132
COMMENCEMENT.
VOT,. VIII,
m
was given, ami the Military cadets exe
cuted it in their best style. The boys
raised their caps in respect to the pro.
cession as it tiled through the arch way
and entered the building.
Every seal in the parquet, dress circle
and gallery was quickly taken, and but
little standing room was to be had. The
exercises were opened with a piaycr
by Rev. L. Gregory, after which Lincoln's
unexcelled Glee Club sang "Far Awny,"
Miss Sophia Schwab as pianist This
quartette was rendered in the ablest man.
ncr and elicited loud applause. The Chan
cellor then announced as the lirst speaker
MISS ADA .1. IRWIN,
or Lincoln. As she appeared upon the
platform she was received with round
applause by her many admirers. She
was dressed in an elegant suit of black
grenadine, trimmed with lace and orna
mented with sprays of flowers and sprigs
ot green leaves. The subject of her essay
was "Rubbles," and the original ity and
ingeniousness of its composition is a fair
index of her mental powers. She de
scribed in choicest language the different
bubbles that allure mankind, cautioned
the too credulous public against the fi.
nancial and social bubbles that now and
then appear upon the surface and threat
en the nation's prosperity. She alluded,
with scathing sarcasm, to our large cor
porations as so many bubbles, which arc
liable to burst with a crash at any mo
menu The lady's witty thrust at the
Democratic Congress brought down the
house. Miss Irwin's delivery was excep
tionally good. She spoke in n clear ring
ing tone, so that the most distant listener
could bear with perfect ease. Her grace
ful position upon the stage also added
much to her complete success. She re
tired amid a shower of bouquets. The
1'alladian Society remembered her with
lloral'tribules and a handsome design.
The next speaker was
Mil. C. X. MTTI.K,
of Lewis, Iowa, and his subject "National
Debts." The young gentleman is not ac-
customed to public speaking, but in this
effort he met the expectations of his most
sanguine friends. lie had a clear under
standing of his subject, and the ability
with which he handled so important and
difficult a question is deserving of much
praise. He had thoroughly prepared
himself upon all phases of the subject ami
logically reasoned from thoughtfully de
fined premises. He considered the ques
tion of the utmost importance to this
country and thought that it needed the
closest examination of every American
statesman. Mr Little argued in favor of
paying national debts as soon as pos
sible; and claimed that they were one of
the greatest causes of the increase of
Communism and Socialism. He said:
"The only way to prevent the increase of
a public debt is to pay it;" and concluded
in the following words: "If wc coutinue
in the way wc have so wisely chosen,"
that is to pay our debts as soon as possi
siblc, "we shall soon wrest from England's
unwilling grasp the commercial primacy
of the world ami take the place, to which
our resources entitle us, of the richest na
tion on the globe." He received his full
quota of designs and floral tributes. This
oration was followed uy a solo entitled,
"Hast thou e'er seen the land," by Mrs.
Mollic E. Raymond, which was rendered
in her usual praiseworthy style.
Mil. O. V. MOHTON,
of Maineland, on "Utility and Progress"
was next announced. Mr. Morton is
known as one of the best writers in the
University; but as a public speaker he
has not bad much experience. The Stu
dent has often published his able pro
ductions, and as its Editor, he gained an
enviable reputation. On this occasion
Mr. Morton surprised every one by his
quiet and deliberate manner of delivery.
He never appeared to better advantage
before a public audience than on this oc
casion. Mr. Morton argued for the use
fill and the practical. The present age,
he characterised us one of confusion, and
said that amid the confusion, speculation
S