Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-06-17

EXERCISES OF LAST EVENING.
Correspondence Of Aa Commercial
NEWARK, June II.
The exercises of Commencement week at Del
aware College closed, last evening, with the an.
niversary Of the Delta Phi Literary Soce y The
exercises were held IN the oratory, which was
once more decorated, and in manner different
from the previous entertainments Of tho week
beautiful floral monogram OF the society and
its floral star was conspicuous in the arches
Of evergreens. The hall WAS also again crowd
ed. s. Erf
The entertainment was opened by the Ono
Thousand and One Nights Waltz, when prayer
was offered by the Rev. Mr.. Stevenson.
Chss. L.. Vallandigham, the chairman of the
Delta Phi Committee, in few well chosen words
spoke Of the spirit which moved the society to
select an evening to commemorate their mystic
brotherhood, In conclusion he introduced T.
Webster Dorsey as the society orator, and an
nounced as the theme g Orators and Oratory."
Mr. Dorsey delivered fine oration, lamenting
thu decay of oratory, and added another laurel
to the wreath that he had previously gained.
At its conclusion, and after some delicious
galop music by Ritche's orchestra, the chair
man introduced Rev. A. II. Dashiell, Of New Jer-
sey, as one OF the orators OF the evening, and
announced as his subject, /" Moral Strength as
an Element OF success in life."
Mr.. Dashiell spoke of the lapse of time since
he had left Delaware college graduate, and the
high anticipation with winch lie entered active
life, only to find that they were but ignes fdtui.
and that what he had BET as an end were but ac-
cessories. Things ret by us az an end are not
attained and very often what proves to be the
factors of our prosperity were but lightly Oh.
teemed. Each generation in this respect has
vantage ground over its predecessor. through ex-
penence.
The speaker now proceeded to inquire into
the means that conduoed mot to mans prosper
ity. There must be some common source which
carries nutriment to the body, and the absence
OF which shows decay. Is this wealth. Nay;
wealth may comport with degeneracy. When
Cr9sus showed his immense wealth to Solon the
sage remarked, .'If any man come who hath
better iron he will take thy gold" Money is
power only when welded by subtle brain, the
same may be said of knowledge and its instru--
ments, the tongue and pen. Something behind
must employ them. In an army, numbers and
equipment do not make it invincible. There is
subtle element called morale that tells most in
the charge. IL is the bayonet that thinks, that
conquers. Young men need moral
strength r, to resist u. the instements
thought furnish the same weapons to the cham
pions OF error as Of truth and it is no wonder
that we arc beset on every side by aliens our
fathers never knew. 'i.lt =
The speaker severely criticised those Ameri-
cans who sought foreign countries to return
with bad habits and exposed themselves to the
ridicule OF foreigners. He deprecated the spirit
OF Materialism which is showing itself in many
OF our Academies of science, and which rushes
where angles fear to tread it even seeks to
eliminate God from the universe He depreca-
ted the wicked practices OF the times
and claimed that young men to succeed must
have moral courage, and be imbued with the
spirit OF God.
The oration was one of value to those to
whom it was addressed, and one which will
profit those who follow its counsel.
The chairman next introduced John OByrne,
who turned his attention to the ladies, whom
all the speakers, he claimed, had forgotten.
To console them for this, he sketched list
OF famous women, Semirainis, Judith, Miriam,
and others, to prove that women could rise to
the demands OF great occasions.
Nj. OBJ. then turned his attention the press
OF this country, and asserted the men who did
great deeds, the Demosthenes and the famous
men OF all ages, could never have accomplished
their great acts had they been fed on the weak
Cruel Of vast number Of our newspapers.
Hundreds Of them are unfit to cross the threshold
of decent mans house. PRESS properly
directed, by men of lofty purpose, is a mighty
lever, but when newspaper descends from that,
and is permeatod by the sole deeire to increase
its circulation the curse OF death rests upon 1t
and it il noxious to FREQ, high-toned, society.
At tho conclusion of Mr. OBS remarks, he
was recalled, when for some minutes he spoke
of the destruction of Grecian republicanism,
when they allowed Asiatlc customs to besmirch
their firesdes. II WAS the system OF Clubs in
Greece then, as it is in America, to-day, that
separated mon from their families and exposed
them to temptation, and he closed by warning
young men to seek pleasure in their fathers and
mothers house, and TO culture themselves 30
that they would find it d pleasure.
The farewell Grafton was made by Lewis q.
vandegrift, ESQ, and was an eminently well-de-
livered address.
The audience now called on DR.. Keyser, and
Messre. Cloak, Bush and j. Alexander Fulton,
who made suitable remarks.
The President of the College then announced
that the Alumni had directed that prize Of
S25 be given to the student in the senior class
who should show the hest average at the next
years final examination.
The Chairman then thanked the audience for
their attention, and the Delta Phi public meet
ing for rs was concluded.