Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-08-22

1
vert an act o. acknowledged in.propriety into on
equally deco-ous and becoming, The yivin
| OF Information is not even "A matter of MGR
! choice or indifference with the Student III
| CATION. If, indeed, il were left simply ipd,fie
rent IT might become the subject of a positiy,
| Law, y the law would then give il AN additions.
weigbt-,bnt the sanction Of no law, Whatever
Gan render What IS confessediy wrong manifest
1 ~ ri.ht. Having once admitted theref,te
| mat without the intervention of the law i,
would BIZ Incorrect to give information. il can
not DC PRE-, ed that the existence Of the law so
iar alters the principle or nature of the oDli.a
ton aSto res,,lcri Al r,.ht 10 inform
Nor, can any rational cause OF complaint -
!ts said, T" he urged a-ainsi the law, hecanse
1t enloins nothing that i not strictly anaasous
to The municipal laws OF the country" We an.
prehcnd that this is not true in tact-l he for.
r2er, rendcTltneces; ary that arreignnents should
piecede the disclosure OF e.idence--,he lat.
ter, under the construction conteuded Tor bv
Tue Scctety, require that information should bi.
given without the iormality OF an arrangement.
or the designation of the offender. Tie first;
refer To the subject OF erdegcs, and the ciars e.
ter ct witness the latter, relates o:i.v To
ln.oT;ners unless, therefore, it eau lac plov..d
tiiat witness ana in!orDer mean the same
Thing, any conclusion drawn from supposed
anaio:N between, The two cases, will nos avail
them III the present discussion. Auiiiaf,Itab,e
argument. however, i'll favor of the law is found
IN me competency OF the Visitors. rs legal
w
Observe, That II has no relation to Tie uusstior
and though IL may prove the pleintude OF
power possessed BY the Visitors, il will neither
demonstrate the wisdrm Of their designs, nor
the policy OF the law Itself
" When il is urged tlat the Introduction of
the lazy would encender endless feuds and
le@lousiess the objection is treated as merely
hyfoihetica. ami contrary opinion OF the
o1ciely, founded upon the imaginary efficacy
OF their advice, aud the plant disposition of
their pupils substituted in its stead. - Con-
tenilons and quarrels, cannot occur;" saws the
president, because students arc advised (by
'mel to beware of those who are prone 20 evil .
ami becaUse no Lone Student is permitted TO
say any thing to the disad yant;,re of another"
Does lie then think that his adnoriton. or
teprooi can tend To prevent Il Familiarity and
intercourse between these whose inciinatons
al habits, may induce them to cultivate a close
cohneNion aud acquaintance? Does he believe
tint the intervention OF his authority will be
abe TO protect amy Student from the marked
appreciation, which he shall have meriteds-
Can hc prevent the expression of public opi-
mon, or arrest the proud spirit OF recruitment?
VIII the mere apprehension OF diSmission or
eNpuison deter those, whom, in the excite
ment OF feeling, personal dangers will not init
midate The student who Shall once lnconsi-
derateiy, arouse the public Indignation, and
provoke The contempt "A his companions will
not De tranquil, even Ill the sunshine of presi-
dental favor The current once LEI loose. he
IS irretrIevabiyove by its destructive
possess the philosophical patience of Job. or
vlndlcate himself, by an appeal 10 his personal
proves, or the more summary process OF the
sword. Neither are the pren'iices of yeunw
minds so Inveieratey Opposed TO The law ,Lnf
II is improbable II should ever be COMPLIED
with. No one can be more skilled i'm draw
Ing opposite conclusions from contradictions
than tile president. In an unlimited submission.
hc can perceive only turbulence and insub
ordihation-In the voluntary declaration of
TIC Students, that they would all in the detec
hon OF offenders, he can see plausible and
necessary reasons for enacting a law comncI
mig them 10 III. In n petinon against the
principle, ana remODstrance against the on
forcemeDt OF an obnoxious statute he can find
the symptoms Of complete satisfaction. Bat
he will find himself mistaken Should a SINH
lar occasion present itself, he will meet with
the same determined opposition and iI,vinri
bic resolution, which have already been mani
tested. I-ethirl search his college, and me will
not be able to ind single individual, who will
prefer ttv distinction and tiattery OF prcsi-
dent, TO the generous and spontaneous esteem
OF ms companions. The one, is the cold i'm
pulse OF atuhciai ieeling-the other the warm
and glowing affection OF the heart
But after all the chief excellence of the
law. consists in its preventive etfects."+ And
"hat are the evils which il il to prevent? The
president shall speak for himself "Ihe acts
OF inlSchlef, which have been penetrated at
this College have generally, heem ola charac
te' To aiiect only light aud glddy minds" And
Il IL
cuiaied TO affect only light and giddv minds /"
that a law has hecn enacted, which brings
win II long train of ieuds and iealousics
winch punshes the innocent for the guilty
Which destroys ali the happiness of the college
hte-lnlnSes INTO the cup of social enjoyment,
Tie venom OF Suspicion, and closes every ave
nue. 10 the hearth
But seems the law is necessary, not only
from us relation to the interests Of the College,
but from Its intimate connection with the Stu.
dents themselves. " 1t will take f1y-av all
temptation TO falsehoOd" When the oi,nox
ious law which reduces them TO the disagreed
able alternative of acknowledging thsir guilt,
or involving thenlselvesin Il" Deliberate uuh
iic, ~ solemn taISehood, Shall have been aunul-
led, the Students of that institution NAV credit
the professions, and acknowledge the generous
ana benevolent concern of the President
Whilst that alternative remains the sinCerit q
OF both may we'll be distIHsted. So rnucl, for
the law aud the reasons of it, The same ex-
Cessive zeal which induced the President on
FORMER occasion TO announce that combiua-
t tlon 70 "lilcn we were privy, had been formed
ieT 'he purpose OF The defeating tic lawsof Col.
ieSe, and which he has since acknowledge Ia
nave been a mere fapciful creation of the
bfan-has led TO an assertion Which rests OF DO
INSTRUMENTATION.
4" In the incipienf stages Of the invostig,tion
tsays hc) II was stated III reply 20 an interro-
gatoTy to that effect, that no breach Of conf.
dence would be required" Itisnotorious that
although several Of those who were suspended
60 60 >" posSeSslOh OF TactS Which were not con
ndentaiiy communicated, yet they became
acquainted with them in a way which would
nave rendered their PRONUNCIATION no less e.
prehensibe. In convivial assembly, i'm a mo-
iment OF thoughtless levity and ebriety--When
every avenue and portal Of The heart were
thTown OPEN the iHcOnsderate pcrpcirator
OF the mischief, relying on the fidelity of his
companions, dlvulged his shame. Had this de-
claraton, tlien been made. they would not
nave Jared to avail themselves OF the profIered
from M IL,
the assertion is founded in mistake. In rela,
ton TO the Kind Of erideacc, which was rednir-
ed IT IS stated, that all testimony indirecilS OBJ
famed was rejected upon the suggestion, of