Louisiana capitolian., 1880-07-20
Communicated TO tho n. q. Domoc,at.)

Agricultural and Mechanical College,
held in Baton Rouge on July =, 1850, six
members Of tho said board voted to 70
movo tho president of tho said college,
and tho entirc faculty aud officers Of
tho said college. without any specific
charges made against them, we, the
alumni, graduates and OK cadets Of said
institution, residing in tho city of New
Orleans, bog leave, through your paper,
TO ontOr tbis our solemn and public pro.
tost against the said unwarranted, un.
just and unprecentod action OF tho said
six mombors Of said board, there being
no just cause assigned tho public or ns
for tho said action and also TO make
manifest our entire approval OF tho nc
tion of three of tho members, who re.
fused to participate in said action,
either actively or tacitly, and who, In
accordance with what they considered
TO DO their sense of duty aud OF right,
retired from the said meeting, after
having earnestly endeavored to prevent
tho said action upon tho part of the
other six members Of said board and
we desire to make this our protest
against sid action, mud our disappro-
baton OF tho same for tho following
reasons;
/. We consider tho action of tho said
six members us unwise and unjust and
unwarranted generally, for tho reasons
laid down in tho published statement
of threo of tho members, who refused to
participate in said action, published in
the Baton Rouge CArlroLiAN Of July Is,
1880, and for tho same reasons wo high
ly commend their conduct and tho mo.
tives that would not permit them TO
participate in the action Of tho said six
members. ..lH
.. The board being an entirely now
ono, with tho exception of two or three
wo do not consider that tho members
were in position or were sufficiently
acquainted with tho affairs of tho said
college, to thus by a resolution, which
contained no specific charge against any
ono, to cnt off by wholesale tho heads
of the president aud entire faculty, and
to endeavor to disgrace them thus with.
out a hearing or an opportunity to OK,
plain or defend themselves, tho moro
especially as these six members were
now members, and unacquainted with
tho detailed affairs or faculty of the
University.
3. We consider that the resolution OF
tho said six members of said board con.
tains no specific or definite charge-in
fact, no charge at all--and that justice
aud the methods of civilization demand
ed that notification should have been
given of tho said premeditated action,
and opportunity offered tho said presi.
dent and faculty to como before same
and explain and vindicato themselves,
and that time should have been given
tho said president and faculty to pro-
pare themselves for tho said oxplana.
tion or defense.
4. That tho removal and election of a
president from or TO the presidency of
tho largest institution of learning in
our State is an important matter one
that should 30 thoroughly canvassed
and ventilated In public print ere the
Same is executed, the moro especially ~
it involved tho removal of u president
who had boon a professor in said insti-
tuition previous TO the war, ane its
president since tho war--a period OF
over fifteen years-and tho removal OF
a man who in tho days of It's adversity
kept it up and alive by his own indivi-
dual effort and energy, and at his own
personal sacrifice, and to whom wo con
slider tho State of Louisiana is indebted
for tho existonco Of said institution to-
day, Having presided 80 ably over the
said institution in tho days Of its adver-
sity, we have been shown no reason
why ho will not preside ably over it in
tho days Of it's prosperity. And we con.
slider, from our relation to tho institu-
ton, that we have q right to require q
good reason for the removal of q man
who signed our diplomas and presided
over us with dignity and respect in days
gone by.
5. We believe, and have every reason
to believe, that tho sentiments and
opinions expressed In this protest arc
those of each and every alumnus and
OK cadet Of tho fifteen hundred or two
thousand Of them scattered through
this State, and we of New Orleans call
upon them in their various sections to
make public their opinions and senti-
ments in regard to the recent action OF
the said nine members of said board.
&. And we would respectfully call the
attention of tho Governor of this State
to the fact that under tho charter of the
institution the law requires that three
members of the board should be "titled
graduates and that the presont board
is illegally constituted, for the reason
that there arc only two members on said
board who arc titled graduates" and
we, in all respect, request him to corrcc,
tho said illegality.
7. And lastly, we call upon the said
Board Of Supervisors to reconsider the
recent action Of the Six members in st
unceremoniously, and We think nnjustly
and without cause, removing the sale
President, officers aud faculty of sale
institution without Il hearing on theft
part, and that in justice they be accord
cd tho same. And wo call upon all the
good people of the State of Louisiana Il
add their voices to ours in demanding
Of the said Board Il reconsideration O
this action on the part of a minority o
it's members, through a majority of thos,
present, aud that these gentlemen wht
have been removed have what is mo-