The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-27
Letter From President HattAe'

Below we give President Battles
letter. He has written letters to
other papers and they were not pubs
lished. While we have not the space
for lengthy letters we print this
merely so the public may see the mat
teras the President does. See an
other column for our position.
CHAPEL HILL, Aug. Is, 1885.
EDITOR Democratic thank you
for the copy of your paper contain
ing the charge of the Wilmington
Star about county students. which
had not come under my observation.
1 send you copy of the law
about county students. Please no.
tice tee following points.
1. That the applicant must swear
that neither he nor his guardian or
parents or either of them, have the
requisite means to pay his tuition
and room rent at the University.
2. One or more credible witnesses
must swear to the same thing.
8. That if the Faculty shall become
satisfied that the student was not
properly appointed, they shall on
proper notice endeavor to procure
the revocation of the appointment.
4. If student shall be improper.
ly appointed the appointment is void
and he still owes the tuition, exactly
as if no appointment had been made.
1t then appears that the law is
carefully guarded. I am ready and
anxious to do all can for its in>
forcement. I have written to the
editor of the Wilmington Star asking
as matter of right for the names of
all students alleged to be improperly
appointed, the pames of their coun>
ties and the name of his informant.
I am determined to right every case
of alleged violation of the law to
the bottom.
Your own experience, Mr.. Editor.
must convince you that people are
often thought to be wealthy who are
really poor. A man may be in pos.
session of plantation which is
really mortgaged, perhaps for more
than it is worth. A ''christian min.
ister' may mistake appearances for
realities. Such questions are for the
County Commissioners, usually ex.
cellent men, who know their counties
and are disposed to obey the laws.
Ofcourse it is the duty OF the Fa
Guilty to assume prinaa 1'dcie that the
county commissioners have done
their duty. We accept their appoint
ments without question. The stu>
dents so sent US for the last four
years, !. e., since the law was enacted
have appeared to US to be poor men
There were four or five able to pay
rent before the amendment. These
county students are, as body a very
good, hard. working, deserving set.
I cannot see that the President OIL
the University should agitate for thu
repeal of this law. It imposes al
} obligation on us in behalf of poo
young men struggling for an educa
ton, and we cheerfully assume tn,
obligation and will carry it out faith
fully as long as the law stands OF
the statute-book. I cannot see tina
it is bad law merely because
county occasionally (of which 1 have
no proof,) may slip in student abb,
to pay. Few laws are perfectly ex
; ecuted,
I have prepared and forwarded to
the commissioners of every county
annually for years copies of the Law
in question and also blank affidavits
and certificates of appointment
Difficult questions concerning its
, construction have been referred tt
the Attorney General. / have useo
my best endeavors to have it prop
erly executed. When notified that 8
mistake has been made I will repor,
) it to the commissioners as required
by law.
| My observation is that many ex
cellent young men of deepest povert,
have been encouraged by this beney
client provision made by the State to
obtain University education.
| l write in haste, being about tc
take the train for the extreme west.
Truly Yours,
| KEMP p RArrrr