The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-06-24
SOUTH CAROLINA COLLEGE,.

The actioa Of the Board oc Trustees nt
their late meeting, which We published last
week, has been very freely commented upon
by the people aud press Of the State. II
seems To have met with very general dis
favor, and is characterized rs Inconsistent,
ncongruoUs, destructive OF public conf
dcncc and deserving ofpubIic condemnation.
Without going SO far, we must say that
the Trustees have certainly laid themselves
liable TO the charges of Inconsistency and
place, they taytly acknowledge that a Sc
rious difficulty had occurred in the College,
ard then they 90 on TO cXculpntc, first the
President, and then the Professors from ali
blame or dcrcliction Of duty. The cause
of the difficulty is not traccablc 10 any one
connected with the College, and yet it is
deemed necessary To request (amounting
10 4 command) the rcs ignation Of the Prcsi-
dent and M. the Professors. This is done,
the resignation Of each Ia rendered, and
then the Board Of Trustees proceed 10 re-.
elect II part of them and ihc balance is cni
adri't. What is the mott natural conclu-
sion of all unacquaintcd with the circum-
stances How eau the action Of the BOARD
in turning OF the President aud portion
declarations eXoncrating each from the
charges preferred against them
The Trustees are men of learning and
ahility--unqucslionuby they have the wcl>
fare Of the College at heart and it would be
presumption il an outsider uuacqua.ntcd
with the raturc of the difficulty, to say
what should have been the course pursued
by them; but We will venture the opinion
that, had the Trustees made n full expose
Of the origin and finale of the disturbance
it would have operated with less dctrment
20 the College than the effort 20 plaster
over the offences and smother them from
public scrutiny has done, laying the door
open for false conjecture, ridicule ana injp
rious imputatons. The Board, in excus
ing the President and Professors, have gvcr
rise TO the opinion that ihe students are th,
real offenders, and if this bc so, they az,
cer;aiply guilty Of serious opission ut
duty in not suhjccting them to punishment
or ccnsurc. We are not inclined to believe
! however, that The students are the priuci
( pal offenders. No official account Of th,
disturbance has been given by the Trustees
and the Columbia press has been mum upor
every point which might serve rs clue tC
the eIucidation Of the mystery but if out
side rumOr is TO be relied upon, the par
/ taken by ihc students, although il coulc
not be regarded rs an evidence of strict dis
| cpline, yet, it vas the result Of high sens,
| of honor, and US su,h, was not condemncC
| by the Trustees, neither would it be by n,
unbiased public opinion.
The action Of the Board in proposing
essential changes from the system hereto
fore in force in the College, appeared &
hold out the idea that it would be rcorgani
zed somewhat upon The University PLAN
This was hailed as in important step for
ward, and one that mctwiih pretty gene
| raj appreciation. The clause relating Il
this, however, was misconstfuCd, as appear,
by a further explanation 10 the Carolinion
For full understanding Of the proposeS