A gentleman, native of Tennessee, who has recently been called from the presidency of a Southern College to the management of the educational work of the State, was present during the commencement exercises, and contrasted them with those of the graduating class of the first institution of the State for whites, in terms so complimentary to the negro students, that, out of deference to the whites, his language will be omitted. This work is no longer tentative. Both the possibility and value of it have been fully demonstrated, and the urgent demand is that the University shall be fully equipped for it. The point has been reached, in the estimation of all who know anything of its history, needs and opportunities, when it must be enlarged or suffer irreparably. It was, therefore, with gladness of heart that a large number of its friends, white and black, from the city and from other States, gathered to lay the corner-stone of Livingstone Missionary Hall on Wednesday afternoon. Gen. Fisk presided most felicitously, and the address of Dr. Strieby was in every way happy and inspiring. It was a regular love feast, not simply because there was so much of the Methodist element in it, as represented by the General and his excellent lady, and Dr. McFerrin—“a rebel who fought on the last ten acres left for the rebellion to stand upon,” and who overcame great obstacles to get out to the exercises, despite attractions in other directions, and made a delightful speech, full of good feeling—but because there was such a flowing together of hearts and good-will from all classes as represented on the occasion. Dr. Strieby should be requested to print his speech in full and distribute it all over the land, and with it should go the eight or ten other excellent shorter speeches which followed, one of which was by the city’s treasurer, who came to represent the Historical Society. There was a poem written for the occasion by Prof. Spence, and read by one of the pupils, Miss Allen, who has remarkable powers as a reader. The address from Rev. C. H. Daniels, of Cincinnati, which followed the graduating addresses of the class, was able and timely. His theme was “The dignity and value of the individual man.” It was every way a manful presentation of a manly subject, and was a fitting _finale_ to the very able and manly addresses of the graduating class. The diplomas were presented by Gen. Fisk in a brief address full of pathos and good sense, with happy allusions in each case to the theme of the recipient’s address. After this came the Alumni dinner, plain and substantial, and the speeches following, which were fully up to those of older and more pretentious societies.