Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1868-04-17
Gen. Lees College.

In view OF lne persistent eHoIts now
being made at the North to collect mon.
ey for Washington, Lexington, Virginia,
and of the lamentable fact that those
efforts are sanctioned by such men as
Rev. H. W. Beecher, Prof. Hitchcock,
Horace Greeley, and Gerrit Smith we
deem it our duty to print the following
extracts of letter from resident of
Lexington, showing how rampant is the
spirit of the rebellion, prescription, and
mobocratic violence in that institution.
LExIvGToS, Va, Mar. 18th, 1853
Residing in Lexington, and having
seen more or less of the students and pro-
fessors of Washington College daily since
Lee assumed the presidency of the insti-
tuition, feel it my duty to give to the
people few facts, which will, | tgust,
show the philanthropist of the North the
animus of the institution to which they
are contributing. The professors are,
without a single exception, thoroughly
rebel in sentiment and act accordingly.
| have heard one of them assert that he
would infinitely rather live under military
rule than to be reconstructed under the
laws of the present Congress. No stu
dent can remain in the college who is not
a rebel; not, suppose from any law Of
the institution to that effect, but from the
universal sentiment of those connected
with the school.
To show how kindly disposed they are
toward Northern philanthropists, will
give you a scene that came under my own
observation. On the 9th of February,
while Mr.. L. c. Johnston was quietly
skating on North River, about one mile
below this place, a party of students,
about seventy in number, without the
least provocation, only that he was
hated Yankee philanthropist, set upon
him and most foully insulted and beat
him. When he, trying to demonstrate
with them asked why he was treated thus,
they answered, Because you are id
Yankee, and we don't want you here.
You can have ten days to leave Lexing-
ton, and if you are not gone in that time
we'll tar and feather you. And, if you
dare to say anything about this, we will
take you out of your store at night and
hang you" They heaped upon him the
meanest and vilest abuse they were capa-
BILE Of using, some calling out hang him.
some drown him and all clanoring for
his blood. Mr.. Johnston finally succeed
ed in getting away from them, and get
ting back to town, with several newly
developed bumps on his head and limbs.
When the mayor and magistrates
were appealed to, they very coolly said
that they could not protect citizens against
the students; whereupon Mr.. Johnston
reported the matter to the military au-
thorities Gen. Wilcox, commanding the
sub-district, on receiving the communica-
ton, came to Lexington to investigate the
affair; and, after consultation with Gen.
Lee, and several other notable rebels,
known in town as walking whisky barrels,
he decided that, inasmuch as the outra-
ges were committed by Gen. Lees stu.
dents, and he (Lee) had promised to keep
them from further outrages, he (Wilcox)
would not interfere further in the matter.
The result was that Mr.. Johnston was
told within three days after Gen. Wilcox's
departure that it was not safe for him to
stay in Lexington as the students were
preparing 'eaiathump for him, and
they meant to execute their threats to-
ward him. shortly after that Mr.. j. left
Lexington. Whether he will return or
not / cannot say"
In view Of facts like these, which come
to US from a responsible source, we should
think that every Northern man who has
given a cent to Gen. Lees college would
see and feel that he has been imposed up
on. and that his money has been worse
than thrown away.