Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1853-07-23
NUMBER 10.
RICHMOND wHIc.
LConNuNlcArEp.
ICoxxvSicArEp.
To the Hon. Board Of Trustees sf u.-.a.. s,a..x
College.

large snare OF pubic attention. he
of the city Of Richmond on the
OF ne new froies,orshp OF PLY oogy and Medical Jur.
prudence, united in recommending DR.. g. A Wilson OF
our city as suitable person Gil that Chair mapv or
u.s. moreover, presented in brief memorial ~, yo,- h,
some OF our views, setting forth the princips nxoIv.d ~
tha election. We have reason To know that Dr. Wilson
on he Gay nat he orwarded to the Secretary OF your
Board his Credentials formally announced to the Dean OF
the Faculty his purpose to be a candidate
ionr bolrd wisely IN our opinion, conferred the ap-
pomtment upon DR. Wilson, ater, are informed a
thorough discussion and searching into ali ha
/ rights principles and interests involved.
we learn from most reliable that the F,cuIv of
the College have against your action .nJ
hked reconsideration of the whole question In this new
phae OF things we think due the of trsth aad
justice due to the whole medical profession due ,o vo.r
honorable body that candid full and detailed statemert
0i the whole question should be placed before your Boar
| as we'll as the public. - -
Our remarks shall be a. brief "a the na,r. Of ,b a..
| will permit -'0 VI ZIG ''so
About the year 1885, the project of establishing Me
cal institution College, in this city, was apateJ .n
engaged the attention OF its medical men lar -.
Iony sanctioned such enterprise based upon liberal
principles and enlightened policy Five medical gentle
men associated themselves for IN purpose rented hd
ing advertised, and actually commenced course of med
ieai instruction They drew up a memorial and solicited
We Sa1chon IN the form Of acharter of incorpora--
uo pending the first course Of lectures The proysons
o this charter attracted the and the
position Of the profession. tsleadng and charactersc
feature was concentration Of all ower in faculty OF Ava
professors seifGppoiHted and seEperpeuatinp body-
ana the absence OF all prov ision or Board OF Trustees o
Regents and Visitors
This feature so repuprant tn tho sn;r;, o, o I'll.
|
tohs naturally excited the opposition of the profession
call was forthwith made for a meeting of The medic,
gentlemen OF Richmond and its vicinity Nearly tbrty ot
our most prominent medical men assembled; other. m
able TO attend sympathsng aiding and abetting in the
movement. committee appointed CHARGED with
the duty OF opposing aud defeating this charter in the
tSiative Hall. Such a close corporation covering
nopoy OF exclusive rights privileges so much At war
WIN virginia sentiment and Republican institutions
made the deeat of this bill an easy task On these
grounds and perhaps these grounds alone the pakJ
at its birth s'e0
Let it be particularly observed in this connection that
close character of this charter and the exclusive claim
opposed by the profession and denied
10y the Legislature the cause OF strife and the bor Of
con 'htion at the present Bu. this claim was
never publicly asserted until the card of the Dean of th
Faculty announcing the new Professorship published by
authority cist 1cy and unequivocay declared that tho
ulty. III '"e rue
The denir however, of this charter did not affect tho
general PROPOSE o. that there ought To be medical col
ege in the city Of Richmond An unsuccessul eor, ua.
no" made to induce William and Mary College to estab
h sn Medical Department here, but the great body of
the looking for success to he charter of
the Medical Society of Virginia This society now held
the SUBJECT under advsemen and were engaged meeting
alter meeting, in tanning and maturing plan of liberal
organization conormingto the wishes interests of the
profession at large and the spirit of the age and our in
shutlons 1t appears however that several gentlemen
o had been active in opposing charter and ur
gng and soliciting the kindly nterposon of the Soci.
ety. were in another quarter for the accomplish
ment of their views in another shape
The scheme Of Medics' Schoolh had not rinened nod
me auspices OF the Medical Society before il evidenced
oy subsequent events several who surposed IN h
,sng promptly and in good faith really giving their
d ana asslstence - smother scheme IN which they after
wards appear SELF constituted and appouted roJ,sso,.
But just at this uncure the and new actors
different set of gentlemen. "
1t so happened that this particular time one of the
Professors of the Literary Department your College was
potuney in the city Of Richmond He was invited to
social entertainment with four or five medical
At the house Of one of our prominent PHYSICIANS
AZ tins entertainment the scheme for the Medical Depart
men OF hampden Sidney College definitely planned
and arranged-is professors lips appropriated and die
whole programme greed npon.
Nothing was now wanting but your consent which was
subsequently, obtained
We call particular attention TO the fact that nj least
inree OF the gentlemen interested and Of the fiji AZ eoYr of
Fioessors, appointed by your Board were sentltn,n
o had vigorously opposed the granting the in ndepcn-
dent charter sought OF Legislature ON account t the
'rro"ness OF Its provisions and especially the sconsf
'""g md SefpeTpsipdBy power of it, Faculty Indeed
two OF them were members of the identical committee an
pointed by the above mentioned meeting of physiens In
Ieeat the charter for the already mentioned
lhey were present the door of our Legislative Ua,s
long their duty until their object Accomplished IL
i also worthy OF especial notice that members OF this
'e committee are st members of the Medical Depart
ment ct Hampden Sidney Coegc-and, If are not mis-
informed as 10 their position, they claim rights for them
sl'eS which they have been instrumental in DENYING tn
"ihers, and seek establish and coufrm a policy ,n a.
aion OF the rights and in cOntravenon OF the wishes
NJ the great body Of the pro siun on which polcy thsv
had stamped the seal Of their condemnation Ii affords US
10 pressure Fcer 10 shall
" sraihed to rnd ourselves mistaken in assigning them
this position very uneuviable.
But we find that the charter Of Hampdcn Sidney Col
e-e expressly provides that the Trustees shall appoipt
all of Professors. We would most respectfully snh
nit that any transfer alienation Of this power from yon
hands where 1t placed by fundamental and organic
laws, would be a violation Of your charter
To build up therefore, the policy against which We ,,s
protesting, aud always have protested, would require an
amendment to your chatter embodyn NJ this very obnox
ous feature, which the State Legislature has already 90
nied, and trust will deny fhe Trustees 9 y, On
pontno persons but such the Faculty Of the College
nominate, then nomination Is virtual ap,oiD,nan,
and YOUR honorable body has bsrtercd AVA ,be as,
Of the sacred trust reposed in you-no matter vba La
been he terms and conditions Of the transfer whether by
special compact, verbal understanding courtesy or
some ncied claim IN equity it, effects the same up
on the rights and interests your memorast We have
heard OF no records Of any agreement between the high
contracting parties Indeed haye bccu informed that
vonr Board have uniformly denied that any compact giv
ns the College exclusive rights Of nominal ion and self
perpetation, ever bad existence When VIC recolcc
atthe Medical Department Of Hampden Sidney College
was established just the heal OF defeat Of s inepen
dent chnrtcr-bccausc IL embraced this u LIBERAL feature
whenit j. remembered hst least three OF the 6rs
pointed Professors Of this Medical Department in public
and in private aud the floors Of Legislature had
denounced this llbera feature. you, under such ci
cu1stances for moment believe that these gentlemen
would themselves have submitted to such feature much
less hked IL NJ your hand, sine gsa 20 the prose-
cu'on of the enterprises The probabilities against sac
conclusion, amount almost % certainty. But We un.
dcrtaud that the Faculty Of the College reply upon nri
conversations and letters TO establish their elip In
aguccence on your part in their nominations We would
ask. u the parties IN these conversations aud the
N Of these letters authorized by you to make any
gh promises We understand the records Of vour fo.rd
vii show that you always distinctly and explicitly retained
This right of appointment aud authorized any per
son o make its surrender II l. slso known that whcn
the poiessorshp Of surgery ast vaesnL members of
your body brought forward the Of eminent sur
geou Of Virginia IN opposition 10 the regular nominee Of
The College Faculty The hct that this opposition candidate
DID not get votes enough 70 elect bim does not sect the
principle that YOU established then-and not at your sst
meeting far The trst time. Why did you permit MIN to
be baoed for At AL you did not have the INT 20 eecs
him The simple privilege Of being caudidate under
such circumstances without the u beinR elected
Is very poor boon that will be seldom claimed
But pass 70 the consideration Of rights which
have grown out Of this connection With n 8 College
An a.dious effort Is made ~ Impress the pubic mind
With The belief that private rights invaded and tha1
mcddng ndehcaiey With The management Of an