Louisiana capitolian., 1880-07-24

sum of $133S, for the library; and alst
the sum Of $639, for furniture; in al
$57l2..an amount amply sufticient tt
pay the Faculty till near the end Of va
cation. All this had been drawn from
a fund which the law specially forbidi
to be used for such purposes. These
alterations and repairs too were made
while steps were being taken to obtain
the use of the government property al
Baton Rouge, whereat to remove the
school, which in the event Of success
would have rendered this expenditure
a total loss.
1t was further shown that the old
Board of Supervisors at their meeting OF
October 1879, had directed Col. Boyd to
employ clerk to keep the accounts OF
the college: For reasons, which were
found unsatisfactory by the present Su-
perv!sors, he failed to comply with the
order.
1t was also shown that at the same
meeting Col. Boyd, was instructed to
require the payment in advance, by
Cadets, for maintenance, uniforms, ex-
penses, ETC., or to send those home who
failed to comply. Col. Boyd, disregard
ed these Instructions and brought in
response statement showing an in.
debtedness by Cadets of over $4,000 for
the session Of lS79-50; that too, when
the tact appears that over two-thi1ds of
those who have entered the College
during the year, have left it.
Wasn't it best not to credit the parents
of Cadets than contract debts to the ag-
gregate of $4,000 with the merchants end
tralesmen of Baton Rouge'
While some Of the cadets expressed
satisfaction. others were outspoken the
other way. Cadet Gilmore, of Shreve-
port, for instance, straightforward,
soldierly-looking young gentleman, a
Captain i'll the corps, stated in the
presence of Col. Boyd and the supervis.
ors; that he had no objection to mill
tary discipline, no matter how rigid it
was, provided it was uniform, which
was not the case, for, said be, "What
may he punished severely to-day is en-.
tirely overlooked next week. Cadets
had been expelled for absence without
leave, an infraction understood to be
punishable at times by demerits only.
Some professors for whom the cadets
entertained the highest regard, had, for
some reason, abandoned the institu-
ton" % d
All the cadets complained of the fare
that was furnished them. Several of
them thought the powers and their ex-
ercise in the hands of Col Boyd too ar
bitrary. The departure of Professors
and Haislip, as also the re. :
call of Lieutenant lamar, the instructor
in military tactics, were greatly re-
gretted. 1t was shown that, by diree.
tion Of Col. Boyd, several professors
had gone to New Orleans, leaving their
chairs temporarily vacant, to work in
preventing the passage of the Leake
Bill. Col. Boyd called the faculty to-
gether only when it suited his pleasure,
then even, their advice was either acted
upon by him or not. In word, it was
clearly shown to the supervisors that be
was the ruler of everything.
The sum and substance of the iuyesti
CATION, in our opinion, was conclusive
in this, that though. the old Board of
were to blame, to a great
extent, in placing so much power and
control in the hands of Col. Boyd, the
latter did not object to the responsible
(ity placed upon him, in evidence of
which, in one instance particularly.
having been invested with the power
Of asking for the removal of one of the
faculty, Lieutenant lamar, U. s. A., he
lately made use of such power by ad-
dressing letter to Gen. Sherman to
that effect, without giving this officer
the benefit of any trial whereat he might
defend himself of charges justifying so
arbitrary course, while COL. Boyd de.
,'ined before the Board.to present any
charges, when asked if he had any to
'ffer. So much for the complaint of
The Alumni, that Col. Boyd was himself |
'emoved without hearing.
That Col. Boyd did work to keep up
University in our State, we will
lot attempt to deny. But how did he
10 it +? BY succeeding in breaking up
he Agricultural and Mechanical Col
ege and obtaining that the large en-.
lowment of that institution should be-
ldded to the insufficient one, saved
rom the wreck of the old bankrupt