The Portland daily press., 1877-07-12
BY TELEGRAPH.
MAINE.
BOwdOin Commencement.

Alumni Exercises-Phi BETA Kappa
Meeting of the Board of Trustees,
BRUNSWICK, July 1.-THE annual meeting
OF the Phi Beta Kappa was held at s o'clock.
Ihe following were elected members from the
graduating class: Geo. 7. Little, r. e, Peary,
j. W. Sewall, John E. Chapman, W. G. Green,
j. K. Green, c. A. Perry, f. A. Mitchell, A.
M. Sherman, E. A. Metcalf. G. w. Tillson.
John A. Roberts.
at a meeting of the Board Of Trustees and
Overseers the thanks of the College were voted
to Mrs. W. S. Perry of Brunswick, for the new
and beautiful panel painting in the chapel Just
completed by Mr.. Lothrop of Boston, from Ra-
phaePs TRANSPORTATION, and also to the class of
II for another panel painting generously do
mated by them, 'Moses Giving the Law to the
Children of Israel an original by Mr.. Lothrop
Ira T.. Booker, Esq, was reelected Secretary
3. ID. Weeks, M. D., of Portland, was elected
Professor OF Anatomy. Prof. S. j. Young re-.
signed the Professorship of Modern Languages.
The President, Treasurer and Librarian were
appointed a committee from the Athenaum
and Pencinian Societies in regard to transfer
ring their library to the college. Rev. DIR. Jud.
son Sweetsir of Oberlin College, is very favora-
bly, spoken of to fill the vacancy in the chair of
Greek language and literature, occasioned by
the resignation of Prof. j. B. Sewall.
The degree of LII D., was conferred on Hon
Alpheus Felch, class of '29, Ex-Governor, ex-
U. S. Senator and ex-Judge of Michigan. The
degree of ID. ID. was conferred on Rev. E. B.
Webb, class of '46, of Boston; A. B. out of
course and A. M. on Albert S, Rice of the class
of &c.
DIR. Smiths Grafton.
AT o'clock this afternoon the Rev. John
Cotton Smith, d. d., addressed the Alumni As
ISOLATION on the divine preparation for the
American Republic and the problems of its f1-
ture. The review begins far back, with the
emerging in civilization of those influences
which have moulded our modern life. A com
bination OF influences arising from the conyer-
sion of the old Roman empire to Christianity
came to exist. The Romans had been conquer
ed by the northern barbarans, who accented
the Roman laws and religion. They were, like
the Romans and Greeks, from the family of
manklnd winch had its cradle in Central Asia
and went forth to conquer the world. These
races WIN an tnelr natural powers, bee anne
with the addition of Christianity, the stock
from which sprang the elements of the Anglo
Saxon race of this continent All these cbanSes
are carried silently on and the race was hniIt mn
until like the coral reefs from the depths of the
ocean, it emerged from the seas which had en.
quilted it and spread out its wealth of nature
its free institutions and boundless prospect Is of
the future. The fascinating histories of Mr.
Motley makes familiar to us the indomitabe
perseverance in the foce of difficulty and peril
Wh!ch the Dutch race possess These peculiar
tiles OF Dutch life have great influence in the
New England element of our colonization. The
entrance OF these peculiarities comes throu oh
the New York colony of Dutch But other
colonies also played their part. All these and
many other important matters help to make up
the Divine preparation.
In passing from this Divine preparation to
the great problem,s now presented to the Amer.
ican people for lut on, we are co nfronted rat
OF all by the perls with which political corrup-
tion and party strife threaten the welfare of the
nation. Note the different aspects government
assumes under its different FORMS Under an
absolute monarchy the corruption pervades the
whole civil service. There is no party strife.
because theIe are no political parties All is
centered in one man. In constitutional mon.
archy and repablics political corruption is sub
lected to greater restraint in consequence of the
intervention of the psople in public affairs
Wnlle there is universal tendency at all times
towards corruption in society, there are times
when these evils are greatly aggravated. Spe-
cial causes for the time give intensity todisturb-
ing influences. Public virtue rapidly declines
and the greatest evils may follow. There is a
prevailing conviction that political corruption
most demoralziDg in its effects has recently ex-
listed and still exists. Many men are downcast
ana even fear dissolution of the republic and
eeverywheresthe prevailing disQuietude serious
emDarasses the Interests and relations of in
ulvl9uals and society. Now it is because L re-
saiu 'ne STATE as sacred thing, an institution