, 1874-08-20

pose to Mr.. Nicholson, and whlcn ne
had accepted and was then on his way
to fulfil.
At the meeting for the consideration
of Mr., Whitworth's proposition, the
proposition which I had made to Mr..
Nicholson. by order of the Board, was
rescinded, it being contended that such
proposition was not intended as conclu-
,, sive, in case of acceptance, but only as
indicative of the terms upon which the
Board would negotiate, and that when
Mr.. Whitworth came in with proposi-
ton embracing the same terms, he stood
upon the same footing with MIR. Nichol-
son, though the latter had already ac-
cepted, resigned the position which ne
had creditably and satisfactorily filed
in New York, and was then on his way
TO fulfil his supposed engagem ent here.
1t was further remarked by members OF
the Board that they never intended to
employ Mr.. Nicholson and would not
consent to the employment of man
from abroad on any terms; that the Uni
yersity belonged to the old settlers and
that they proposed to control it. This
view of the subject placed me outside
the pale. as the only member of the
\ 11t ho
category Of "old settlers" 1t is, how
ever, due to MIR. Jordan to say, that he
did not. by vote or EXPRESSION, sustain
that view. At the next meeting, the
contract with Mr.. Nicholson having
been repudiated, Miss Thayer, who had
managed the school satisfactorily during
the last term, put in a proposition to
continue the school without any subsidy
from the University fund and to pay
reasonable rent for the use of the school
building. This was one thousand dol
lars year better to tine fund than Mr..
Whitworth's proposition, and was re-
jected on tie vote; Jordan aud Brown
for. Bagley and Smithers against, and
Atkins absent. At the last meeting. Mr..
Whitworth's proposition was finally ac-
cepted by vote Of to 2, and he was
duly elected President of the University
for the term of five years, subject to
the rulings of subsequent Board.
My action as President and agent of
the Board under specific instructions,
having thus been tacitly censured and
directly repudiated; the rights of a pars
ty with whom I had contracted in good
faith as the President and specially au-
thorized agent of the Board, involving
very serious personal consequences to
him, utterly ignored; the principle un-
mistakably indicated that class distinc-
tons relating only to the period of citi-
zenship were to be recognized in the
future management of this institution;
restoring to the Presidency a man who
had been dismissed from the position,
after ADMINISTRATION, for cause satisfac-
tory to previous Board; the manifest
evidence that majority of my associ-
ates were governed by sentiments and
views of personal obligations and public
duty with which entirely disagree; all
constrained me to the conclusion that
could no longer hold position in the
Board with any regard to my own self
respect or with a reasonable hope of
promoting the interests of the institu-
ton thereby. The policy which has
heretofore governed in the management
of the University, all can now see, has
not been as successful as could be de-
sired. Instead of attempting to infuse
new elements of strength and vigor into
the institution. the Regents have deter
mined to return their old ways, discard
all innovations, hold it in usufruct for
the "old settlers" and let the ''new
corners" build up their own institutions
OF learning.
have no personal quarrel with any
of my associates in the Board of Re
gents. I concede to them as honest
motives as those by which am actuat>
ed, and our personal relations have
been cordial on all occasions. I simply
differ with them in sentiment, do not
share in their class prejudices. and hold
to different code regarding personal
and official obligations. 1 dissolved my
connection with the political party
which had best services Of my life,
simply on the question of repudiating a
public obligation; I could not consist
emily act with a corporation which re.
pudiates the contract of its authorized
agent. They are entitled to act upon
their own views of moral question; I
am bound to act upon mine.
BERIAH BROWN.