, 1876-11-19
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE,

To Me Eatkor a Tbs 1Y73une.
CHICAGO, Nov. 13.-My attention has beer
called TO Prof. Frceman's letter in last Sunday.
TRIBUNE, and With your consent will make
remark or two thereupon. The Professor aay:
that in his speech, some weeks ago, in Launder't
hall, he did not claim that 10 majority Of the
Faculty." but ia majority Of the leading OIL
GERS" OF the Chicago University were in favo,
Of Mr.. Tlden. This Is certainly nor correct, q
several intelligent gentlemen who heard the
speech unhcsttatingly aver. They say that Prof
F. alluded to this fact~-ff fact it was-tvo OF
three times, and with such explfcttness and cn~
phasis as to indicate that he felt deeply the I'M
portance Of letting the outside world know,
at this critical juncture In American
politics, how the learned Faculty Of the Chicago
University stood on the question OF the Fresi-
dcncy. At first he remarked that a t'1naiority
Of the leading Professors were for Tilden.
Further'on, having freed himself from the EN-
barrassing restraints Of that false modcsty
which is SO apt to fetter instructors of youth he
boldly declared, once, at least,-some say rwicc,
that for the reasons which he induced "the
leading members OF the Faculty. had decided
to vote Tor the Democratic candidates. 1under-
STAND that On the following day the Republican
Professors were subjected By their friends In thu
nciGhborhood to such uncomplimentary re-
A4&A4 no Ao1 AaNV AT ely t140t tNO AAN uOt AlG
of the leading Professors in the University"
and = How does it happen, Prof -. that the
more important members OF your Faculty have
all gone over to Tilden andRefortn2"
It is, think, intrinstcally improba-
bic that the claim put forth by Prot. Freeman
in bis speech had reference to the "ofIicers''
rather than tue s' Professors ,, Of the Uni
versity. How could he assume to speak for
its officers in gcneral1 OF one description and
another,-Irustees, Regents, Examining Com
informed, not less than sixty or seventy officers.
Will Prof. Freeman pretend that be was In
possession Of such knowledge Of the political
sentiments of all these gentlemen as would
warrant him in declaring that majority Of
supporters Of Mr.. TiIdeua After rubbing up
his memory little, and considering how un-
natural it would have been to say what he now
declares himself to have said, the worthy Pro-
fcssor will, think, come to the conclusion that
the original statement in The TRIBUNE was u
correct report.
But the point in Prot. Freeman's letter to
which would call special attention is his at
Tempt to throw discredit on the declaration Of
your informant that seven members of the
Whcelerh Had it been said merely that this
number was in favor Of Hayes and Wheeler, the
fact would have had precisely the same weight
and no opportunity would have been afforded to
our Jealous [illcnite to show his ingenuity.
Dub 5bHT uuSu5pttLt1JE luIoFl1lallL
lad said that seven Of the Faculty would vote
for Hayes aud Wheeler. Whereupon the
Professor, much as a cat would pouncc
upon an iacautious mouse, scizcs
upon tho statement, and seeks to
tear it in pieces by means Of quibb1e worthy Of
u Slippery Samuel " himself refer especially
10 his statement that one [of the seven per-
sons named by your 1nforu1antl, instead Of
going to his voting precinct, left the evening
1eforc election for the Centennial"
Why did not Prot Freeman tell us the cir
which caused this gentleman to leave
or the Centennial the evening before cicctionl
obviously, because If he had done SO the ap-
,arcnt Indifference Of President Abcrnethy-for
t was he who thus unpatrioticallY took himself
way In the hour Of his country's nced-wou1l |
laYe been seen to have been no indifference at
IL. Col Aberncthy-than whom no trucr |
Republican exists has but recently
emoyed to this. city from Iowa.
1c had lost his right to vote in Iowa. He had |
Tot been here long enough to acquire the right |
0 VOTE In Illinois. So it was Of no consequence
chcther he went to the Centennial tho day be- !
ore or the day after election. Before leaving
e expressed, In Prot. Free1nan's presence, his !
trong regret that he could not vote. Why did |
'rof. F. withhold this facta And why does he
|arade Coll, Abernethy's voluntary absence on I
lcction-lay, when he knows that the circum- I
lance was invested with no significance what
vera For ingcnuousuess OF statement, for
andor in argument, commend us to Q Tldcn
cformer. = LINK.