Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-08-23
From the Raleigh Sentinel.
DIVERSITY OF North CAROLINA,
CHAPEL HILL, July %, 1867.

SIR II was appointed PRESIDENT OF tDlS
Institution on the 9Th December, 1885, by
the nearly unanimous vote of very num-
erous Board of Trustees, and entered up
on the discharge of my duties at the begin
ming of the second session OF the collegiate
year, 10Th January, 1886.
The number Of students was so small and
the prospect so gloomy, that no catalogue
was published during that year. The num-
Der of students in attendance the second
session, however, is shown by the records
to have been seventy nine.
Fifteen months thereafter, 18th April,
1877 the Executive Committee, composed
of His Excellency, Governor Dudley, Chair
man, Thomas d. Bannehan, Duncan Cam
eron, Charles L. Hinton, Charles lIanly,
William McPhee:ers, and Romulls nj.
Saunders, published IA circular which was
widely disseminated. The following is
brief extract
1.-THE Executive Committee have the
pleasure to state, that although the patron
age extended to the University is in no de-
gree 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 com
munity The aggregate number of students
at present is but eighty-fve OF this num-
Der, however, more than forty are ~ mbers
! Ct the Freshman Class. No instance is
! known since the foundation OF the College,
Of so large a number of admissions into
any one of the classes. It will be readily
perceived that like number o! APP
plicants for admission at the approaching
Commencement, would make q very favor,
able change III the condition of our al
fairs
"In conclusion, the Executive Commit
| r. 10. fo >orly bot in
gpects in which the people of North Carroll
ma can be regarded as least true to them
selves, is the almost universal disposition
to underrate their own Institutions and
their own citizens"
| The address produced very decided eff
feet upon the publlc mind The anticipa-
ted 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 recent troubles, it had attained pat
ronage and reputation greatly beyond what
the most ardent of its friends ventured to
hope for in 1885.
In June, 1860, well-informed writer,
with the records of the Istitution before
him, speaking of the administration of its
affairs during quarter of century, re-
marks in relation to the President, that
''when he came to the head of the Institll-
ton, the number of students was about
eighty. Our last catalogue bears the names
of more than four hundred and fifty
more than q 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 permanence.
The results of the civil war have sadly
disappointed this favorable augury. The
number of students at the time to which
the writer refers was greater, with a single
exception, than at any similar institution
in the United States. The nett earnings
aided by very meagre endowment, as Ii
shown by an expose of the state of the
finances in 1862, made by the Treasurer O.
the University, during period of twenty
five years, added quite hundred thou
sand dollars to the cash endowment an(
permanent improvements of the Institu
!, ton.
The University was stakeholder in tn
Bank of North Carolina to twice thi
amount (S200,00O.) The Convention O
} 1861 on the 10Th of October, repudiatet
the war debt. broke the Bank and, in tn
language of the Trustees in their memoria
to the last General Assembly, "annihila
ted and more than annihilated, the entir
3 endowment of the University"
L LIE oSuSIdA aSStulDlJ GuSfoupOu tIdue
7 ferred to the Institution the land scri]
, donated by the general Government to tn
! State, for the endowment of an Agricultu
raj College, with the reasonable hope tina
3 the incidental aid which might be legiti
f mately derived from this source, would ena
: BILE us to retrieve our losses and regain on
$ former prosperity and reputation. Thi
: hope has been disappointed for the pres
f ent by the subsequent legislation of Con
5 gress, postponing tor time the enjoymen
3 of the grant.
/ Of other unfavorable effects upon on
) prospects, growing out of the war, do nc
l choose to speak, further than to say that
7 during no previous period of my life, wer
, my labors more jealous, faithful and unin
termitting in the service of the Institution
3 and of the people of North Carolina, an
5 that whatever may betide me in the future
f I am satisfied with the record of the past.
t 1t only remains to intimate, that seein
. little reason to hope, from the present il
t dications of public sentiment, fer the earl
success which crowned former exertions,
| am ready to give place to any one who ca
3 assume my position under more favorabl
: auspices, at the earliest period at which th