The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-08-15
President Swaln's Letter of Reslgna-
E ton.
UNIVERSITY OF NoRTH-C CAROLINA,
Chanel HUI, july %, 1867.

SIR Il was appointed President of this
Institution on the 9th December, 1880, by
the nearly unanimous vote OF very numer
Gus Board of Trustees, and entered upon the
discharge of my duties at the beginning OF
the second session of the collegiate year 18th
January 1886.
The number of students was so small and
the prospects so gloomy, that no catalogue
was published during that year. The mum
Der of students in attendance the second
session. however, is shown by the records to
have been seventynine.
Fifteen months thereafter, Q5th April
1879 the Executive Committee, composed
of His Excellency, Governor Dudley, Chair
man. Thomas d. Bennehan, Duncan Gamer
on, Charles T.. Hinton. Charles Manly. Will
liam McPheeters, and Romulous M. Saun-
ders. published a circular which was widely
disseminated. The following is brief ex-
tract:
1.-The Executive Committee have the plea
sure to state, that although the patronage ex-
tended to the University is in no degree
commensurate with the resources and intel
ligence of the State, there is gratifying evil
dence. nevertheless, that it is growing in the
confidence and affection of the community
The aggregate number of students at pres
ent is but eighty FIVE Of this number, how
ever, more than forty are members OF the
Freshman Glass. No instance is known
since the foundation of the College, of so
large a number of admissions into any one
of the classes. 1t will be readily perceived
that number OF applicants for admission
at the approaching commencement, would
make very favorable change in the condi-
ton of our affairs"
"In conclusion, the Executive Commit
tee beg leave to remark that, in the respect
in which the people of North-Carollna can
be regarded as least true tn themselves, is
the almost universal disposition to under
Fate their own institutions and their own
| citizensn
The address produced a very decided eff
feet upon the public mind. The anticipated
number of admissions at the next Com
mencement was more than realized, and the
Institution continued to grow in the public
favor until at the beginning of our troubles
it had attained patronage and reputation
greatly beyond what the most ardent of its
friends ventured to hope for in 1885.
In June, 1860, well-intormed writer, with
the records Of the Institution before him,
speaking of the administration of its affairs
during quarter of q century, remarks in
relation to the president, that when he
came to the head of the Institution. the
number of students was about eighty. Our
last catalogue bears the names of more than
four hundred and fiftv,-more than five
fold increase Since 1885, the number of
College buildings has been doubled, and that
of the Faculty more than doubled so as to
give the Institution every assurance of per-
manence."
| The results of the civil war have sadly dis
appointed this favorable augury. The num-
Der of students at the time to which the
writer refers was greater, with single ex-
ception. than at any similar institution in
| the United States. The nett earnings aided
by very meagre endowment, as is shown
! by an expose of the state of the finances in
| 1862, made by the Treasurer of the Univer-
sity, during period of twenty-five Years,
added quite hundred thousand dollars to
the cash endowment and permanent I'M
provements of the Institution
The University was stakeholder in the
Bank of North Carolina to twice this
amount (S2OOOOO) The Convention of
1865, on the 18th OF October, repudiated the
war debt, broke the Bank and, in the Ian
guage of the Trustees in their memorial to
the last General Assembly, annihilated, and.
more than annihilated, the entire endowment
OF the University.
The General Assembly thcreupon transfer
red to the Institution the land scrip donated
| by the general government to the State, for
the endowment of an Agricultural College,
with the reasonable hope that the incidental
aid which hight be legitimatey deprived
from this source, would enable us to retrieve
our losses and regain our former prosperity
and reputation. This hope has been disap-
pointed for the present by the subsequent
legislation of Congress postponing for time
the enjoyment of the grant.
OF other unfavorable effects upon our
prospects, growing out of the war, do not
choose to speak. further than to say that
during no previous period of my life were
my labors more Jealous, faithful and unin-
termitting in the service of the Institution,
and OF the people of North Carolina, and
that whatever may betide me in the future,
am satisfied with the record of the past.
1t only remains to intimate, that seeing
little reason to hope, from the present indi-
cations of public sentiment, for the early
success which crowned former exertions, 1
am ready to give place to any one who can
assume my position under more favorable
auspices, at the earliest period at which the
Board may be pleased to designate sue
eessor. 1 am, with great respect,
Your obedient servant,
D. L. SWAIN,
HIS E.rcettency, JONATHAN WORTH, President
Of the Board Of Trustees Of tile University
of North Carolina