The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

On this day the trustees of the college of New-Jersey, attended the public Commencement.

The exercise was preceded by an animated Latin Oration on the evils to which a People is liable when involved in Debt, delivered with great propriety and spirit by Mr. Jonathan Edwards, one of the candidates for Batchelor's degrees. Then succeeded Syllogistic disputes in Latin and Forensic in English as usual, that all parts of the auditory might share in the entertainment. The following Theses were debated in the forenoon.

1. Dictamina conscientiæ semper sequenda sunt.

2. To play at cards or dice is neither expedient nor lawful.

3. Comedere sanguinem nunc temporis fas est.

A wicked man cannot be an accomplished Orator.

The several respondents, and opponents acquitted themselves to general satisfaction. After the two former disputes, a short intermediate oration, for the sake of variety, was introduced by Mr. Richard Goodman, in which he pointed out the difference between the eloquence of Cicero, and that of Demosthenes, with their peculiar excellencies; his delivery very well exemplified his subject. The exercises of this part of the day were closed with an oration on Liberty pronounced with beauty and propriety, by Mr. Jacob Rush.

The Theses debated in the afternoon were,

1. Quo magis necessario, ensu morali, eo liberius, agit homo.

2. There cannot be true friendship but among the good.

The former in the Syllogistic, the latter in the Forensic way, as before. These were succeeded by an elegant Valedictory oration on Patriotism, by Mr. Ebenezer Pemberton, in the close of which the usual addresses were delivered with such tenderness and marks of sincere affection, as sensibly touched the whole audience. After the degrees were conferred; Mr. Joseph Periam, one of those who had just received the degree of Master of Arts, highly entertained the assembly with an animated and elegant oration on Frugality. A polite dialogue on Liberty, composed and delivered by three of the candidates for Batchelor's degrees, finished the business of the day.

Upon this Occasion 31 young Gentlemen were admitted to the Degree of Batchelors of Arts, and 13 to the Degree of Masters of Arts.

Upon the whole we cannot but do the young gentlemen the justice to observe, that such a spirit of liberty and tender regard for their suffering country breathed in their several performances, as gave an inexpressible pleasure to a very crowded assembly. To testify their zeal, to promote frugality and industry (so warmly recommended in several of their performances) they unanimously agreed, sometime before the commencement, to appear on that public occasion dressed in American manufactures, which very laudable resolution they all executed, excepting four or five, whose failure was entirely owing to disappointment, though we doubt not they made a more decent appearance in the eyes of every patriot present, than if the richest production of Europe, or Asia, had been employed to adorn them to the best advantage.

We can with pleasure take this opportunity further to inform the public, that the under graduates have agreed to follow this noble example. If young gentlemen of fortune and education, many of whom will probably shine in the various spheres of public life, would thus voluntarily throw aside those articles of superfluity and luxury, which have almost beggared us, and exert themselves for the encouragement of industry, it is not easy to conceive what a wide extended influence their conduct will naturally have on all the lower Ranks of mankind.