The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-09-02
Important Action Taken by the Cor
poration of Brown University at
Meeting Yesterday
LETTER READ FROM Mr.. OLNEY
DEPLORTNG THE PREVIOUS HASTY
ACTION OF THE FACULTY.
Resolution Adopted Later Explaining
tor to Remain with the College.

PROVIDENCE, r. l., Sept. 1.-The cor
poration of Brown University voted to-day
after long meeting to request President
Andrews to withdraw his resignation as
president of that institution. The request
was embodied in a resolution containing
the following:
ITO the President of Brown University:
1.-THE corporation Of Brown University has
this day received with the greatest regret
your resignation as president. 1t most
earnestly desires that you Will withdraw IT,
It conceives that It was written without
full knowledge Of the position or the cor
poration. With the earnest hope that
statement to you bearing the formal sane
ton and approval of the governing body of
the university as a whole may bring us
again into hearty accord, the corporation
desires to assure you that it in no way
sought the severance OF our oficlaI reia-
tions, which, so far as it knows have been
most cordial from the time of your accept
1.-THE only vote and only expression
hitherto made by the corporation bearing
on the question at issue was at the last
June meeting, and consisted of the appoint
ment OF committee to confer with you
as to the interests of the university. The
extent OF authority thus given It's commit INIT
tee was that of conference, which 1t fully
believes you would unhesitatingly admit
was a legitimate and friendly exercise of its
privileges, relating in the terms or the vote
TO the interests of the university which
you and the corporation have closely at
at is perfectly true that the vote in ques-
ton was occasioned by the differing views
entertained on the one hand by you and on
the other by most, and probably ALL of the
members of the corporation as to the free
and unlimited coinage Of silver by the
United States, so far at least as affecting
the interests of the university and thu
fear that your views with reference TO it,
publicly known or expressed might per-
hapS in some degree be assumed to be rep
resentative and not merely Individual.
1T was not in our minds to prescribe the
path in which you should tread or to adj
,fr14cf ffnfc
strain your freedom of opinion or reason
able liberty Of utterance,' but simply to
intimate that it would be the part of wis
dom for you to take a less active part in
exciting partisan discussions and apply
your energies more exclusively to the af-
Having as it believes, removed the mis-
apprehensions that your individual views
on this question represent, those of the cor
poration and the university, for which mis-
apprehension you are not responsible and
which 1t knows you, too; would seek to dis dis
authority to conserve the interests OF the
university at all times, by every honorable
means, and especially desiring to avoid in
the conduct of the university, the imputa-
ton even of the consideration of the party
questions or of the dominance of any class,
but that in the language of its charter, in
this liberal and catholic institution all
members thereof shall enjoy full, free alb
solute and interrupted liberty of con-
science which includes freedom of
thought and expression, it cannot feel that
ad IF i 4a ects mon the uniyer
sity between you and the members of the
corporation is an adequate cause Of separa-
ton between us, for the corporation is pro-
foundly appreciative OF the great services
you have rendered to the university and OF
your great sacrifices and love OF It. 1t
therefore renews its assurances OF highest
respect for you, and expresses the confident
hope that you will withdraw your resigna-
ton.
The vote on the subject was practically
unanimous and taken after speeches had
1a NV ri m nf
corporation.
MIR. OI4NEY'S LETTER.
The meeting was called to order by DIR.
Andrews, but he retired a few minutes
later and Rev. Alvah Hovey, D. D., of New
ton Theological School, took the chair. The
main part OF the session was taken up by
routine matters which came up being the
presentation of a letter from ex-Secretary
of State Richard Olney addressed to the
faculty and bearing the controversy be-
tween the corporation and President An
drews. The letter, which is dated Boston,
Mass, Aug. and addressed to Prof. Benz.
f. Clark j. Franklin Jameson, Henry Il.
Gardner and others, follows:
Gentlemen thank you heartily for
pamphlet copy of a letter bearing your sig
natures and entitled An open letter adj
dressed to the corporation of Brown Uni
versity by members of the faculty or that
institution Nothing could be better in
matter or manner. 1t presents the grave
issues raised by the unfortunate action of
the corporation with singular lucidity and
logical force, and deals with them in tenn
per ana spirit whlch are every way aa-
mirable. AS you may know do not agree
with what / understand to be DR..
Andrewss views respecting the free coin-
age of silver. ] strongly deprecate the
action of the corporation indeed upon the
precise ground that nothing could be better
calculated to give currency and weight tC
those Views-just as nothing would give a
greater impetus to the cause of tariff re-
att r1lfAf NV he of
Harvard College 10 discipline President
Eliot for his well-known sentiments re-
speeding free trade. The true objection,
however, to the course pursued towards DR..
Andrews by the corporation of Brown Uni
yersity is its implied inculcations, of the
doctrine that an institution OF learning
should, above all things get rich and
therefore should square its teachings and
limit utterances of its faculty by the inter-
ests and sentiments of those who for this
time being are the rich men of the COM
munity The demoralizines and degrading
character of this doctrine your letter fully
exposes and thereby entities you to the
gratitude not only of American citizens
generally but OF all well wishers to Brown
University in particular"
In addition to this matter the now famous
protest of twenty-five OF the faculty of
Brown and a number of petitions, including
one from college professors and public men
asking for the retention of President An
drews were also presented and considered.
The last-named petition declared that The
future influence of the American UNIVERSE
ties and the interests Of free thought and
free speech under just sense OF account
ability would be promoted by such action
on the part of the corporation as might
naturally lead to the withdrawal of the
resignation of President Andrews" Among
the signers are Daniel c. Gilman, presi-
dent Of Johns Hopkins University; Charles
w. Eliot, president of Harvard: c. X.
Adams, president of the University of Wis
consin Seth Low. president of Columbia;
T. jefferson Coolidge former ambassador
TO France; w. @. Sumner, professor OF
political economy at Yale; John Fisher. the
historian; William Lloyd Garrison, j. Il.
Trow bridge. the author; Josiah Quincy,
mayor OF Boston; Professor Jarrett. Uni-
versity of Minnesota.
The following elections We're announced:
Chancellor Col. William Goddard; treas
uPer A. Il. Chase. In the afternoon the
consideration of DR. Andrewss resignation
was taken. letter TO the corporation
from DIR. Andrews was read explaining his
views on the silver question and stating
the position he had taken with reference 10
the request Of the committee that was ap-
pointed last June to confer with him.
number of short speeches were made on
both sides and then Congressman Walker,
OF Massachusetts. was recognized by the