The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-03-28


party should be represented in the board.
. The reasons assigned ! will not take up
space TO set forth, as they are paLpabIe
enough. The religious denominations
stand as follows: Two Baptists, two
Melhodists, two Presbyterians and per-
: haps one Episcopalian. The balance
represent the world at large. The Treas.
urer is n Methodist. The Faculty and
Tutors stand in about the same proper
tion, / think, as to religious views. PO-
} litically think they are about equally
divided. The Executive Board stands,
four Mcthodists Including the clerk Of
the board), one Catholic and one Presby-
terian. The Board of officers stand, one
Bourbon Democrat, one Jacob Democrat,
one Republican and, religiOusly one Bap-
tist and two MelhOdists. The clerk OF the
Board OF Regents is Homo c. SturSiss,
a gentleman Of decided Republican pro-
Clivities. So much faith has his party in
him that he is spoken OF for high posi-
ton on the Republican State ticket. lie
is clerk also Of the Executive board. lie
is Methodist Of influential standing in
his church. Ii "Layman" will but take
the trouble TO write 10 Mr.. Sturgiss lie
will no doubt be assured that never nt
any meeting Of the Board did the Iues-
tion Of politics or religion control their
action on any matter before them. On
the other hand, many written applications
for positions, basing their claims on the
plea Of party or creed, found their way TO
the waste basket.
AsI have before stated, two members
OF the Board OF Regents are Baptists and
members OF the Church. This denOmina-
ton, in making up their members, do
not count infants-onlysadults, or those
baptised by immersion. They number
in West Virginia 25,O60 members. They
are wealthy, influential, and perhaps ns
intelligent as the same number OF any
other Christian body in the State.s In
the College department Of the University
am not aware that they are represented
at all; but they make no complaint OF
bad treatment at the hands OF the Board
OF Regents. The Catholics and the Jews
number many. and they complain not.
Yet "Layman" can not look through
other spectacles than those worn by John
Wesley. The charge that the University
Of West Virginia is now or has ever been
used for political purposes, or ns poiit-
ical machine, by the present Board, can
not be substantiatGd by facts.
To-day half-yca, more than half-the
positions Of trust and pay are held by
Republicans at the University. Repnb.
licans receive and pay out all moneys
and order payments. In short, am led
to think that Republicans are the top
rails on the University fence, and that
our good old Methodist brethren have
not lost so much rs to start even silent
tear in the eye OF faith.
lean not agree with Brother "Layman"
that the University under DR.. Martins
government was wholly free from sCcta-
rian influence. do not charge that
the Doctor lahored to this pur.
pose, but think | may safely say
that the proceedings Of the ". Va. NJ. Z.
Conference year after year in reference to
the ministry did much to impress the
minds Of the people OF the State that it
was wholly under the control and man
agement Of the VI. +. Church. Year after
year DR.. Martin attended the meetings Of
the Conference, and year after year the
minutes Of the Conference chow DR..
Martins name as an appOintec to the
Presidency Of the ". Va. University, in
I'the same manner and form a4 minister
of the Conference assigned to a station,
and apparently with the same authority.
Could the effect be otherwise than TO in-
press the mind OF the reader Of the min.
utes Of the Conference that the institution
was then n dcnominational one. ! do
not charge that this impression was in
territorial on the part OF the Conference,
yet such impressions were formed. DR..
Martins attention was called to this fact
by member Of the Board when in ses-
sion, 30 anxious was the Board to free
the institution from complaints and OBJ
jections emanating from this source. 1t
may be true, as "Layman" charges. that
the numbers attending the halls OF the
University are much less in number than
when under the charge Of DR.. Martin; yet
| cannot think with him the falling of Of
numbers arises wholly from mismanagc-
mcnt by the Board Of Regents. Other
causes have operated seriously, dating
back to the last session when DR.. Martin
was President, and ! am sorry to
think may yet be forced to detail
facts for the public that ] would
much rather sink in oblivion. II
"Layman' is OF an inQuisitiye turn OF
mind, he might, by diligcnt search, find
other causes than the mismanagemcnt OF
the University by the Board Of Regents.
The Board Of Regents have been violently
and unjustly assailcd. Even the private
characters Of some Of them have been ma.
ligned by an unbridled press, running
wild after party and creed.
Lastly, the West Virginia Conference
Of the NJ. L. Church, or some Of the mem
bers thereof, through the lack Of proper
information las do not think they would
knowingly do an injustice to the Board
have joined in this crusade by reiterating
charges which emphatically say they
cannot support by proof. The Board Of
Regents have borne these things patient
ly, conscious OF faithfully and honestly
endeavOring to perform the duties en-.
trusted to them by the State. The Uni.
versity is in no danger Of collapse. With
aE fine body Of educators as grace the
chairs Of any like inJitution Of the same
age in the nation, its course will he on.
ward and upward, and will command the
respect hitherto awarded it. | can not
but think that duty and desire for the
prosperity Of our young and growing
commonwealth should prompt every citi.
zen thereof irrespective Of party or creed,
to lay aside passion and prejudice, and
work for the npbuiIding Of this noble IN
stitutiOn.
In conclusion, would ask "Iayman,"
and all interested in the prosperity Of the
University, in view Of the facts / have
crnde'y presented, to tell the Board Of
Regenl' wherein they have erred or done
wrong either to party or to church.
Their duty was plain. Thcgrcate't vigi-
lance wa' required to prevent 30 bad a
Calamity ns church and party getting
mixed with the influence Of the UnIvcrSi.
| ~. can assure "Laymnn" that the wri.
ter entertains nOught hut the kindesr
feelings for the Methodist Church, which
has accomplished, and il yet accomplish.
ing, 40 much for the cause Of humanity
and the cause Of God. 40. ~