The Alto California says:—The President's nomination of James B. Angell, President of the Michigan University, as Minister to China, having been contitmed by the Senate, we present, through the Kindness of a Michigan correspondent of the Alto, a short sketch of the important events in the new Minister's career. He is fifty-one years of age, and a native of Rhode Island, having been born 7th January, 1829, in the village of Scituate. In 1845, ho entered Brown University, graduating four years later. His University career was & particularly brilliant one, as he excelled in all kinds of classical scholarship, not only standing at the head of his class, but excelling in scholarly attainments any one who had been in the University for years. During his Senior year he became imbued with a religious sentiment, and during a revival in the College he united with the Congregational Church, to which has ever since remained a zealous and faithful adherent. At one time it was his intention to enter the ministry, but opposing circumstances prevented his so doing and forced him into the channel of literature. Upon his graduating, the Trustees of the University, aware of hi rare abilities, made an effort to retain his services, and offered him the only vacant chair in the Faculty, that of modern languages and literature. Their offer was accepted, and having spent two years in Europe in travel and study, he assumed the responsibilities of the chair, and retained it for a period of two years. While fulfilling his duties as a member of the Faculty of Brown University, he wrote very many editorials for the Providence
having been elected to the United States Senate, Professor Angell resigned his position in the University and took the entire control of that paper. For six years, throughout the Civil War, he filled the editorial chair, and was most uncompromisingly loyal. In 1866, in his 37th year, he was called to fill the Presidency of the University of Vermont. Two years later, his Alma Mater conferred on him her high est degree, L.L.D., and he was invited to deliver the annual oration to the graduating class of 1862. In 1871 he was invited to the Presidency of Michigan University, which he accepted temporarily and conditionally, but subsequently permanently. At that time the University was in a ferment over the admission of women to the various classes, and there were a fey lady students. Under President Angell's skilful executive ability, and in accordance with his liberal ideas, the innovation was a good one, and there are now more than two hundred lady students in the University, pursuing their studies in the Literary Department and in all of the professional schools. There were about one thousand students at Ann Har-hour when James B. Angell came there now there are nearly double that number. He has produced many essays and addresses on international law and political economy, on which subjects he lectures to the Senior Class. In polities, he is a Republican, but is no politician in the usual acceptation of the word. He is married to an estimable lady, the daughter of President Caswell, of Brown University, and has a beautiful daughter, and a son, who is engaged to the daughter of Chief' Justice Cooby, of Michigan. Private advices state that Minister Angell will soon arrive in San Francisco, and that he will remain there some time, studying the que which he is sent to China,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.