The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-11-06

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Nh EDIoaA Aligg he Id y. his
instif tion has Away been thI Tbie} of
hose attack. 8 No 4eefngpf 1 L gis-
Ylssdfe, prior % the war; Aeves aetodrnea
without some demonstration against it.
At the close Of that struggle. the pppo-
sition to it became so strong that its
fsiesIr;ds ssr;s believed that il could be saysd
from destrdotion only by changing the
College into University, reducing the
sataiy Of tie Professors cGtting OF the
annual appropriation for the library, and
making it, as far as possible, self-sup.
porting. These changes were, accord
ingly made at q time when the people
of the State were impoverished, and all
kinds OF business were in languishipg
condition, the cost Of educntion was
made higher than it had ever been, even
in the days Of their opulence and pros
perity., All this was done upon the plea
OF economy: and the same frugal Legis-
latnre refused to psy' the salaries Of the
Professors for services previously rem
dered. although, those Professors had re-
.tnAihed at their posts by diTecEon Of The
Board OF Trustees. who had been ap-
pointed by the Legislature. The people
Of the State, anxious to educate their
sons, inspite of the increased expenses,
seht them to the u niversity; and, lin
1866 '67;; the number of n1atriedlates
wps 109; The next term, 1se7N6Sr rshoWed
113, giving the University. the prospect
OF Q .ateadA innresse in the nImbey OF its
studeatsy' IN the meantime, the eRepnbli-
a. n
agitation about the institution now be-
gan. It was openly .proalaimed that the
University was to be reconstructed, and
all the officers elected The apprehension
of this result reduced the number of
students, in 1863 -'69, to sixty-fye..
A Republican Legislature took charge
of the Univetsity-with::W what result?
They doubled the pay of the Professors,
reduced the cost of education, enlarged
the number of beneficiary students, and
provided for the repair of the buildings,
which, in consequences Of the parsimony
of previous Legislature, and the mis-
management of their agents, were fast
going to ruin. They reduced the old
Board OF Trustees to manageable di-
mensions, making the number eight,
inclusive of the Governor. TWo:of these
"a minority-were colored men, but
men OF acknowledged culture and probity.
This excited violent opposition. Some
of the Professors demanded the instant
withdrawal of the students and the re-
signation OF the officers, those very officers
who had recognized the Legislature
in accepting an increase Of pay. So far,
however, from yielding to this demand,
the Professors retained Office under the
new Board, and two Of them even ap-
piled to that Board for extra oompensa-
ton, and obtained it. It may be made
question, whether the Board had the
right to grant this extra compensation ;
but their doing so acquits them of oil
hostility to the Faculty. The subse-
cannot be ascribed to any unwillingness
gislature that appointed them. They
had already recognized both.
The storm subsided; and the public
day closed the term in peace, the Cover
nor and one of the Board being present.
In the meantime, two of the Faculty,
whom the parsimony of the Legislature
had driven to resignation, left their
chairs vacant. The Trustees intimated
their intention to fill them with compe-
tent men, and to leave the corps of in
struotors, otherwise, unchanged. Their
delay to fill the chairs occasioned suspi-
cion and clamor. But the usual notice
of the opening of the institution in Octo
ber was given by the Faculty, advertise
ment having been made in almost all the
papers of the State. and in many of the
adjoining States. During the last vaca
ton, when the friends of tho University
might have been efficiently active in its
behalf, the press was either silent or
aggressive. The cry of negro was raised,
the University was declared defunct. and
the friends of other colleges in the State
took advantage of the rumor, to fill up
their own institutions. Even the young
men. who were disposed to go to the
University, were tdunted badgered and
driven off to other Institutions, some Of
! them beyond the State. .!r.' 81
| At this crisis, one of the Professors
resigned. The Board met and filled all
the vacant chairs, choosing only one of
their political party. This gentleman
and another of the officers elect declined.
The Board made arrangements for tempo
rary, but adequate instruction in the
vacant schools, and the University
opened. Thus far no Professor had been
removed by the new Board. Yet, had
Il. A u