Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-05-06
TEE UNIVERSITY.

'ai % 'nc chairman OF The Faculty giving an
authentic account Of The late disturbances q, Tho
! Students in This Institution" The puI,l;c .,c
now a'iy lnto'mei If the facts, and We ru,, that
me PAST viii be forgotten and thai peace and PROS
peTlsr will attend The future destiny Of This noble
seat OF learning. We see nothing in the recent
unfortunate disorders, 10 prove radical and Der.
maneni injury 10 the College, and We invoke all
It's friends, whether parents or students, 10 suffer
MOI lneir ardor 10 te dampened, bu, 10 rally with
new energy 10 The support Of an Institution that
nas sie' me light OF education over Virginia, and
ha> gwen proofs OF lis important benefits in many
OF her distinguished sons. now in the State and
/ Nliiona! Councils For tie honor OF VIRGINIA
ioF ' cause Il Education, We sincerely ,rus, that
Inc prejatIces against The University may die
away ana that valuable Institution, on which
80 nnra money has been expended. and 10 which
We nave been accustomed 10 poin, with pride,
may not anguish for want OF popular support
Lei It's management be strictly scruinizcd and, il
ionni 10 he nsTilurious, as We have no doubt il
VIII he, ii he In5rs'Sity &c sustained.
UNIVERSITY or VIRGINIA. Aprl %.
Sir lie Faculty Of The University of Wiz.
gina complying with The recommendation Of the
Boari oi lslior' and urgnd il sense OF dnty 10
me parents and guardians oi the youth commit
iro 10 l'iSr caie beg leave II present a brr his.
tory ui The disorders which inr some ,!fne disturbed
HE peace. and il NOT arrested would have enian.
serch III" safety OF The University. They hnrc
thereby 10 di>ahusr tn. public mind OF any la!s
! Impressions produce. by erroneous statements
propa2nied through The public prints OF otherwise.
lie session Ior the first months was peaceful.
and large proportion oi the Students cviuced n
/ liIldable diligence in their studies The few
cases Of discipline which occurred, requiring the
serious action Of the Faculty, we're violations OF
! The law prohibiting the use ol intoxicating IL
qnor> and in these, The pena!!v imposed was in
diligently RENTED in consideration OF pledges
given By he offenders ami large number oil
Other students. Ia abstain from intoxicating
! drinks throughout the session.
Early in The Winter, a number oi Students or
sanlsed themselves INTO 4 company, and furnish
in1 themselves with honS ana various iu.ri-
mens with which 10 produce loud and disconianl
noises, and wholly or in paii disguised, paraded
The lawn and other paris Of The precincts, at d
late hour II the night disturbing the peace and
good order oi The UNIVERSITY.
These parades occurred! Al irregular intervals Of
+ dpbut I'U IiDNPNel III tUrH
effect, on he discipline ana character of lie Uni
yersity, were not aiisnde hy any uu!rages on tie
private dwellings or the public properly And
The combination, now aScertane1 10 have COM
pliseI number Of otherwise exemplary students
i SAID 10 have been Informally dissolved befoe
the iiI>, occasion ci outrage commit ed This
occasion was 'hc 9Th ui February. whcn the Su,
pension Of three students Tor diSordcriy corduct
al one 81 The Hotels, wa. Immediately followed
hy a parade at night OF 4 like band, hui more
noisy and more numerous attended by attacks
on Tie dwelling Of the Chairman and the ioe
referred 10, in the Course of which uoOI and
windows were broken.
An interval! Of some three weeks occurred, dil-
ring which there was no disturbance, but. from
III $ time forth, screening themselves from detec-
ton by perfect disguise, and combining in larger
numbers with multiplied means Of annoyance,
one or more bands, al shor interval, OFT time, dis
,nrbed late at night The peace Of the University,
superadding TO other annovances violence done
10 private dwellings and public properly.
To show The spirit OF INSTRUMENTATION and vio
lcnce which, advancing step BY step, a, last exh-
enoieL "a mention s7;; t1!"tie PiHfee, H.tPayhe
oi the !ast few weeks.
On one occasion, stones ard other small nus
sizes were thrown agains' the paloar windows oil
a professors dwelling while LADIES' were sitting IN
the room. Or another OCCASION. persons wearing
The usual disguise, and employing Tor The ruf-
pose Of annoyance, besides pistol hrlng, Inc I'M
Meme of the organized band al ds'urheis, gal
Topped through The alleys and aTcadeS oil me UNI
versty on horses two of which had been oO,d.n'
ed by breaking open, al late hour oil the nisht'
the stable oi the Proctor. On the sabbath, Inc
18th OF a pril in The open day, and IN iile iniine
dia,e vicinity of The University buildings, two
I,pIl la. 81
The Institution. ana The Other was Student en-
gaeed in horse race, al which their friends al
tcnIel and be;,cI on lie result. II need scarcely
To added that the names OF the chIei offenders
having come TO the knowledge OF The Faculiy
ihe one who was amehable 10 our laws was I'M
meGiaiely dismissed from The Institution VA
Monday. and again on Wednesday night, the
hand of disitlrbcrs repeated their acts OF nsuoof-
dina,ion and outrage: on both OCCASIONS me
dwellings OF several Professors were attacked,
and in the latter case more violently; Inc WIN
dows Of two OF the houses being broken, and The
doors of these and others struck. The nights OF
Thursday, Friday and Saturday were markedly
more unres,raincd ou,rages, in which, in addition
10 Inc attacks made on The dwellings OF some Of
the Professors b. striking and breaking windows
and t,oor .pannels as before, two doors oil me no
tunda were forced, some Of is windows broken,
and The door OF lecture room burst open
During Friday and Saturday, the 18Th and 18Th,
Efforts were made 10 engage the body OF HE SUI
denis 10 discornienancc these outrages, anu by
expressing their disapprobalion, TO ald IN arrest
inc them bnt these efforts were totally nhsnccess
fnl, They were met BY Indifference on me pait
ot some: others who had themselves been iinpli-
Gated in The disturbances made by me llrst Dand'
or had friends implicated, unhcsHatine'y rciuSeo'
nm ,his account. 10 Join in any expression oil dsap.
probation. however mild, Of later outraccs and
tbosa who were moro or less concerned III these
on,raoee il was well understood, went SO far rs 10
threaten with personal injury. any OF iheirieo"
Students who should venture Ia attend
meeting 10 condemn these acts OF violence Even
simple resolution not 10 con'iEne ne fio'ous pro-
ceedinrs found no adequate support, ana me com
nara,ivslv small number vino were anxious 70
restore good order werc compelled 10 yiell /"
circumstances which they cout nIt cnn'Ioi.
a. early as Friiav, the lsh, The Faculty senl
a. ms Eyecntiye Committee q the Board OF
Visitors that thew might avail themselves oil thelr
counsel. On Saturday it was asccr ained laa'
,he immediate attendance OF The Executive CoIl-
mittee could mol be had, and The lectures were Su'-
nendcd for the day, To Afford The Faculty an "p-
portunlty 10 deliberate on The measures 70 p' I'd
ken. From The steadily increasing violence OF
,he on,rages committed from the utter rejection
NJ an efforts OF the well-disposed Students 10
cav The disorders: and from The unccncealeddesS
on The part Of The rioters 10 compel pre e!n:l
ture close OF The session, BY continuing Inc r1o'S
and nv carving their violence even 10 greater
lrngti,s. the Faculty were satisfied beyond ques-
ZION, that no reasonable hope remained Of put
inc an end. BY other means TO The existing lisilr-
hances and therefore determined, after taking The
ADVICE Of eminent counsel, 10 place the public
property under The protection OF the Civil aulhotl
r. This course was sustained and approved by me
,wo members Of the Executive Committee who
reached the University on Monday.
On this day the Justices with jury convened .in,s (,
At the University 10 enquire into The riots OF
which il was the scene, and under their authority
the Sheriff of the county placed guard OF armed
citizens at the Rotunda during that and The tot
!, wing night. On MONDAY morning, IN anncipa-
lion Of The meeting Of The Justices, and in con-
formily with an express enactment notice was
c;yen hv the Proctor 10 number oil stuoen's
Ybo there was reason 10 believe, were themselves
concerned in the disturbances, or could give IN
formation OF their authors, that they would be
summoned 10 appear before The Court as witnesses.
IIrIe,,,,, a largo body of The students as