New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-11-22
MR.. BOYD's EXPLANATION.

superintendent ana Professor BOYD, vi
the State University, has taken all appeal
from the judgment Of the REPUBLICAN to
an uncle of one of the victims of his i'll
advised action. Mr.. Gustave Leroy, who
is no doubt a most excellent gentleman,
gives his cordial approval to Professor
Boyd's act of Diminishing his nephew,
coupled with request to take the young
man back again, which no doubt will be
complied with. Such an Endorsement
does not help the professor much in our
judgment. And, besides, one swallow
does not make summer, nor would Mr.
Leroy's unqualified approval satisfy us of
the entire propriety Of the professors
conduct, nor appease the five or six an
cry and dissatisfied fathers whom we
have heard express themselves against
the professor. The offense of pulling
down the bell was, no doubt, proper
ly punishable by dismissal but the
regulation that requires a boy to testify
against himself, violates all the rules of
evidence established among men, and
looks to us like an attempt to establish
sort Of Spanish Inquisition among peo-
pie whose proudest boast is that they are
free from such tyranny. If discipline
can not be maintained by the superin-
tendent without violating the rules of
common sense, or compelling the brave
little boys to betray their comrades, the
fault is his own, and the misfortune is
the States. But we give his note, with the
letter of Mr.. Leroy, whose nephew, We
are informed, has been reinstated:
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY
Baton Rouge, November 70, 1871 :
EDITOR REPUBLICAN:
In your issue Ut the eighteenth instant.
you saw tit, as was clearly your privilege,
to disapprOve of my action in dismissing
number of cadets on the thirteenth instant
You will please, therefore, publish the in
closed copy of letter from near relative
and guardian OF one Of the dismissed boys,
whose opinions, You will observe, are some
what different from yours.
l would beg leave merely to add. chat in
order to preserve that discipline which has
made the admirable order and fine conduct
of this corps of cadets the subject OF remark
and praise by all who have observed them
closely. the superintendent must be allowed
to exercise this very right which you would
deny him. And, sir, yoH will permit me
further to say to you, with all due respect
and consideration and. if necessary. to the |
Legislature and the people of Louisiana.
that when that right is denied me. shall |
certainly no longer be the superintendent of
this institution
Very respectfully.
d. F. BOYD, Superintendent.
New ORLEANS. November Is, 1871.
Colonel D. F. Boyd, Superintendent Louisiana
State University, Baton Rouge:
DEAR SIR approve entirely. from be-
ginning to end, your acts as superintendent
in regard to the trouble that was created
IN the University on the eleventh instant
Having myself visited the University at
The end of the last session. | admired the
good order in which the establishment was
Kept. and the apparent discipline and good
conduct Of the cadets, and from my old
'elatives and friends in Baton Rouge, the
Dlace where was born and lived to the
lge of twenty years, heard the most ia
'Orable report, and the confirmation that
10 act OF msdemeanOr had been committed
~ the cadets to annoy any citizen or neigh
nor. Therefore. | became more sincere
iiend of the institution, and have used all
ny influence with my acquaintance to in
luce them to send their boys there, as the
'est school for LOuisianian.
From your letter of the fourteenth. and
he statement made by my nephew, l am
onvinced that he was not concerned.
irectly or indirectly, in the act, and that
e heard OF it only on the next morning.
Your question prOpounded was correct,
nd he did not have the Judgment to an
wer it, the cause of which l believe to
ave been strong feeling Of the heart
hat worked up into his imagination and
lade him believe that he would incriminate
is fellow cadets.
advise him not to be detective of his
omrades, but to stand his personal respon-
bility, honestly and honorably.
Therefore. humbly request that you do
le and him the favor to reinstate him upon
IS answer to your question:: also, to rein ;
ate cadet -, whom l know to be a ,
ell behaved boy, residing in my imme-
late neighbOrhOOd, and belonging to very
spectacle family.
With my best respects. l remain. yours
uly, GUSTAVE LEROY,