Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-05-09
TO lie Edilms 0f nc EHqHT1:
UNIVERSITY or Va. 9Th May, 1915.

of the late rebellion al The University OF Virginia
Now, it so happens that The communication OF "a
Student" contains errors which. il moi corrected
may mislead and deceive the public. Hence III
necessity of correcting them through The same
channel by which they We're communicated 10 III,
world. In doing so, shall merely point ont III,
errors OF "a Student" without quoting more o
his language than is absolutely necessary as j
would require loo much space and time 10 Civ,
his ideas in his own words, scattered rs they ar,
throughout his lengthy article, without order o
arrangement.
The first error in The expose of "A Student re
curing correction is, his account of the oiigina
Callithumpian Band. He informs the public
thai upon the dismissal OF Two young men from
the University, a member Of the Faculty suggest
ed upon his ,ndiridu0I responsibility and not otf
ciaND, that il fifty students could be induced Il
sign a temperance pledge, these Two young
men would probably be re-admilted into The
University. This suggestion thus casually
thrown oui, he further adds, was seioed pp
al by the students, and lily promptly came for
ward and signed The pledge. ~ SUDDEN" more
over, saws, that although there was nothing wron.
C.abSolu,ely" he has l il This pledge, vet il serv
ed 10 exa>pera,e the most ipttiii@cpt AMI ffaeciina
students; and, under this state of feeling, he in
forms rs, the old Band was originated To car
the climax, "a Student" adds, that some 10 or &c
members Of the Old Band. with whom he was
acquainted were aS homes, and hieh-minded men
as ever lived Now, what 10 all these statements
taken together, signify? II lhey mean anything
they amount To this: that the most intelligent and
Fc;lCciiM., d0nea aHdh1oa-Min6ed Students became
exasporated al their own acl, voluntarily perform.
ed, upon The mere suggestion unoicialiy made by
4 member The Faculty, and Mi-ednpOn by them.
selves; and under this state of evaporation, form
ell The old Callhumpian Band through spite OF
malice against the Faculty on account of the
temperance pledge. How men OF intelligence
reflection and honor, as "a STUDENT" rightly de-
clares the members ut the old Band 10 be, could
be guilty of The folly and meanness ofspiril which
he impntes 10 them, is beyond ms powers OF COM
prehensiun. But the fact is (and have II from,
many members of the Old Band and among them
from The Captain himself) the Old Band was
formed merely Tor Sport-lo have something Ia
laugh at and 10 talk about, and not on accoun, OF
any action whatever on The part of the Faculty.
Many members OF the oh Band have discamed
any other object or design than that stated above,
both before the Court and Faculty. The fact tina,
they cautiously RETAINED from every act OF vio.
lcncc, and the fact that so soon as some who had
crepl into their ranks began 10 commit excuses.
they informally dissolved, prove this conclusive
Is.
One would suppose. liom The general tenor OF
this part OF g A Students" communication, thai
he was striving 10 attach some blame 10 the Ia
Guilty. Bur his own statement properly construed,
Justly clears their skirts vi the shadow oil blame,
and unIusily, as have shown, fixes Odlum upon
The members Of The Old Band. In Justice 10 "A
Student must say, that | do not believe that
such was his object and that lie is unaware oil
the true purporl Of his communication.
hp upy NJ &c I'll
reclon consists in his statement going 10 prove
that il was unnecessary 10 call out the military,
for The protection oil The University, and the sup
preston OF the rio!s. a few facts in addition 10
those given hy "A Student" will be. sufficient 10
show that hi, step was indi>pensably necessary.
"A Student admits, that the Faculty would have
been unsuitable in calling in the aid Of The civil
authority, or in resorlng 10 any Other plan, IL
quel the di>tul Dances provided the students could
not, BY some arrangement among themselves
obviaie the necessity Of this The last resort. He
also declares, that The acts Of The iioers show
them 10 have been men devoid oi a correct idea
Of honor and morality, il in their senses He
further adds, that on Saturday some persons tried
10 call meeting oi The students, Tor the purpose
oi making an effort 10 terminate The disorders,
but failed, as he expresses il, through their rant
Of intelligence and connection with the lnslu-
ton By The way, would here remark, that the
persons who attempted Ia call meeting on
SATURDAY TcTs students OF The University, and :,
oflhem resided within the University precincts
A TO their want Of intelligence, they will certainly
apreal from the decision OF one. whose prodnc
lons show how little he is qualified 10 Judge Of 4
question that requires good hard common sense 10
determine; and they are satisfied that the public,
after having critically read his elluSions, will con
cur in their opinion Of hi. qualifications for such
a task. The failure Of The attempt 10 call meet
ing on Saturday, was known 10 the Faculty and
civil authorities On Saturday night The Band
was again ont, and committed acts Of violence
With iull view oi these facts, The Faculty deter
mined Ia call in The AID of The civil authority
a course, rs il will lie seen, justified BY "A Stu
dent himself A brei statement OF The transac-
lions on Monday, will show The necessity for an
adherence TO this determination. On Monday
morning, alter The dispersion OF those students
who had been notified 10 be in readiness 10 he
summoned before the Cour HAT was Ia assemble
on that day al The University Mr. Alexander
Rives and others came there, with the view Of
making arrangements to render this step unncces-
sary Nh Rives addressed he students, and pre-
vailed upon Them 10 pass The resolutions contain.
ed in "A Students communication. In accor-
dance with one OF those resolutions, another meet
ing was held al p NJ Al this meeting there
dressed lhr students, and with difficulty effected
the passage OF The resolutions Ia be found in ano-
Their part of a Students" article That the pub.
lie NAV understand The tue feeling OF this meet.
ing truth requires ne 10 state, that some spoke
against the resolutions four voted against them
and others refused 10 vote al all. The students
present declared that they could give no pledge
whatever for those Whn we're absent. Mr.. Rives
distinctly stated that he was not authorized 10
make anv promise OF concession on the part Of the
Faculty He merely promised, il understood him
Correctly, 10 Use his influence 10 stay the military,
if The students satisfied him that their interference
could BIZ dispensed with. Ailrr The first resolii-
lions passed, another Was proposed, and carried
BY one majority, allribuing all HE disorders,
which had taken place, 10 The indiScreel conduct
Of The Faculty. This resolution was reconsider
ed, after It's inconsistency with those previously
passed had been pointed ont, and substitute Of
fered, in mihler form, but in substance the
same. The latter was finally laid upon the Ia
bic, and the meeting adjourned.
Upon the adjournment OF the meeting, heard
several saw that those who refused to vote those
who voted against the resolutions as well as The
great majority ofthe rioters, who were but little
distance from Inc University, would noi be iniin-
enced and controlled by The resolutions which had
been adopted MANY did not hesitate 10 declare
that they believed there would be double The usual
number Of Callitliumpian> out on The succeeding
night Such we're my own impressions; and ain
satisfied that every impartial mind, alter having
read the communication OF "a Student" and The
additional facts here submitted, will agree with
me, that the only means OF protecting the proper
" OF the University was 10 commit il 10 Ike guar
dianship OF the Civil Authority
"a Student" labors hard 10 show that the no.
nor OF the Students was disregarded, and their
good faith impngned. This was not The case
For, although believe that every one, who voted
for the resolutions which passed on Monday even
ing was sincere, and would have used his nfu-
ence 10 prevent the Callilhumpians from commit.
ting further depIedaons, yet am fully satisfied
that their efforts would have been totally unavail-
ing The meeting on Monday evening having
failed 10 give satisfactory assurance that the dis
orders would cease, and rather aTording reason 10
believe that they would be repeated ii cannot be
said, with propriety, that the bringing OF the mi
lilary 10 the University impugned The faith and
"a No tod a.. ~,