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About Hesperian student / (Lincoln [Neb.]) 1872-1885 | View Entire Issue (July 5, 1885)
THE HESPERIAN. ( hnd been lnid away with appropriate ceremonies the toast master, Hon, H. II. Wilson '77, arose and "made a few re marks." The several responses were all in good taste and were received with attention and frequent npplnusc. The The Gorham minstrels furnished music at intervals in the programme and were listened to with much pleasure on the part of the assemblage. At an early hour, early in the morn ing the company broke up and left with praise for the execu tive committee, the Gorham management, the banquet and toast makers ; 1 0 say that the Alumni banquet was a success is putting it mildly. The regvdar sessions of the Hoard of Regents held during the Commencement were not remarkable for anything except a wild yearning for funds and an equally wild and incompre hensible lack of the same. It seems that a careful estimate of the present resources of the University hnd not been made, and resting easy under the thought that liberal legislation had provided ample wealth for the expenses of the year the Hoard made appropriations with more than their usual gene rosity. Toward the close of the last sitting it was discovered that the amounts to be expended exceeded the available funds by several thousand dollars, and a shade several degrees darker than the Univcis'.ty black-boards fell over the gathering. With heavy hearts the guardians of the strong box went back over their work cutting down appropriations until they looked as thin as boarders at a college eating club. The present fac ulty is retained entire, with salaries as fixed by Legislature. Provision was made for a thorough overhauling of the old building, including steam heating and all contemplated im provements. Arrangements were also made for building up the Museum. Prof. Hicks being given the title of Curator of the same, and C. G. McMillan was designated to act as his assistant in that work. Other important business was also transacted, which The Hesperian will not mention at the present time. The fourteenth annual Commencement is now numbered among the events of the past, and all who were present at the exercises in which the class of '85 bade good-bye to the Alma Mater will unite in saying that they were as enjoyable as any that has yet taken place in the University. The regular exer cises of the day opened at an early hour. At about six o'clock, Wednesday morning the masculine portion of the class of '86 fell into line and made a tour of the senior's resi dences where the customary boot-blacking, face-washing and speech-criticizing was gone through with to the delight of '86 and the sorrow of '85. A recess was taken until half-past nine when the gallant captains of the Cadet corps proceeded out in front of the University building and shouted in stento rian and simultaneous tones, "fall in!!" At this command the dawdling students and loafing professors braced up and formed in the procession. The dazzling array of mental giants then moved slowly down nth street to the martial strains discoursed by the Cadet Band. The Opera House was finally reached and the procession slowly poured up the stairs, flowed in through the big open doors and distributed itself over the greater part of the parquet and dress-circle. After the audience had quieted down to a languid rustic of palm leaf fans and an air of waiting expectancy the Italian landscape in front of the stage vanished heavenward and revealed the Chancellor, Faculty and Regents seated in a semi-circle along the garden scenery that faced the audience. After a short, but impressive, invocation had been offered by Rev. C. C. Pierce the Chancellor announced the first speaker, Edmcnd J. Churchill, subject John C. Calhoun. Mr. Churchill did not appear at so good an advantage as some, owing to a slight diffidence and lack of confidence. That the oration itself, apart from the trifling faults cf delivery, was most excellent, was quickly made evident to every listener. Crisp, short sentences, incisive periods, sparkling style clothed strong and well-ordered thoughts. The substance of the ora tion was as follows: Calhoun served his Etate alone. In the early days of our national history there was no stronger feder al than Calhoun. But when the federal government inter fered with vhe prosperity of his state he changed his creed. State rights and human slaveVy became supreme in his mind. From the state hatred of the tariff arose his doctrine of nullifi cation. His aggression on the central power was even-paced with the attacks on slavery. South Carolina cornmnmlecl him to scorn it. It was the key note of nis life to obey his state without a question. Calhoun strove to protect slavery but failed to beat back its foes. Abolitionism and the north were outgrowing slavery and the south. In a few years both would be deprived of power. Calhoun perceived the possible necessity of secession, but had the necessity presented itself during his life time none would have deplored it more deeply than he. He loved the Union as he had conceived it. But was it a union of freedom and slavery. The north was nourished by free labor. Immi gration and business were rapidly enriching it. Education was for the masses. The people were the ruling power. In the south slave labor was the motive force. A few rich men owned and controlled all things. Railroads were almost un known. A hundred years could not measure the difference between the two sections. Yet Calhoun strove to bind them together. His efforts were useless. His union must fall for the single reason that freedom and slavery arc forever incom patible. Calhoun based his hopes too firmly on the venality of northern politicians. He forgot that their anccstois with his had fought for a principle, and that they would be sure to follow these noble guides. Calhoun was the soul of the slavocracy. He suggested se cession as the last resort. His followers seized upon it at the first opportunity. To brand him a secessionist is nn insult to his honest love for the union. But his union was buildcd on slavery. Popular opinion forced the south to secede or yield up slavery. When the war had been ended Calhoun's union had passed away. The new union is no longer two sections but one nation. The entire history of Calhoun is a painful dream to the present generation. Despite his honesty he died without leaving a single beneficent trace of his handiwork behind. His mission was to uphold what the entire world condemned. No Ameri can loved his .country better than Calhoun; none struck deadlier blows against its very existence. A burst of applause and a procession of three juniors and three diminutive cadets loaded down with flowers followed the speaker as he left the stage. The audience indulged in an involuntary sigh as the posies vanished behind the flies, made their usuallcarncd and whispered criticisms on the cut of hair and fit of clothes of the orator, and settled down as the next speaker, H. C. Eddy, came forward to tell them some thing on "culture." Mr. Eddy was at home on the stage and felt that he had no reason to be ashamed of his production, which, indeed, was a showy one. Culture is forming a society of intellects. Books arc our best companions and from these we draw our highest and purest inspiration. There is a power somewhere that tends to draw the intel lects of the past and present together. Men turn to literature for here it is that mind may commune with mind and where the treasures of culture are deposited. Each age and nation was perfected by the genius of former whether in poetry, philosophy science or arts. Culture is opposed to those barriers which ignorance and superstition have reared and spurns narrowmindedness which confines its regards to any one class. . Chaucer had studied the various dialects of his native island, had drawn inspiration from beyond the seas. His acquain tance with letters, with men and manners enabled him to rise above sectional differences and though more than four cen turies have passed he stands so far above the level of his age as to rank second among all the makers of English and Amer ican letters. What Chaucer did for England Dante had done for Italy. He trusted to the minds and hearts of his people for recogni tion and gratitude. Ignorance and prejudice drove him from the land he loved and did so much to honor. Italy long since would have been proud to claim him as her own, but he belongs not to her only. He is the common heritage of the world. The struggle between science and religion Tias been long. Three of the greatest facts known to science have been de veloped by these men, considered to be atheists. The more ignorant of theologians have rejected these facts of science from fear that they might uproot their doctrines. A higher culture has scattered to the winds hundreds of theories both religious and scientific. The day is not far distant when the