Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-05-09
Uuvr..rrr or vr.smA, April as,A, is4s.

.iv..s .tsh shs accommodated Of The Board Of Visitors
80 ssrsi " ssnss % duty 70 he parents and guardians o
~ yossA e-oasisssd = usk ,ssS, beg hsvs % prsssss
hrssl hssssy of he disssdcs Which for some dine dissufoe<
d. p~sss,s.sN sst srsssed would hsvs endangered ths
aSssy Of he Uuissray. Thy hope tAsesby 70 diabsss
- psA,is nisd e any fsbs inprssious produced By es-
rssses sasusas p~sossxsssd through the public prinu o.
Tkssssss fs ne 6~i months We. peaceful. and q l.rss
~pssperssa aths etsdsnh svinerd q lsaa'bls diligence ia
shsir studiss. Tbs few cases OF discipline which occurred,
psssirise ss sesioas action VI The Faculty, were violations
sfths lac p~rohib,ting the uss Of intozicstine liquor; and
In thss. ihs penalty inposed .ss ladulseGty rsnit'sd IN
consideration Of pisdgss given BY the offenders, and a large
nsnbss Of othsr Smdens. to abstain from intoxicating
dnnks throughout the seriou-
Early In de winter, . number Of Students organised
thsmsslvss into Q company, end furnishing themselves with
horus and various insuum ens with which to produce loud
ssd dscosdsAi noisss. and wholly or in part disguiscd, pa
rdsd III lawn and othef parts Of the precincts, alta late
hosr a - night, disturbing the peace and good order Of
shs u~sivsrty.
Thsss pssdss occurred ., irregular intervals Of abouts
fortnight ;bstho~svsr pen'eious IN their effects on the DIS,
sislins nd ehaseser ol the Univerity, were not attended
- sny saarsrss On tho private dwellings OF the public pro-
psrsy. Asi tks combination. now ascertained to have com.
prssds nunser Of otherwise exemplary Students. 10 said
% lave bseu Informally dissolved before the hnt occasion
Of osrpes committed. This was the 24th Of February,
when the suspensioa OF three Students for d~isordery con-
duct Il one sf ths Hotels wss immediately followed by a
psrsds O. night Of = like band, but more NOISY and more
numerous, attended by attacks on the dwelling OF the
Chairman and the Hotel referred to, in The course OF which
q door and windows were broken.
An interval Of some three weeks occurred, during which
therc wss no disturbance but from this time forth, screen
ing themselves from detection by perfect disguise, and CON-
bining In larger numscn, with multiplied means OF annoy
sncs. one or more bands at short intervals OF time, disturb
cd late si night the peace Of the University, superadding
to other snnoysnccs violence done TO private dwellings and
public property.
To sbew the spiri, Of in.urbordinstion and violence
winch, advancing step by step, at hst exhibited itself In
nightly not and outrage, IL may be enough TO mention some
Of tho moro violent acts OF the last lew weeks.
n ana a~rneian afonea and pther small missile were
thrown against tho psr,our windows 81 a professors dwell
ing while ladies were sitting in the room. On another &C.
casion, persons wearing the usual disguise, and employing
for the purpose OF annoyance, besides pistol firing, the i'm
plcments Of the organised band Of distnrbers, galloped
through The alleys add arcades OF the University on horse,
two OF which had been obtained by breaking open. at late
hour Of the night, the stable OF the Proctor. On the Sab.
bath. the 18Th Of April. in the open day, and in the imme-
date vicinity Of the Unisenity buildings, two persons, OF
whom one had lsisly Withdrawn from the Institution. and
the other wss q Student. engaged in a horse race, at which
their fhends sttended and betted on the result. IL need
scarcely be added, that the names OF the chief offenders
having come to the knowledge Of the Faculty, the one who
v,s smeuablc TO our laws was Immediately dismissed from
the Hesitation. On Monday, and again on "Wednesday
night, the band Of disiurbers repeated their acts of insubor.
dinauou and outrage: on both occasions. the dwellings If
several Professors were attacked. and in the latter case more
violently, the windows Of two OF the houses being broken,
and the doors OF these and others struck. The nights Of
Thursday. Friday and Saturday were marked by more I'M
restrained oatrsges, in which in addition to the attacks made
on the dwellings Of some OF the Professors, by striking and
breaking windows and door panneis, rs before, two doors
Of the Rounds were forced. some Of its windows broken,
and the door Of n lecture room burst open.
During Friday and Saturday, the 18th and 18th, efforts
were made to engage the body OF the Studtns TO discount.
snsuee these outrges, and by expressing their disapproba-
uons, 10 aid in anesting them; but these efforts were totally
unsuccessful. They were met by indifference on the part
Of some: Others who had themselves been implicated in the
dsurbsnces made made by the first band, or had fnenids
Implicated, unhesitatinsly refused, on this account, TO JOIN
in any expressions Of disapprobaton, however mild, OF the
late outrages; and those Who were more or less concerned
in these ouusges, il was well Understood, went so far as 10
threaten with persousl injury. any Of their fellow Students
who should venture TO attend a meeting 10 condemn these
acts OF violence. Even n simple resolution not to continue
the riotous proceedings found no adequate support, and
the Comparatively small number who were anxious to res
tore good order were compelled to yield to circumstances
which they could not control.
As early o. Friday, the 18th, the Faculty sent for the
Executive Committee Of the Board Of Visitors, that they
might avail themselves OF their counsel, On Saturday 10 was
lsccrtained that the immediate attendance o; the Execu-
tive Committee could not be had, and the lectures were
suspended for the day. 10 afford the Faculty an opportunity
10 deliberate on the measures TO be taken. From the stead
lily increasing violence OF the ouusges committed: from the
utter rejection Of all eff Ins Of the well disposed Students TO
stay the disorders; and frum the unconcealed design on the
rioters to compel q Premature close OF the session, by con-
unuing the riots. and by carrying their violence even to
greater lengths. the Faculty were satisfied beyond a ques-
ton, that no reasonable hope remained Of putting an end,
by other means, 10 the existing disturbances, and therefore
determined, after taking the advice OF eminent counsel, to
place the public properly under the protection OF Civil Au-
thority, This course was sustained and approved by the
two members Of the Executive Committee who reached
the University on Monday.
On this day the Justices with a Jury convened Mt the
Universiy 10 enquire into the riois OF which II was the
scene. and under their authority the Sheriff Of the County
placed q guard OF armed citizens at The Rotunda during
that and the following night. On Monday morning, in
anticipation Of the meeting the Justices, and in conform.
iy with an express enactment. notice was given by the
Proctor TO q number Of Students who, there was reason to
believe, were themselves concerned in the disturbances, or
could give Information Of their authors, that they would be
summoned TO appear before the Court as witnesses -
Whereupon o large body Of the Students assembled on
MOnday morning. md adoDted resolufions in which ,bey
plainly avowed their determination TO erade The CiriI Au
fAorify or resist u as far az possbe. These resolutions
they handed BY committee to the Chairman to lay before
the Faculty. Being without signatures. the resolutions
were returned, and shortly after the assemblage Of Students
from which they apparently emanated dispersed without
again presenting theIn; and before the assembling Of the
Justices. nearly all Of these Students left the precincts in
order to evade the civil process. remaining absent during
the time the Justices were in session, although many OF
them returned at night.
At q later hour on Monday, and when the Justices we're
hourly expected to convene, attempt was made by some
gentlemen Of Charlottesville and the neighborhood, with
out any communication with the Faculty, To effect an ar
Tsngement BY which the interpostion Of the Civil Authon.
~ should be prevented: and with this view q meeting of Stu
dents, amounting according To the highest estimate 10 some
seventy in number, was held at 10 O'Clock, and another At
4 O'Clock, r. NJ. No resolutions adopted under su.h cir
eumstsnces and with The number present, could have afford
cd any guaranty Of the safety ofthe public properly and ihe
peace Of the University: much less could they secure the re.
moval from the Institution Of those who had 30 nagran,ly
violated is laws and the laws Of the land. But none were
formally communicated 10 the Justices. and although indu.
ced by the representations made them 20 defer their meet
ing until the afternoon. they found no good reason TO he.
beve their ia,erpcsitioD was Ia any degree les. necessary
than when 10 was called for. On the same night, q meeting
Of Students was held and q pledge signed by a considers
BILE number 70 withdraw from the University. To This
course. part wcre moved most probably by The conviction
90 Which they were brought that the Civil Authority would
render necessary their removal from the Uniyeuity. and
they were glad 20 make this cover to their retreat. Others.
Hn believed acted partly from the persuasion Of those who
were themselves committed. and partly under feeling Of
,rnt.tion ptoduesd BY the disappointment Of the hopes they