Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-06-05

and ask that 800, 900 in bonds of the State
besgiRen to one University to be- located
at Jackson, another at Knoxville, and
Sl0Q, GOO to the University at Nashville,
and urge that while millions have been
given for The advancement of our mate
rial prosperitys something should be done
to support, and MAINTAIN proper edncat
tional. establishments in the State; estal} I
lishments that would retain and bring into
the State annually, more than the whole
investment We think. in the present
state of the finances and the embarrassed
condition of the country, this would be .
foIlorn hope. We do not choose. To- en-
courage SO desperate an adseniure, las it
would lead US from theplain openpath Do
fore US. Here we have extensive grounds
and magnificent buildings, prepared upon p
scale competent to accommodate from
three to five hundred young gentlemen
Here, we have two eminent indiysiduais,
who, were educated in the great national
institution; who were brave, skiIlful and
.huRane commapders- IN 1.-The great.
civil struggle through which We have
passed, and owhoi 70 emerged. di1fromi
it with increased reputationsuin every.
respect; who have adopted teaching as
their chosen profession who were not
politicians before the war or since; and
who are not the propagandists OF
any peculiar opinions in religion or
government These gentlemen propose to
take possession Of the college property
under the authority of the trustees for a
term of years, and bind themselves by
covenant, to put in operation and. main
tain on their own individual responsibility,
a complete collegiate course, on the
model of the best institutions in the
United States, subject at all times
to the supervision of the Trustees,
as to the course of studies. If they
pay the professors themselves, they
ought unquestionably to have the selee-
ton of them. There can be no. harmony,
no successful working of the system,
upon the principal of private enterprise,
in the ordinary course of human ersnts,
if they do not have the selection of their
own agents. The probability is, that a
corps of Professors SO organized would
be so destitute of the unity and
energy necessary to success, and fall a
victim to their distractions and jeal-
ousies
Few sound business men could be found
who would agree to become responsible
for the support of great establish
ment, when the active subordinates
were to be selected by others.
But it has been supposed that if the
Trustees authorize these gentlemen to
select their cooperating educators, this
would be a breach of the trust confded
to the Trustees, and that having no power
to authorize these gentlemen to appoint
their cooperating educators and the Uni
versity having no funds wherewith
to pay the professors, the people
of Tennessee must wait till this
endowment grows so as to enable them
to establish not only a preparatory
school, but to put in operation the under
graduate department. The great end
and aim of this charter was to establish q
University, and departure from this end
would undoubtedly be violation OF, the
charter and breach of the trust confded
to them. If these building were leased
as boarding house or barracks for soldi.
ers, the whole end and aim of the found,
ers of this institution would be subverted.
The proposition of Messrs. johnson and
Smith binds them as officers and .profes,
sors in said institution, secured by all pro-
per covenants, to maintain, carry on
and perfect the undergraduate depart
ment of the University, in conformity
with the ordinances of the Board oil
Trustees as to the course of instruction.
1t seems difficult to suppose that 80 in
tangible an objection could not be adjusted
satisfactorily to all parties, if the service:
of these distinguished gentlemen were
deemed necessary to the interests of thu
institution. ....-1-e.- q
What has been the course on this sub
ject adopted by the President and Trustees
of this University
In 1850, the Trustees of the University Of
Nashville leased sixteen lots and the bull
dings thereon to six Medical gentlemen fol
twenty-one years, having first created {
a Medical department. and ap
pointed them professors fox that tern
of ysars-they and their successors
with power to change, alter and abolisl
professorships. They leased to them tn,
grounds by regular formal lease, with GOV
enants binding the Professors to carry OF
a medical school, according TO the courst
of the best medical institutions o
the country, and for the repairing
and insurance of the property and for the
free delivery of the property to the iris.
tees at the end of the twenty-one years
and the President and Trustees of thu
University bound themselves not to moles
or interfere with them for the entire term
if they complied with their covenants
We do not propose to be accurate as t.
the terms of this lease, sit is not before
us, and as it is not at all necessary to
state anything except the substantial
covenants thereof. In 1869 this lease was
renewed, We learn, for twenty-one years
longer. They were both drawn by lawyers
az distinguished as any in the State,
and we doubt not the legal
Ity of these leases was much
better examined than we have either the
time or inclination to do. One thing j.
certain, if these leases are void for want Of
cOrOorafa aukhOritv To make them the