The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-08-20
Ex-GoV. SWANS LETTER.
UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA,
Chapel Hill, July 23, 1867.

UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Chapel Hill, July %, 1867. I
Sir Il was appointed President of this In
sttution on the 5th December, 1885, by the
nearly unanimous vote of very numerous Board
of Trustees, aud 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 small and the
prospects SO gloomy, that no catalogue was pub
lshed during that year. The number of stu
dents in attendance the second session, however,
is shown by the records to have been seventy
nine.
Fifteen months thereafter, (l5th April 1879
the Executive Committee, composed of His Ex-
cellency, Governor Dudley, chairman; Thomas
d. Bennehan, Duncan Cameron, Charles L.
Hinton, Charles Manly, William McPheeters,
and Romulus N Saunders, published circular
which was widely disseminated. The following
is brief extract: -..-.....
''rhe Executive Committee have the pleasure
to state, that although the patronage extended
to the University is in no degree commensurate
with the resources and Intelligence of the State,
there is gratifying evidence, nevertheless that
it is growing in the confidence and affection of
the community. The aggregate number of stu
dents at present is but eightyfve OF this
number, however, more thar 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 a
number of applicants for admission at the ap-
preaching commencement, would make very
favorable change in the condition Of Our affairs"
'In conclusion, the Executive Committee
beg leave remark that, in the respects iu
which the people of North Carolina can be re-
garded as least true to themselves, is the almost
universal disposition TO underrate their own in
stitutions and their own citizens"
The address produced very decided effect
upon the public mind. The anticipated number
Of admissions at the next Commencement was
more than realized, aud 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, 1867 wellinformed writer, with
the records Of the Institution before him, speak
ing of the administration of its affairs during
quarter of 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 fifty
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
peTmanence.
The result Of the civil war have sadly disap-
pointed this favorable augury. The number of
students at the time to which the writer refers
was greater with single exception, 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 fnan-
ces in 1862, made by the Treasurer Of the Uni
versty, during a period of twenty-five years,
added quite hundred thousand dollars to the
cash endowment and permanent Improvements
of the Institution.
The University was a stockholder in the Bank
of North Carolina to twice this amoun! (5200,-
oOO) The Convention Of 1865, on the 10Th OF
October repuliated the war debt, broke the
Bank, and, in the language of the Trustees in
their memorial to the last General Assembly,
''annihilated and more than annihilated, the en-
tire endowment Of the University.
The General Assembly thereupon transferred
to the Institution the land scrip donated by the
general Government to the State, for the endow-
ment of an Agricultural College, with the reas-
ouable hone that the incidental aid which might
be legitimately derived from this source, would
enable us to retrieve our losses and regain our
former prosperity and reputation This hope
has been disappointed for the present by the sub
sequent legislation of Congress postponng for a
time the enjoyment of the grant.
Of other unfavora5le 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 lahors more Jealous,
faithful aud unintcrnitting in the service of the
Institution, and of the people of North Carolina,
and that whatever may betide me in the future,
| am satisfied it'll the record of the past.
1t only remains to intimate, that seeing little
reason to hope, from the present indications OF
public sentiment, for the early success which
crowned former exertiors, am ready to give
place to any one who can assume my position
under more favorable auspieies, at the earliest
period at which the Board may be pleased to
designate successor.
| am, with great respect, your obecient sery't,
ID. L. SWAIN.
His Excellency, jonathan Worth, President of
the Board Of Trustees of the University of
North Carolina.
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