New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-28

The -ul iect one Of scsnrch inn o-fance affecting pro
badly tie action Of tie present B,g'i OF trustees,
nfny coscs ard On wei MY gle-'i0ns ihF ine '''n -
deemed i Iroper e. transmit copy Of -. same 10 IA
/ Bond 81 Trustee cor their consideration
0.o q = II c. consteref IT. the opinion hes tesr.
60 the q M NilaE Bcs for ma1y years ~ ''e
Of the College, oud al t- time holding the One
Prof sor AZ Law. l. j. und rsteol that ai the al -he
meeting 81 the he Trustees M Bots resigned = 10
fssorshp ard tie office Of Trustee and unauim 'is!l
reelected tie latter office b. the Board M action ma
vet hCcr I'D n tie case ii Mr.. Iho-. L. Well, - who q
Il c topic considered in the opinion has reference
With rrect e. tie ac OF tie Trustees affected by the
prescnce OF Illegal member your Committee have no rec
OF ndaor o Offer. The election OF Professor
Of Chemistry and Natural and Experimental Philosophy IL
one of ihcse acs and II that election made by the
majority Of q single vote ard that in fIvo- Of
u sfu candidate. the election j. witAou. doubt
VOID Or il II my Of tie baoting the substracton Of
an Illegal vote would give meori;y 70 Dr.. Gibbs be u
the duly.eleci,d Professor Bat your Committee would
prefer iha; the election Of Professor McCurh should not
he Cfm bed by any action az law induce ed by The Alumni
bu; that b. be welcomed 10 the City and Chair with the
cordial respect Of the Aun and the hope that complete
may attend hs career in tie service OF Columbia
COLLEGE
suitable spar-men. il be fitted up imme iiatey for
aciure.ros n, Gnd appropriation has been made for
the purchase Of apparatus: and this energetic acton On
department in state Of efficiency
Your Committee freely advert 20 the proceedings
If tie Board of Irusees, concnrring fully IN the
81 nion expressed by the Alumni in their resolution,
ha; the edn of the Trustees go far a. they re ate
;othc public duties oftbe College inary OF elFnins,
legitimate subjects Of public scrutiny, and no Sc
oret or confidential character should be claimed for
them" The aiiemU impose a rule an obligation
Of honor upon the members of the Board that the pro-
c,edcs fl discussion II the body except when ordered
70 he published should be vailed in the most profound
secrecy ihey would regard A. most unwse and impotc
There n, coming before such body that are in
their mature confidential but general rule OF conn
Dental secrecy oud BE regarded as eyncng an nnau
tsry dread OF public opinion with repeci to their oieal
acts ard deliberations. - ,..,,.
AuoLer Sal Committee consisting Of Messrs. William
4 Allen. Abram = Hewitt. John Hac
Mullen and George +. seymour was appointed 10 presen
plan Of organization of the Alumni with view to IN
creese the prosperity strengthen the influence, ana ex
also ordered be printed together with the draft of bull
subst Gueutly and laid before the Alumni Inc
re,ontors reported by the Subcommittee and embody
ing the conclusions reached adopted by the General
Committee VITA the exception of the last recognizing the
celebration Of the Centennial Anniversary and are respect
fully submitted for the consideration of the Alumni at the
present time.
There are three specific recommendations contained in
the roport of tie Committee Organization: FIRST with
resued 70 he division the Trustees of the College into
six classes Of four each having six years 20 serve and
their election by tie Alumni Sec5nd With respect 10
system If vaiios of the College on occasions OF pup,
c examinations and IiUG. With respect to an annual
meeting a the Alumni accompanied by the ceremony OF
an address and followed by dinner. The annual meet
ing would afford n suitable occasion for performing all 'he
business that would be required for giving effect to the
several objects Of the organizations the nomination of the
proposed electoral college for the choice OF trustees e
arpoinlmont If a Committee charged with the duty OF
u
mens. and the election Of Their own ohcers
Tie most important of these subjects the election OF
Trustees. Some of the considerations why change IN
the of tie office aud the mode OF appointing rus
tee Is desirable are presented in the report OF the Com
mittee on ORGANIZATION 1t IS desirable for the Interests
of Il institution if some safe representative system can
be devised 10 provide for the opportunity OF repenishmg
the governing body stated periods with new energy
and experience II is desirable for the Trustees them
selves both for this purpose and that OF securing me
sympathies of the community in their favor The prgu
dice existing against close corporations although unre
sonable in their full extent applied TO collegiate ounda
ons embarress the action of Trustees and their
proceedings be viewed in the most unfavoraole night
And all this has direct bearing upon the prosperity OF
the institution itself.
Tie fact of being representative has, too its influence
upon the mind With the best of men, their views OF
duty are nsensby modified by sense OF Their relation 10
others and their responsibility to Others The power con-
fdtd is REGARDED a. a committed to their use rather
than substantive power conferred upon them, 10 DC
transmitted, like pIerogatiNeS, unlInpaed 10 theT
suctessors This consideration constitutes, IN the Judg
meut Of your Committee an unanswerabe argument in
favor of system of representation, even Tor boards oil
college government where it can be practically admins
tered.
The plan proposed requires lengthened statement to
vndcae its conservative character The Trustees are to
hold Office when elected for the term of six years and VIII
be 50 that there is danger the score of
permanency, and objection on the ground that lrs
tees newly elected would be unacquanted with their d
ties and with the interests If the institution The plan
simply hs that the Alumni shall choose every year IRON
their number TN Electoral College to be taken out OF
twenty classes with not more than two Delegates
from any one class who shall choose Trustees to dill the
places Of those whose Of service expires. II the
picked sons the College cannot be trusted with this duty
all representation for purpose farce We must go
back TO the of seperpetuating governments Tor ali
our ideas of civil poty Where would the cause OF learn
ing morals and religion be safe If il would not be secure
in the guardianship of such constituency charged with
the limited function Of selecting Trustees for the govern
ment of literary institution in whose welfare they feel
deem interest The fact that the Electoral College would
be composed Of graduates OF widely different ages, from
the Young and ardent Ia those mature IN the experience Oh
life representing too, they would, all the aspirations
and ali the Of the active minds in the communiys
most fortunate feature in the constitution Of the electoral
bolJ. Whatever dangers may possibly arise in practice
from the operation OF such system for there no perfect
system Of government possible among men, your Commit
tee can conceive of that will outweigh the evils that
pertain the system of seperpetuating responsible
With resrec TO the scheme of visitation proposed it is
merely necessary refer 10 the report OF the SubCom
mittee. The considerations in favor OF this mode OF
strenethng the hands of the Professors and keeping up
relations of intimacy between the Alumni and the College
are sufficiently stated Their arguments also IN favor OF
an annual meeting the appointment OF an orator Tor Inc
occasion and the social festival which Is 10 close te eNef
cises Of the day, cover the subject
Tie whole machinery is Of the simplest character and
the organization Just effective for all useful purposes
a. q more formal and methodized plan Al the Alumni
will be invited TO the annual meeting and will take part IN
tie election Of President, NicePresiden Treasurer
and Secretary. This meeting viii afford an opportunity
the transaction OF business that may De Drought
before the Alumni and there would be recognized au
hority for calling meetings al other times lhe commit
Of Arrangements would select the orator e me Gay!
and make the necessary dispositions for the social festival
The Committee Of Visitation would discharge the task as
signed to them in the way they should deem 'st ethcen
and would be at liberty TO delegate TO DINERS sp'cay
qualified the duty Of attending examinations on particular
subjects.
Another committee viii be required TO carry into effect
the plan of electing Trustee thai should meet Tue
arrro, al Of the Alumni and they should decide to take
measures for lis accomplishment II is not necessary
10 anticipate in this report the embrrrassments which
NAV attend the effort 10 obtain amendment of
the charter of the College. Believing, as your