New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-02-04

AZ, ,ssurcd I'm advance Of their hearty support In res
plying the faculties, must needs say, SIR you wi"
me. first OF all few words to yourself VINO hs'o
spoken on their behalf The friendship which began be-
tween Us in our old relation OF professor and student most
happily has unbroken As sat at your icet
college, have not ceased 10 learn from you thoe
finer lessons which taught by upright ana noble
character For more than forty you have served
Columbia faithfully and well. / like think that In
certain receive the presidency at your hands IL
comes TO me largely feel IT, the gracious git from
age youth bearing with 1t for this reason precious
benedlction and large Inspiration
They can bring to aid, II they Will Invaluable
suggestions from their vantage ground OF experience
AS there are have greater pride In the college,
40 there are none TO the college should be able
10 turn with greater assurance OF hep' OoiuniDa
College in my view has an unequalled opportunity by
reason OF s position In city Of NewYork (Cheers)
It's position here confonts 1t also with Its special dill
cultcs city Is great city and it Is not easy Tor
any institution make itself powerfully felt In so large
a community. Nevertheless, gentlemen OF the alumni
that is precisely what We have to do Much viii de-
pend no doubt the attitude OF the trustees and the
administration the college. But both VIII fall unless
the alumni entering into the life OF the community as
they do in a thousand ways thoughtful for the good
name OF the college all times. AS has been said, It
is forty years since aumnus OF the college occupied
the presidents office. 1 am glad TO believe that in
turning to my fellow alumni for counsel and support
1 shall receive glad and hearty response. rejoice
with you. SIR, that in barnard College Columbia has
found way in which she with heartness Cooperate
In advancing the higher education Of women (Appause)
THE INAUGURAL ADDRESS.
At tho close of the address, President Low turned to
the students and In few wellchosen words expressed
his pleasure at their expression of welcome The
orchestra then PLAYED Bach's Air the G. String"
Tho inaugural address followed the music and was
In substance as follows:
Mr.. Chairman. Ladles and Gentlemen, Students OF
Columbia: In this majestic and historic city we are met
together at the call OF Columbia College. No institution
In New.York rtetwlnes itself more closely with the cys
history and the cy's glory George IL was sth alive
when in 1854 college had its beginnings in New
York numbering about 200 souls OF whom more than
1000 were held as slaves The city and the college have
grown together the college to-day with It's various
schools is among the foremost in the land In the Revo-
utonary period the college represented bv Its students
and graduates instinct with patriotism Its name,
Columbia given It to take the place Of Kings College
not accident IL the natural selection for the
Alma Mater OF Alexander Hamilton and John JAY Yet
these men, conspicuous, not singular among
their college friends their attachment to the American
cause The students OF the college. like college students
everywhere had nbbed the spirit OF liberty in the free
air which men breathe who follow after truth All
men know what services Hamilton rendered to the little
republic which started on Its marvellous career In this
city q century ago.
Tomorrow in this historic city in which the Govern.
began there is to be celebrated hecentennal Of the
Supreme Court the United States To this court
Of which all Americans proud Columbia College gave
It's first chief justice the person OF John Jay. Cheers
to-day in the person Of Mr.. Justice Batchford.
like think Of John Jay that he set the standard to
which, IN point OF character, all Columbia men should
strive attain.
spotless OF the judicial robe fell John Jay
touched nothing less spotcss than ITSELF" (Appause)
So we are surprised learn that the strong
impulse toward the emancipation Of slaves In the State
OF New.York came from John Jay. The first legislative
looking to the abolition Of slavery in this State
passed while Jay Governor at his instance, and
received his signature Thus Columbias is linked
in the annals OF the Empire State with this high
Of ust-o and of righteousness. At this tlme 1895,
and many years thereafter the advantages of New
York a commercial centre limited to her ncom-
parable harhor and to her unique position these two
great waterways the reaching far into the interior
and the other giving her second line Of communication
with the by way OF inland sea- and both bring
ing deep water close to her shores.
1t Is interesting to read that late 17G9 1t was
considered rash prediction that NewYork might one
day equal Newport, X. L. as commercial city. Before
the beginning OF this century NewYok had Indeed stepped
into the first place but sac hard pressed by Pha-
depha and by Baltimore. 1t OF Columbia
College, De Witt Clinton, who made NewYork's diadem
secure. (Appeuse) The craftsmanship which opened
across the State of New-York highway TO the West,
pathway enterprise and courage and and
civilization and Christianity the statesmanshp which thus
made largely tributary to this city the aooundng plen
OF that ilimitoblc region this craftsmanship
received its earliest development in Coumbla's halls.
By 1860 large proportion OF this commerce car
ried on in American bottoms. The NewYorx and Liver.
pool liner and the New.York clipper acknowledged
supcrors on the broad Then came the Civil War
and stately merchant fleets decmated by Con-
fedeIate cruisers fitted out In foreign ports. At this
unctuIe another OF Columbia College, the venerable
Hamilton Fish CHEERS for many years and happily still
the rcvcIed chairman OF tho trustees Of the college, as
Secretary the United States, negotiated the
treaty OF Washington, under which were adiudicated
without appeal to righteous claims for the
destruction Of this merchant marine.
Columbia College, college and university both she
really ls holds aloft this ideal In the great city where
finance and commerce show alike their good and their
sides influence makes always to strengthen the
things which are good her financial Judgement she
illustrates business trust faithfully administered without
breach for $50 years. On her educational side she DIS
plays :ho splendid usefulness OF money which Is received
not 70 be boarded. but 70 be well spent. She 10 pro-
foundly conscious that doing is but the
Of what she yet nay do II NewYork viii but make COM
mon cause with her enlarge and broaden and deepen
her work on every side. She aims to-day to turn out
three different types OF Her historic work. that
which she did for half century before she ala anything
else, she Is still doing.
The NewYork OF the past far as endowment is con-
cerned enabled Columbia 10 do ali that she has DONE
all that she IS doing She summons TO her aid now with
glad confidence the NewYoFk OF to-day. She recognizes
in the mrnnccnt legacy OF stephen whitney Phenx in the
gea kindness her Of her great and devoted presi
dent the Barnard in making the college his resi-
duaPy lecatee ia the welcome gifts OF F. Augustus Scher
nerhorn jesse Seligman. a. A. Low and Of Charles f.
MeBim the happy bogLnlrgs tendency which Will yet
make Columbia she ought to be. beyond all
versy the university OF the land. Applausc She looks
20 you young gentlemen. and to her alumni to add her
fair fame she looks to the living NewYor to build upon
the foundations 80 nCby laid by the past she looks to her
faculties give sound instruction to hold fast the learning
that men wrestcd hitherto from experience and from
study ard TO carry evcrshtng boundaries
knowledge forward into tho unknown This is the
work she doLg here the financial and commercial
city OF the Western World.
Tho benediction was pronounced by Bishop Potter
and the orchestra played Beethovens March from the
Ruins OF Athens" as the guests slowly departed
THE DOCK COhHISI0Y HEARING GOES on
After q ccssnfion of ten DAYS MAYOR Grant resumed