The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-11-03
MlDD1EBrRr, Oct. p, lS47.


DEAR SIR: Yours of the l4ih instant, ,outa;,
Ing the preamble and resolution of your BoGri
passed on the 18TH was inIy rec lived, and it voud
have been answered at an carrier dste, If mex
pected demands urOn NY lime had Eot prevented
You must have expected shat such an unlock
ed-for termination Of the negotiation respecting
union Of our Colleges, would produce among L.
no little surprise and YOU doubtless expected
that we should carefully examine and weigh the
reasons which have led your Board - such re
suit.
| i presume that YOU have not forgotten The n
ception and progress of this negotiation. louf
Executive Committee YOU r; member, in con-
munication addressed TO our Corporation IN July
last, represented, that the indications Of Eene-
raj opinion among the alumni and frion,is OF bo;a
institutions favorable to their amalgamation have
appeared so strong, that they think themselves
warranted in asking the serious consideration Of
the question" by the Corporation of Middletury
College; and they proposed the appointment oil
committees by the respective Corporations, VITO
should confer together and report upon the sui
ject Then your Board, at their annual meeting
in August, "Eesolr,d, That this Corporation DOH
heartily and fully concur in the opinion that the
interests of education and the cause of knowledge
would be gre ally promoted by an union of the two
scr1narics in question and that an earnest effort
ought now 20 be made to accomplish the same
On our part, we promptly responded 10 the
ca appointed Il committee, as requested, 1ri
entered upon the negotiation with sincerity and
with settled purpose to prosecute it until, either
the desired end should be obtained or the subject
should prove to be enyironed with insuperable.df
ticuties and Just as we had reached point IN
the investigation, at which, we supposed, light wa'
beginning to dawn upon our path, We receive tie
final resolution Of your Board declining further
action on the suhject-though they regard the
existence of two Colleges In the State, oil klnaIe1
spirit and aim as hndrance TO the cause OF SOUND
learning, and occasioning wasteful application
of public charities" If the existence OF these IN
situations is indeed attended with evils oil sucH
magnitude, we should certainly expect that in'
reasons for prcmaturely concluding neGouanOn
which seemed to be tending towards unlon'
would be obvious, unambiguous and important
Let MS then briefly examine YOUR reasons.
Your Board decline the proposition for unio"
because "by the bill reported. the location OIL Ilo
new institution is to be determined by commit
tee drawn from other states, and very impereci1
acquainted with our internal condition and rela
tons, and especially the feelings of citizens
&c.
The question, How shall the location Of the
new institution be deicrmined4 was fully discus
sed by the committees IN conference, and they u
unanimously agreed upon five gentlemen oil hlgn
standing in Massachusetts and Connecticut, As
Board OF Commissioners who should be invited !"
visit Vermont-make themselves thoroughly &C
quainted with the sIbject-hear testimony and ~
gument if necessary. and then decide the location
according TO the intrinsic merits Of the case ms
arrangement seemed to us so natural and SO I'M
partial. that we supposed it would be acccded 70
at oncee bv both Corporations. But as your Board
saw fit to reject this plan, we are somewhat sur
prised that they did not propose substitute. il
they had expressed preference for q locating
committee, selected from the citizens Of this Com
monwealth, it would have been, have no doubt
very respectfully considered by our Corporation
Again You decline the proposition for union'
" because the late munifcent subscription to tho
University is, by express terms of the bill, rem
dered imperative and void, in case its present o
cation is disturbed" This objection is some"nais
You surely have not forgotten, anu
your Board were, no doubt, acquainted with lT0
fact, that one Of your own Trustees drew the Dra
and introduced the condition objected to- "ilnO-'
the direction or consent of the Conference
You well remember, presume that when IT,! ~
bill was discussed, the gentlemen from me o1
versis~ insisted that the condition Of forieii~
should be retained, while the committee nUN
Middlebu-y College unanimously anu
uously opposed it; and as we could not aeLs. "a
that point, We concluded 10 refer the ma''''