The daily gazette., 1879-06-19

have reflected honor ard credit upon her
with their services, none show with more
honor than that of John M. Clayton.
This is theme and task worthy of the
highest powers, aud to which can bring
no less than my puny abilities. His
power and greatness to-day is evidenced
by the reverence in which he Is held, and
few are the Delawareans who will read
of John NJ. Clayton with aught than
gratitude and love, although he has been
dead 10 years. Mr.. Houston then gave
history Of Mr.. Clayton's birth in Days
boro, Sussex county, Del, July IA, 1896,
OF his collegiate life, his admission to and
practice at the Dover bar, his upward
rise as law, er and his wonderful fame
as an orator.
His entrance into the United States
Senate In 1880 during President Jack.
sons admi nistration was then spoken of
and the Senate described as containing
more able men than any other legisla-
tive body the world ever saw. Here he
was the peer of all, except Henry Clay,
Daniel Webster aud John q. Calhoun
IL is no disparagement to him to say that
he occupied position second to these
three, for he could do SO and yet have an
ability that was truly great.
Mr.. Houston went on to speak at some
length of the "Great Clayton" and paid
an eloquent tribute to him.
Miss Carrie M. Purnell, of Newark,
followed with thoughtful and most ex-
cellent essay upon "The Standard Of
Taste" The essay cannot be too highly
praised, and II was SO complete that a
great Injustice would be done by an at
tempt to summarize 1t here.
Miss Lizzie Dorsey, of Eko, Nee, e,next
Interested the audience with an essay
upon Fictitious Greatness" 1t was a
very spicy and pleasant thing, and rare
vein of wit and levity ran through it
that caused much merriment and good
feeling all around. The work showed
much delicate taste and refinement.
Henry j. ID Jones of Brooklyn, l.. L.,
came after this with an address upon
"Idealizing the Real" which was one OF
the best things of the day, not only in
construction, but in the manner of de-
livery which was polished, forcible and
firm, and combined all the abilities of
the ora'or. He spoke first of the diff
Guilty of spanning the gulf between the
ideal and the actual and held that the
two must be reconciled;-tliat the ideal
must be made real, and the real IDEAL
A beautiful and effective illustration was
drawn by comparison'of Millions Par
ddise Lost, with Dante's Inferno. Milton
populates Heaven with people of his
imagination, and deals with the ideal
alone; bat Dante makes He'll appear full
Of characters whom he had met, and
idealizes the real. The result is shown
by the popularity of the works of tn e
TWO authors in the lano of each.
Miss Laura Ferris of Glasgow, Del,
| then read an essay upon "The Spring
Time Of Life, in which beautiful ana
logy was drawn IN exquisite word-paint-
ing between the spring and childhood.
Miss Ferris closed with the Valedictory
which she delivered in graceful and
| perfect manner.
The awarding of diplomas and, prizes
was now taken up, and in few pleas
ant and happy remarks. President Pur-
nell presented each Of the GRADUATE e
class with a diploma.
President Purnell stated that Prof. j
Il. Soule of Bryant and Stratton's Busi-
ness College Of Philadelphia, had, one
year ago, offered a free tuition for six
months to the student in the senior de-
partment who showed the greatest pro-
ticency in his studies, and that the prize
had been awarded Jefferson ID. Darling
| ton.
The following degrees were offered:
Degree of A. b., John s. Houston,
Henry j. ID. Jones.
Degree of Phi. b., Jefferson ID. Dar-
lington. James II. Ward.
Degree of l.. b., Emma V. Blandy,
Lizzie l.. Dorsey, Maggie q. Evans,
Laura Ferris and Carrie NJ. Purnell.
Degree of A. M, Wm.J. Ferris, New
Castle, Del, John II. Martin, Strasburgh,
Pa, Rev. Jas A. Stone, NJ. A, Newark,
Del, w. q. b. Lewis, M. D., FELTON,,
Del, Prof. Jas. III. Groves, Smyrna,
Del.
Degree of ID. D., Rev. e. d. Mel,
Minneapolis, Mimi, Rev. Thos. l.. Poul-
son, Balto., Md.
Degree of LII. D., Rev. VIM. j. Frost
ID. D., Wilmington.
The conferring of degrees closed the
exercises.
The anniversary exercises of the Delta
Phi society in the evening closed the
public exercises of commencement week
They were held In the oratory before a
large audience. The society address
was delivered by James ii. Ward; 'ht
Society Grafton by Rev. Thos. l.. Poul
son, and the Valedictory by John S
II uston.