speeches have touched. Here are reflecting age, and ardent youth, and lisping childhood, to all of whom your venerated name is as familiar as household words-all anxious to feast their eyes by a sight of that extraordinary and venerable man of whom they have heard and read and thought so much-all anxious to hear the voice of that "old man eloquent," on whose lips wisdom has distilled her choicest nectar. Here, sir, you see them all, and read in their eager and joy-gladdened countenances and brightly beaming eyes, a welcome-a thrice-told, heartfelt, and soul-stirring welcome to "the man whom they delight to honor."

Ex-President Adams spoke at length in reply and for twenty-four hours was the recipient of many attentions from the people of Buffalo, with Mr. Fillmore as chief host.

IN BEHALF OF IRELAND

A meeting of the citizens of Buffalo was held in the Court House on the evening of February 15, 1847, to consider measures of relief for Ireland. Gaius B. Rich presided, and among the speakers was Mr. Fillmore, whose remarks were reported by the Commercial Advertiser as follows:

MR. PRESIDENT: I came here to listen, not to speak. I am satisfied in regard to the great question now before the meeting. I accord the value, the valor, the wisdom of the Irish people, but we are called upon to take active measures to relieve the distress that now exists throughout the length and breadth of that country, and the outstretched arms of suffering millions are imploring us to save life. The only question is, what can we do, and how do it?

No one can doubt the existence of great want and suffering-it is corroborated by the Queen's speech-by the English and Irish papers; and I venture to say that within the recollection of the oldest person present, no such circumstance has ever before occurred. It is sufficient for every man who has a heart to feel, that men, women and children are dying of hunger. It may be found that the aid may not reach those who are now in great destitution-it may arrive too late-but it is more than probable that the terrible state of things which now exists may continue for months. All we can do ought promptly to be done, for the relief afforded by us will be the means of saving many valuable lives.

A course has been pursued in Albany, I understand, whereby provisions may safely reach those for whom they

are intended, and the next question is, how shall we contribute? It occurred to me that money should be converted into provisions. I am astonished that the warehouses in Ireland should be groaning under the weight of breadstuffs now locked up within her walls, while millions of her people are dying from absolute starvation. This, in my opinion, is conclusive that we ought to invest the money contributed, into food and clothing, and transmit direct. What I can do, I stand ready to do. The people of Ireland are separated from us by an ocean, to be sure, but they are nevertheless a part of the human family, and justly entitled to our sympathy and aid.1

1. Some eleven hundred dollars was subscribed at the meeting, Mr. Fillmore's contribution being $50.

AS CHANCELLOR OF

THE UNIVERSITY OF BUFFALO

At the first annual commencement of the University of Buffalo, June 16, 1847, Mr. Fillmore, the Chancellor as he continued to be for more than a quarter-century-delivered an address of which the following extracts are preserved:

FELLOW-CITIZENS: Urged by pressing solicitations of the Medical Faculty of the University of Buffalo, I have reluctantly consented to address a few words to you on this interesting occasion. My official relations to this institution are such that I do not presume to possess that intimate practical knowledge of the progress of its students or their various qualifications, which can be known only to the faculty and the professors. But to those of you who have been so fortunate as to make the acquaintance of the latter, and witness their proficiency, learning and unwearied assiduity in teaching, nothing which I could say could add to your high estimation of their ability and worth. As a body, they are doubtless equal to that of any other faculty in the Union, and they only require the requisite time and our cordial and united support, to render the medical department of this university as celebrated as any other similar college in the United States.

This, then, is a new era for the citizens of Buffalo. This is the first time we have ever been called upon to witness the interesting ceremony of conferring the time-honored degrees of a collegiate course. Here for the first time we see assembled the officers and professors of a literary institution, located in our midst, and destined we trust to shed its liter

ary and scientific blessings, not only upon the youth of our own prosperous city, but upon those of the surrounding country and adjacent States. While the patriot and the scholar will rejoice at the brilliant prospect that opens before us, let us mingle our congratulations, and revert for a moment to the history of the past before we contemplate the bright prospect of the future.

Those of us who have known this city for the last twenty years, have seen it rise from a small village of less than 5,000 inhabitants, contending for years for its very existence against a rival locality at Black Rock, to a proud and enterprising city of 30,000, with a fair prospect of doubling its population every ten years for a century to come. while our fortunate location has attracted multitudes to swell our population, whose industry has built and adorned our city, and whose enterprise and wealth have spread our commerce over the great inland seas of the West, our literary institutions, and especially those of a higher character, have been sadly neglected. This, though much to be regretted, seemed a necessary consequence of our society and pursuits. Our population was composed of poor but enterprising young men, who seemed to have been drawn to this point by some invisible magnet. The town itself, like the fabled phoenix of antiquity, had just risen from the ashes of desolation, marked by the footprints of a conquering and savage foe. Individual enterprise exhausted its energies in private pursuits to provide the necessaries of life, or to accommodate the fancied stores of future ease and luxury. Society was not yet formed. The aggregate materials lacked that necessary cement which nothing but time, leisure and social intercourse can impart. Hence, few public enterprises, which required a union of sentiment and capital were undertaken. The union of sentiment could not be had, for each was intent upon his own object, and the union of wealth could not be had, for it did not exist; it was yet to be created.

During the years of 1835 and '36, a fancied increase in the value of real estate, in this city, induced many an indi