Morning journal and courier., 1880-06-30
Vale Commencement.

Gfr1au0tAOm Exercises -E The SeMAOr Promenade Concert-The Programme for To-day.
 A large audience listened to the class ora
 ton and class poem at Ratte1 chapel yester- day morning. Throngs of ladies, as usual, were present, and deep interest was shown The members of the graduating class met at the Lyceum, and headed by Wheeler < Wil=e sons band marchedt to the chapel in process
 sion. Occupying the platform were ex-At- ! torney General Alphonso Taft, of Cincinnati, O., Rev. Dr. o. E. Daggett of Hartford, for \ merly college pastor, Rev. Dr. H. P. Arms of Norwich, Hon. William B. Washburne of Greenfield, Mass, and Hon. Henry B. Harri- son of this city. The literary exercises came up to the usual standard of excellence. The oration was by William Montague Hall, of ! Ashfeld, Mass. True independence as ap-. piled to political duties was in substance the f theme. The speaker, after introductory re- ] marks, said: eff independence means any thing as a principle, it reaches past the man ! who boldly is of no party and chooses hls side de novo at every election 1t includes 1 the restive voter who wears a party name and attends party caucuses, but scratches freely or votes the opposition ticket if that
 suits him better it includes the conscience
 voter who occasionally, alarmed by bad nomination, uses the pencil or the 'paster' ! with great reluctance and misgivings of guilt; It includes the partisan who, dissatisfied with I the nomination, quietly stays at home on
 election day without dreaming that his act
 is the same in quality as that of the Ishmael- | ite whom he regards with holy horror" l The speaker added: The deciding of the ! matter must be with the individual conscience. Conscience was therefore an element to be l taken into account It was not wise to leave all to the sparsely attended nominating eau GUS, and then acquiesee under mental protest to the nominations and vote the ticket as the best thing under the circumstances No one party must needs be eternally right and the other eternally wrong. If we rush blindly with the crowd, we will run off the track sometime. Watchfulness may show the proper place for switching off. Sc curity in power is demoralizing, tends to cor ruption. Independence in politics governed by conscience comes in as an antidote to the moral taint. ''What party manager will heed your supplications or your threats, if at last you fall obediently into line? Show your faith by your works Strike, and he will fear. Then you speak language which he understands. Till educated men cease | their vain striving to reform within the par ty,' and there alone, the active politician will caiole and mock them, the scholar in poi l ties will be a hissing and by-word." Again the rancor, congregations and false hood of partisan press would be checked l by true independence. Journalistic civiliza- | tion had only begun to be felt. 'sThe rancor and falsehood of journalism l is checked by the increase of independence. Into the ears of cool and wavering voters ! who must be conciliated the partisan news paper dares not pour so copiously it's garbled news and defaming fictions it's wild exag- l gerations and absurd omens it's sophistries ! and bold appeals to prejudice. The forms of decency begin to be observed; hostile argu- ments are mentioned at least, though with derision inconvenient scandal is no longer ! ignored, but explained away. False analogy | does not so brazenly pervert the history of dead nations Journalistic civilization has feebly begun it's work. Fewer sef-respecting I men fly with horror from the pandemonium ! of politics; disreputable ring men are no ! longer hidden in the general storm. tTwomore spurs to independence there are which specially affect the near future two dangers which strike at the national life First the fierce conflict of the argument and threatening and bribery among the people, of false voting by immigrant and repeater l and tissue ballot man, of precinct fraud by | skillful counting and defective return, has risen to the threshold of the State tribunals. | The evil is beginning to lay hold upon the ! central life of the commonwealth Ambus | cades of technicality are set and sprung upon ! State governments Elections are drifting into the range of judicial and military power. ! Against this emerging danger can be set no
 more vigilant defender than body of inde- pendents and conscientious partisans. Pub l lie opinion is the basal remedy against such ! frauds; and there is crying need of the par l tisan who will swear to his own hurt of the independent who will sound constant | trumpet-blasts of warning and will lead ! the way with sturdy blows. The second danger is the growing perfec- ! tion of the machine In cities where accu- ! mutation of voters in mass makes mass-con- f trol easier, there has arisen on the ruins of l democracy a local despot. The boss is here among us and we must fight him. No law can check his aggressions he must be met in hand-to hand fight, with eager vigilance. Un- | teasing exposure, unceasing revolt, must crip- 1 pie his disastrous power. In boss s-ridden city, reform within the party is mere chi mera. There is no way out save by the sword i; you must have and the energy of men who value good government more than party nAme."
 The speaker, in closing his argument, said that the independent voter must make his in- l huence felt in the party caucuses, must be content to stand, if need be, alone for the right. It would not pay to get into the bad current in politics and gain power even to try | to use that power for good in the end. Such course was demorahzing, and ten to one shipwreck would ensue. Fortunate indeed would he be whose bright ideal survived the | taint and tarnish his escutcheon would be sure to gather. Such course would be fatal l to true independence. The orator was warmly applauded.
 The poem was by William Hudson liar per, of Washington, D. O., and was a cred 1 itable production. Specimens are as follows: | SONG OF THE ELM. Tell me, O sentry, silent and Iofty sheathed in mail ancient, rugged and dun, Tossing thy crest with fair verdure Haunting, | How many sands for thy era have run? When vert thou planted, who was thy sponsor,
 What are the scenes thou has viewed in our realm Tell me some tales of this famed microcosm Speak, beseech thee, cloud-touching elm. Then the winds breath seemed tender caresses Waking and wooing the mighty and strong, Giving tone to each fiber responsive, Sweetness infusing-thus was it's song:
 'Father, cry the loved tormentors, ''wont show That you keep wrapped up nicely, won't you give us just one look?
  to spare, you know,
 Now you've lots go and get it, it would please children so."
 Gladly takes he down the volume swathed with many bands,
 That moth nor dust may reach it, the touch of careless hands;
 Takes and lays the volume gently where the little ones may see,
 Who are dancing round so wildly in their noisy. childish glee. --
 Then unfods the lengthy wrappngs that conceal the prize within
 And discloses the children what they've sought so long from him
 'Tis tome both great and handsome, dressed in leather, rich with gold
 And it bears the seal and motto of institution old But besides the stamp official which declares from whence it came,
 There is read in gded letters yet another wellloved name,
 Iris the Ciass of 1880" that passes to fame. The ivy ode was by Walter Chauncey Camp, to the air 'Lorelei,' and was follows: As shadows lengthen toward ev'ning So grows our love for Yale; Still loving, lingering, longing, Tho sunset lights grow pale, With crimson tinting the turrets, We plant thee, Ivy dears The gathering gray of the gloaming Soft hides the unmanly tear.