Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-09-06
ANDREWS AND BROWN UNIVERSITY.
". 6urrass's Account Of The Mssilna Of
the Trustees.

on his return from the meeting of the
corporation of Brown University and was
asked to give the representative of the
fress an account of the meeting. He
said the meeting was a very large one
most of the members of the corporation
peing present. President Andrews was in
attendance only at the opening of the
meeting, and the Rev. DIR. Hovey pres
ident of Newton theological institution.
took his place presiding officer of the
| board of fellows.
The statement In the papers that "Pres-
ident Andrews friends were on hand
| early expressing n determination to on
| pose the acceptance of DR.. Andrews res
| ignation, is wholly Il product of the re-
he was one of the first to reach the col
lcge; he came to Providence on an early
train, and while he mingled freely with
the members of the CORPORATION as they
arrived, he found no one expressing any
determination either way. The mem
bers were talking over other matters.
AT the meeting of the corporation in
June, after some talk in reference to the
presidents attitude upon the silver
question:, a committee was appointed to
confer with the president in reference to
me interests of the university. DR.. Bur-
rage said he was not present at that
meeting, but in the statements made at
the meeting on Wednesday of this week
IN reference to what was said on that oc-
casion IL was shown that no one ex-
pressed desire that the president would
IN any way modify his views. but 1t was
thought that without any great sacrifice
on his part. out of regard to the interests
OF the university, especially in q time of
political excitement. he might exercise
some forbearance in his public utter
ances. There was no suggestion that if
he could not do this his resignation would
be called for. Not member of the cor
poration present desired his resignation.
and no one supposed that anything in the
conference provided for in the action of
the corporation would lead to his resig-
a no sTrtf. m
sisted of Col. William Goddard, the cham
ccllor of the university and one of the
| leading business men of Rhode Island, ex-
Chief Justice Durfee of the supreme
court of Rhode Island and Judge Way
land out of the Yale law school-all of
them men of the highest character and
Judgment.
When this matter was reached at the
meeting of the corporation on Wcdnes-
day the first thing was the reading of the
report of this committee. The statement
In the Press of yesterday that at this
time Tor at any time during the meetingb
a letter was read from ex-Secretary of
State Richard Olney, is an error. No
such letter was read and Mr.. Olney has
not addressed q letter to the corporation
of the university in reference to the sub
ject. AS a matter of fact. said DIR. Bur-
rage, not one of the letters that have
been addressed to the corporation in ref
erence to DR.. Andrews was read. They
We're ordered to be placed on file and
their reception acknowledged. but the
corporation had no time for their read
ing. The only papers that were laid be-
fore the corporation were the report of
the conference committee and paper
from President Andrews.
Or. Burrage said he did not have copy
of either of these papers. The confer
ence committee stated that they had an
interview with President Andrews July
| l6; in accordance with the request Presi-
! dent Andrews had previously made, they
| handed him a letter stating in brief the
action of the corporation in June. This
! letter was read to the president and
| two hours conference followed The
| wishes of the corporation were set before
| him. DR.. Andrews said that If he was
| asked to give a pledge that he would
hereafter refrain from expressing his
views he must resign. He was told that
such pledge on his part was not desired.
| He admitted that he might have been
more on his guard and expressed will
| ingness to meet the wishes of the corpo-
ration. The interview was An exceedingly
pleasant one on both sides and when il
closed the members of the committee
supposed that an entirely satisfactory adj
iustment had been reached.
President Andrews paper was n frank,
candid statement to the corporation. He
said that he was not a repudiator. He
! has said and still holds that the public
! debt should be paid in gold or in money
| of equal value. AS to the silver question
or rather the expression of his views on
! the silver question. he said he would adj
| nit that he had been unfortunate. but
| that he could not admit that he had been
! indiscreet. BY this DR.. Burrage said he
| understood President Andrews to mean
| that the indiscretion had been on the part
| of those who made public his letters.
which were answers To inquiries made by
| his former students He said in a polit-
zeal campaign a professor he thought,
might take the. stump. possibly college
resident; Il have never thought to go to
/ that extreme
DR. Andrews account of what took
place at the conference was not in entire
agreement with that of the committee.
| 1t could hardly be expected that 1t would
| be But the paper made favorable inn
preston for the president There were
| those who thought the committee OF con-
ference exceeded their instructions when
| they wrote the letter which they gave to
| the president at their interview with him.
hut it was not denied that they expressed
| in brief the points suggested at the June
| meeting.
The discussion which was conducted in
| the best spirit throughout, developed the
| fact that there were a few members OF
| the corporation who thought that under
| the circumstances as they now stand II
| would be best to accept the presidents
resignation. BY far the larger part, how
ever, were of the opinion that such ac-
| ton was uncalcd for II was not con-
| tcmplatcd when the corporation appoint :
| cd the committee of conference, ana
| nothing has occurred since that should
/ lead TO this result. Il was admitted that
President Andrews has defects, but he al
SO has great exccllencies and these far
outweigh the defects. The action of the
corporation in kindly calling his attention
| to his defects was justified. He has mis-
understood the action Of the corporation
| II he must leave the university let it be
by his own action.
II was in this spirit That the corporation
| spnt TO President Andrews the note
: which appeared in the Press yesterday
! The corporation took no backward steps
IT asserted its right to appoint a commit
| thanking the committee for their faithful
| service win President Andrews with
draw his resignation? 1t is hoped by the
| CORPORATION that he will. said DR. Bur
| rage and that under his inspiring leader
ship the university may continue to pur-
elle its upward way.-Portland Daily
| Press.
STATE NEWS