Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1855-03-03


associated with the course Of studies; nor deliver
public addresses, or lectures at the Seminary OF
elsewhere, in term time other than those connect
ed with ordinary religious exercises; nor make
public addresses, or communications, to the stu
dents when assembled at their meals, or on other
ordinary occasions, nor be absent from the Semi
nary, IN term time, without the appreciation of thel
Faculty or of such person as they shall designate
Tor that purpose"
That the design and full bearing of this rule
may be clearly seGn we annex principles and
opinions expressed in the report of the Executive
Committee" The Committee are further of the
opinion, that associations societies among the
students ought to be allowed in tho Seminary cx-
ce7t such as have for their object improvement in
the prescribed course of studies.' The board Of
trustees, at the meeting at which they adopted thie
rule, approve or adopt the sentiments OF this re-
port by formal resolution, and thus afford IN c.
position of their design and Intent in the enact
ment Of the rule Again, the report says" The
plan OF instruction is intended to be arranged MS
to occupy as much of the time of the students as
due regard to their health, and other consideia-
tons, will admit"
The reasons which the board nssigu for the
above declarations, the folio .Sng-"A Assocni
tons and discussions foreign to the course of in
strucuon, distract the attention and redrd improve
ment # the topics are matter of public interest
and popular excitement, the mischief is peculiarly
aggravated"
1t will be seen that this rule, MS expounded by
the opinions ana principles Of the legislature
which enacted it. forecloses all rational expecn-
ton that free discussion will Se tolerated in the
seminary. What matters it whether free discus
sin be pruscribed in its own name or under some
other designation? Whether Itself be specified in
the act of outlawry or some Of its constituent
parts and inseporablo appendages? Take away
the right Of assembling, and Of speaking when as
semDcd, and he who from the materials left can
construct free discussion, must be blessed with un-
common invention But by this rule, free discus.
probation of the faculty." The will of others is
a peculiar tenure by which to hold inNlienable
rights
But waving all objection On this head, what ra-
tlona ground is left for the hope that discussion
will be unshackled? The faculty is TIE executive
power OF the Seminary and as such, bound to ex.
ecute faithfully lis laws according to the true in
'ent'on Of the legislative body cnacting them. The
principles contained in the above extracts sufi-
cenny instruct the faculty in the discharge Of their
duty. But the board are still more explicit. In
the report already alluded to, they say, in regard
to discussion on the subject of Sidrery, that ev'
erythlng tending to keep alive spirit of cOntro-
versy on the subject in question, ought 10 be erc5ud-
ed From tile Seminary" In conformity with this
sentiment, an order passed for the discontinue
ance Of the obnoxious society.
But to remove the possibility Of error the board
during the meeting at which the rules and orders
were passed, and the report approved and adopted
further direct, that certain SUGGESTIONS be cOHn1t
lc0tsa 70 The taculfy in eT3Eanatoa Of their ce,o,
reldtlce TO lie regulations ddopted" In these 'sug
gestons" the following statement is made. "On
the subject Of Siar9y, the board are of opinion,
that public discussions ought to Ie ercludc from The
L"Shtuf'on" Now, we ask will the faculty of
Lane Seminary permit the subject of slavery to
be discussed in the Institution, when the board of
trustees formally declare to them their conviction
that 1t ought to he excluded? To expect such per-
mission from them, before discussions upon slavery
become p1puIGr with the community, argues either
ignorance Of facts, or insensibility to evidence
But suppose the faculty should grant permission
to discuss subjects aside "from the prescribed
course, and unpopular with the community yet
there is another power behind the throne which
UvcrShadows it. We refer to the extraordinary
powers granted to the executive committee, in the
second order passed by the board of trustees
Ordered, That the executive committee have pow
er to dismiss any student from the Seminary when
they shall think it necessary so to do" Necessary
for what? Has law been broken? The tlc1,i'y
should discipline the offender, and if ncorrigible
dismiss him. But what are the functions with
which this order clothes the executive committee !?
Why, just what the order imports 'to dismiss any
student when they shall think it necessary so to do"
But why necessary? Were additional claws"
rules" "orders," and suggestions" needed !?
then why not supply the demand to the full? Or
WAS this order regarded as the abstract Of all
law? 1t surely contains the essence Of all power
summary jHdgwem for the student at least, if
not tJustice. Laws constitutions; chart crs, Judges
juries, all form of trial, vexatious balancing Of
conflicting testimony. all intricacies of casustry
with wear and tear of patience in nice adustments
of the scale of equity, all these dispensed with
and the executive committee are instructed to dis
miss any student when they think it necessary so
to do" No opportunity afforded to the student to
robut charges, confront witnesses meet an accuser
face to face, plead justification, or prove an
oli6i.
The faculty dismiss for misconduct; the execu-
tive committee ''when they think it necessary to
do :" Thus far the letter of the law. Let history
testify to its practical operations and be the COM
mentator upon its spirit. AS soon as the board
had clothed the executive committee with this ex-
traordinary power, meeting was Immediately
called to exercise it. resolution was introduced
for the dismissal of member of the theological
class; for dismissal not trial That individual had
never been cited to to charges, and was ac-
cUsed of no conduct unworthy christian q
man. The only allegation made was that he had
introduced into the Seminary and propagated abo-
ltion sediments. At the same meeting of the
committee, another resolution introduced for
the dismission of another member of the theologi-
cal cass the president of anti-sayery society.
These resolutions were not rejected intormal |,
but pronounced in order, and adjourned over from
meeting TO meeting with other business, to await
the return of Dr. Beccher After his arrival, the
resolutions were withdrawn. To be dismissed
from a theological seminary for sufficient cause
is stigma not easily efaced; and the suficiency of
the cause is always supposed, unless the contrary
be shown. Who will hazard his reputation by
joining Seminary where he is liable every mo-
ment TO forcible out-thrust branded with indel-
be disgrace, and that too, while strictly comply
ing with every requirement of the institution? Has
any theological student the right thus to trie with
that immediate jewel Of the soul" that indspen-
sible requisite to usefulness-"a good name ?"-
Reputation, as well as intellect, is moral capital,
loaned by God 10 be invested for his glory, aud he
is madman that trusts il to the convoy Of chance
on n sea of prejudice and passion. Such power
lodged in such a body and thus exercised, is des-
potsm full grown and to the life. The Pope ex-
communicates only when "he thinks it necessary so
to do" The inquistion order to the rack only
''when they think it necessary so to do" The
Divnn consign to the bastinado and the ow-string