New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-12
COLUMBIA coLLzoE. MEw:YoRx c,rv
IN SENATE-MaRcH 10.


1854, to inquire " whether Columbia ColIer.. -,
- Of It's Trustees, have violated any provisions of,.
or Of its charter, and par icuarly whether VIA ~,
lese OF any ofis Trustees have in any way rso.,,
any and il any, what religious qsali6c.,o, q, ~
trom any candidate as condition Of sppOntmsst,.
any PEofessorship in said College, and turtle, ~"
"quire into the means ane resources Of said Cag,.
and the administration Of its affairs at large ~
REPORT
That they have had under investigation .hs v.-;..
matters embraced and committed to them under ~
resolution. and have examined the various dornn1,..
relating thereto snd aiken the evidsnce OF he Tr,.
tees and other officers in full and extensive ma
ner az they have deemed consistent with thei, daty
as such Committee, and the interests o. tie State r.
QUrej.
The Committee further report that College un1sr
the corporate name OF Kings College was cAx.
tered by George ii on the 3lt day Of October i7St,
located in the City of Nsw.York, for the education
and Instruction OF youth in the liberal arts ana se.
enccs which charter recites, among other things,
that divers sums OF money having been raised by
"pubic lotteries under several Acts of the Goysmor
" Council sn6 General Assembly Of the Province Oh
"New.York :" and that the Rector and inhabitants
" Of the City Of New York, in communion with As
Church Of England for the encouraging and prc.
" motirg the same good design, having set apsn
"psrcel Of ground for thst purpose OF upward d
coo value situate in the City OF New ork sni
also contained the following provision relating 70 The
authority OF the Governors of said College: 20 make
" such laws, ordinances aud orders for the better
government Of the sad College, and students saj
ministers thereof as they shall think best for tie
general good of the same 80 that they are notO.
pugrant 10 the laws and statutes OF that part OF oar
" kingcom called England, or Of our said Province Of
o New York and do not extend 20 exclude any per.
" son Of any religious denomination whatever iron
" equal liberty and advantage OF education, or iron
" any of The degrees, liberties privileges, benehne
"immunities Of the said College on account Of bic
" particular tenets in matters OF religion. IL also
contsnec the following express declaration:
Ara 40 further will ain, and direct that there shall
befors,er hereafter Pubek Morning aud Evening ssrs
,pr fr.y,r by the Prrseenf Fellows Professors or r,os
the 'sid College one OF them according 60 the LARRY
Of the Church OF England BY Law Estsoished eraea
collection OF pseys-s cut Of the said Liturgy with Colcs
peculiar for the ssid College, Is .bs be approved 4 iron
me By the Governors OF the said College ~
part any Ften OF them Convened ~ aofsA1s
That after such incorporation the College being
capable Of holding the land previously destined Tor
BY Trinity Church, and mentioned in its Charter, Ihr.
ty Church executed and delivered to them deeds Of
CONVEX ance Of the land mentioned in said Cdarer, and
described az situate the west side OF Brosivey,
In the west side of the City of New-fork, pointing
esstesly 20 Church st. between Barclay and Murray.
SIS 40 feet and from thence running westerly be.
tween and along the said Barcayst. and Munsyst,
10 the North River. 1.-THE conditions annexed there.
10 were that the President of said College for ne
time beng shall, forever hereafter, be member d
and in communion with the Church of Elslsad,
" as by law established That the Morning sd
Evening Service in the College shall be the Liturgy
of the said Church or such a collection OF prayers
out of that Liturgy, together with aCoectpecuuutor
the College, shall be approved by the President and
Governors. That these conditions and provisions Of the
said Charter requiring the President TO be member
o. The Church OF England, awakened, at ths. time,
the most determined opposition, but the liberal man.
egemeLt and conduct OF the Governors toward other
religious denominations, very soon quoted the ap.
preheDsoDs that seemed 10 be entertained by many,
and nothing further OF note occurred in its history until
after the revolutionary war.
In i7sI BY an act OF the Legislature OF The State Of
Nes.York, the Charter Of tho said College ~s con-
frmed in all respects except that lts name wss
changed 10 1.-The Trustees OF Colunbis College Of
tine City Of New York, and placed under mo man.
asemeut of Trustees instead OF "Governoe ana
also excepting the clause which rendered person IN.
eligible TO the office of President OF said College On
account of bis religious ,enes, and prescribing iorn
of pubic prayer to be used in said college.
la 1910, the Trustees Of Columbia College repre-
sentec to the Legislature OF the State OF New-fof
that "surdry impedimeuts existed from certsn
"restrciions and defects in their charter, ana
PRAYED relief and that their Charter might De aenced
and com ,rised in one act; whereupon the ACT wnica
is the present Charter OF said College, wa" -
thai il il unnecessary to 20 back of that to ascertain
the right duties and Obligations OF the INSTITUTION
In reference 10 the more important question prt
sented in the resolution, requiring the Committee
inquire
'whether tho College any i Tyuses' have 10 any wy
required any and any What religious qualification OF ~
from any candidate condition Of appointment to snJ PS
f.ssoI,hp 10 said COLLEGE" - 81.
the Committee have spent much time. Tho pecalie
phraseology of the resolution, giving the Commtts
authority ard direction not only 10 inquire whettN
the College bad required any religious qusl6cstioe
but also whether any u us Trustees had, made
somsw hat difficult for the Committee to define ~
exac. limit aud extent OF the investigation costeof
plated by the Senate under the resolutioD'
The Committee however, concluded to extend tim
Inquiries both TO tbs College in its corporate capacB,
and 10 the Trustees individually. The Board OF Trut'
answered the question propounded to them to ~
Eaye the Board Of Trustees at time rejected esee
date for any ro..solhp 10 the College, on account
eaiia tensts 10 matters Of rsisionP
very promptly, 81
That the sosisof Trustees have not at any tine rej.s
candidate for Proiessoshp 10 the Cole &c secoQ
bis peculiar testts In matters Of religion"
This apewer did not seem to be satisfactory, Dor
meet the spirit Of the question. The Committee b.
ieying that the facts could only be obtained throga
direct quest on to each Trustee, which they consn.
cred tbey we're authorized and empowered "a ~
under the resolution, Addressed similar question b
each Trustee individually.
Quite a number of the Trustees declined snsw0De
hs question when addressed TO them individually, q
That the election Of the Professor by bsllo, sndm
di, lou 81 Trustee could for whom he voted
motive for giving hs without surendedns the nese
ence ind snent secured by the By &
majority OF the Trustees declined 10 give a1y -
to the questions addressed to them indivdu1ll
for the above reason; but the Committee were see
to get rome facts showing. perhaps to some extent
the immediate occasos of the application TO tho L.
iscture for the Committee OF Investigation, snl ~
facts which were supposed to amount TO violsttoe
OF the charter, the general law of the state. =
During the fall Of 1853, the chair Of the " Pfolec9
Of Chemistry and Natural and Experimental ~
"osophy" became vacant by Inc resignation DIP
fea or Renwick, and DR.. Wolcott Gibbs sppheeoa
became candidate for the vacant profc'sonE
DIR. Gibbs presented large number Of testinc1aS
which leave no question Of his fitness and qal9et
tioDs for the place.
After the application of Dr. Gibbs, me qae:t'a =
biz religious tenets and views became an excitueS
important subject Of consideration, and the ficf