The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-01-17

orr Ce<respondent and fhe South Caro-.
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<,s.s sosrrsspeaasn, snd IN. sSpthI caro-.
tf. ina iUnIveEsity. On
a correspondent, who signs himself
Mountain and Sea, board, 2 asks us cet-
tain questions Respecting the South Ca
rclina: . University. We desire briefly to
reply to the questions. and TO- indicate
our views on the subject matter. We
regret that the South Carolina q University
is not a 'aourishing institution AS the
1pceessor OF the South Carolina College.
itislinked with and forms part Of an in
stitutiop around which cluster memories
that the old citizens of the State will not
willingly let die. Further. we have
very high appreciation Of the philosophy
of a central State institution OF learning.
We. onght to have q sun in our educa-
tional system, and this we say with no
design, OF d:sparaging other institutions.
But we may add, that we deem it no
faultof the people Of the, State. and no
fanlt Of the professors of the University.
that success has not marked the history
OF the University since the new regime.
It is, due to the, ,iaet that the University
rests. and cannot help so resting, under
'theBhadow Of the, upas tree Of Radical
ism--thst tresl tha fatal influence of
which pafalyzes every interest OF the
State; mental, moral and material. and
which tends, further, to poison tho very
lie, Of the State. It is true, that the
authorities have exercised towards the
University some forbearance. AS for
the money they have appropriated, they
deserve no thanks. It was the money OF
the State. and where they have rightly
applied a few thousands. they have mis-.
applied or squandered millions. Nor
have they done for the University what
they should have done. They should
remove their hands entirely off. The
University cannot, If it is to succeed, be
fish. flesh and fowl. It must be one or
the other. It must stand out in bold
relief, an institution for the whites OF
ths State. At the same time. we do not
object to OIaf1in or some other college
standing ont. in equally bold relief, an
institution for the colored people of the
.6tate. That public man who thinks
that he can secure public education upon
che basis OF mixed schools and colleges
ds q poor statesman, and il he under.
takes to carry out such scheme, we
pronounce him now q fool for his pains.
At the same time. whilst we hold to
these views, it is our duty, as we'll as our
pleasure, to present the case of the pro-
fessors and officers OF the institution as
we understand it. It is due to truth
and them that they should not be mis-
represented as respects their attitude in
the past, as well as the present.
After the close OF the war, before the
present corrupt regime. the College was
converted into the present University,
and, in addition to the academic schools,
schools of law and medicine were estab.
liahed. In 1867, the roll of students
was 108, the next year it was 113, the
uext year it fell to sixty-eight. Why was
&his? Because Of the new regime? This
is the matter in nutshell; because.
whilst the University had an acceptable
<oorps of teachers, the Board of Trus-
tees gave offence, and properly gave
offence, to the sensibilities of the State.
The position of the professors was q try
ing one. Let us do justice to these gen
tlemen. and recognize the conflict that
arose in their minds. They had trust.
1t was the University. This trust had
been confided to them by the former
regime. The question arose as to what
their duty was. So long as no degra,l-
ing condition was attached to the tenure
c: their ofI!ce, they felt it their duty to
retain their Offices and to preserve for
better and more auspicious times the in
'stitution which had been so long the
pride and ornament OF the State, and
which had contributed 80 largely TO oil
the intellectual fame which attaches to
che past Of the State. In this point of
ViaSU M ranroon1, ooo oftooJ, ~ t1,o