods of politics,
Can this separation OF educated men from
politics and civic duties be regarded as any
thing else than an evil and an evil needing
correction? Tai, government Is carried on
by great parties Can the majority of edu-
Gated men lose the opportunity OF engaging
in public affairs and deprive the country OF
the benefit OF educated perception Who
are to lead thc country, If not the edIclted
men?
There are grave evils in our national life.
When we discuss the modes oi reform We
pass into the region OF uncertainty and
doubt. There Is no unity of opinion. There
are those who think the movement of our
politics Is downward. unchecked. Others |
are destitute of faith in democracy. |
Each contributes to the discussion and |
leaves the result to the memorable /
logic of events In the frs: place |
educated men should take part in politics. !
There j. lack OF interest in politics among |
the learned professions Men hold them |
selves aloof from it as iii from fear OF contami- |
nation. and as il it were unworthy of them.
| plead for a deeper concern and deeper |
interest in politics on the part OF educated
men. Remember the welfare of the coun-
Try rcuouncc indulgence IN a life CT ease
participate and take an interest in politics,
and DO not abandon is TO professional poll
tieisns.
Whetber or not it i the duty of edscated
men TO engage in Gctire politics is mooted
question. | would urge them to do so.
Reform or destroy the caucus system-for
reform can begin only in the caucus. II the
the best citigsns should determine TO control
the caucus a great step would be taken TO-
ward the publication OF our politics. The
great mass Of the people are honest and we'll
meaning Educated men should realize their
position and their duty. Their teachings and
influence are felt not only through the press
but through every channel by which the
people are reached Another important
service they can render is the promotion ct