Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1852-11-04
The University of Vermont.

In taking retrospect Of the dolngs Of
our Legislature, for several of the past ses-
sions, one can scarcely repel The thought
that this Honorable Body must often take
especial delight in destroying or marriug
the things Of their own creation and in no
case will this thought more obirude than
when noting the act Of last session to en-
force the collection of the amount, princi-
pal and interest, which, many years ago,
was loaned out of the school fund, long
since abolished TO the University of YER
mont The history of this loan OF the state
TO the College is told IN few words; In
1924, the college building, which had been
erected at the cost OF S35 900 by private
munihcence, and without any help from the
state, was, with its valuable contents, de-
stroyed by FIRE; whereupon the citizens of
Burlington aud vicinity, to save this nsti-
tuition of the state from entire annlhllatiun,
generously stepped forward and raised by
subscription the sum of : 10 900 with which
to erect new buildings. With this dona-
ton the two wings of the present edlhcc
were erected. But the Institution still be-
ing without a library or library room,
museum chapel, and even recitation
room, the corporation commenced erecting
the centre building, and to enable them TO
complete this indispensable part of their es-
| Enlistment, solicited aid from the state,
and obtained not a gift, bu, loan of
$4,000, which with what they could beg
elsewhere, did enable them to get the build
! ing in such a shape that it could be occu-
II pied Had this $4,000 been an approprla-
ton or gift of the state to an institution
I ,,,h, .,I,, cItl1 Of t. and
at that time brought to the verge of ruin by
an act of Providence, the donation, under
the circumstances. would have been con-
tenptibly small one. Blu, the state was
guilty even of no such liberaily as that
would amount to. The money was loaned
only, good security exacled, aud the inter-
est required to be paid. And the interest
has been paid, as sadly as the institution has
wanted funds, To the amount of more than
half the original debt. Not satisfied with
that, however, and as If unwilling that col
lege should have even the use Of the money,
the legislature, last session, passed an act
to enforce the collection OF this debt; and
accordingly the clam, the past year, has
actually been put IN sun IA Chlttenden
county and had the case been reached, at
the late term of the court there, Judgment
might have been rendered, execution lssu-
ed, the apparatus aud library of the college
siezed aud sold under the hammer And
thus now stands the case The state ~ The
position of a hard-faced creditor exactIng
his dues 10 the uttermost through the ruth
less power of the law-ihe college, unable
to raise any more money than barely will
suffice to keep it in operation, in the attl-
IL e cnppl.apt haurtnsr ipr -
Nav, it is worse than that The slate has
placed lselfin the position OF rich father,
who, having given his son meagre outht,
aud seen him reduced to poverty by calamI-
~, loans, instead of giving him, small sum;
and then, while he IS struggling to rei'eve
himself, turns round and sues him Tor the
money
Now is this the position in which the
people of Vermont wish 10 see their state
placed
But what will be the consequence of thus
enforcing the collection OF tins debit The
College. with commendable liberaIty and
lorbearance, have trusted the poor young
men of Vermont, who have graduated there
for their tuition, I'LL they could pay from
their own earnings, to large amount; and
at this very moment, there Is due 10 the in-
stitution, M such claims as these, more
than enough to pay this debt to The STATE.
And if the debt III question Is collected
will be compelled, ia IT'S present emoa,, ass
cd circumstances 10 do, not as II could be
done NV but as II IS done by, and drive
an these Young men, now struggling to get
,n,o their professions, in the same manner
IN which il has been driven up itself. DO
The people of the state wish 10 see tins also !
l The writer of this is no graduate u; bur
lington college, no officer, and has no con-
neclion with II 4; but he IS hlehu 10 our
educational interests--he has some PRIDE
for the character of the state aud he has
therefore been graiiied to see bill nitro
duced, the present session. to cancer ih's
deb, and he believes that sound poi'cy' as
we'll as the honor of the state. requires It's
passage. ~ o.