YALE COLLEGE, AUGUST 1st, 1828.

TO

EVENTS of an important nature having recently taken place in this Institution, we feel bound in
duty to ourselves and to your

*to lay before you the following simple statement of facts.*

You are probably aware that by a rule of the Institution, the students are obliged to board in the College Hall. By another law, equally binding with the former, "the Steward shall, at all times, cause the table to be decently spread and attended." The second of these regulations, which prescribes the duty of the Steward, has on numerous occasions been entirely disregarded. It would be impossible, from the very nature of the subject, to enter into any minute detail of the particulars in which he has neglected his duty;—the task would be irksome and in many respects disgusting. But we can state without fear of contradiction, that, instead of placing before us a table "decently spread, after the manner of living in private families," he has repeatedly served up to us provision, of which nothing but necessity could have compelled us to partake. And during the present term, still more than at any other period, has our fare been miserable. Is it asked, "Why did you not complain?" We did complain, until farther complaining would have betrayed nothing but a servile, pusillanimous spirit. Over and over again, since we entered upon our collegiate course, have committees been sent up to the Faculty, stating our grievances, and imploring redress. An what has been the result? Why, in some instances the board has undergone a slight, temporary improvement; but in most, not the least alteration has been perceptible.

We would beg leave particularly to direct your attention to the course pursued by the last committee which was deputed to appear before the Faculty. This committee waited upon the President in the latter part of the month of June last, and laid before him the grounds of our dissatisfaction with the Hall. The President, as he has recently stated, called upon the Steward and the Cooks, and gave directions that the evils complained of should be remedied. And here the matter rested. No change, not even the slightest, was observable, after the expiration of a few days, in consequence of this new application.

Such continued to be the state of our board at a season of the year when, of all others, it is most essen-
tial it should be good and wholesome. The dissatisfaction, at no time confined to a few, at length became
general throughout the Institution. And on Saturday last, July 26th, the three classes, (the Senior class
being absent at this time,) met and resolved, almost *unanimously*, that "they would not return into the
Hall until some measures should be taken by the Faculty to improve the board."

This step has been censured as unjustifiable.—And by whom? Not, we confidently assert, by those who are best calculated to judge—by those, who are acquainted with the humble and submissive course which we had previously pursued,—but by individuals who are in a great measure ignorant of our former proceedings and of the condition of the Hall. Moderate measures had proved utterly ineffectual. We seemed reduced to this alternative; either to endure continued imposition, or to adopt some more efficient steps. Could we hesitate which part of the alternative to choose? We could not—we did not.

In compliance with the above resolution, we have refrained from going to the Hall, to the present time.
The resolution went into operation on Monday morning. On Tuesday a committee was sent to the Faculty to state *officially*, on behalf of the students, the reasons of our leaving the Hall. An answer was returned to that committee on the following day, that we were in "a state of open violation of the Laws of the Institution, and that the Faculty would take no measures whatever in regard to the subject, until we should return to the Hall." Had we any ground to expect such a reply? Had our conduct been such as to authorize it? We had pursued a milder course; and it produced no effect whatever: we now took a firmer stand, and this too it appears, was unavailing. We were ready and willing to return into the Hall whenever assurance should be given us of an improvement in our board. We waited anxiously for such assurance. We expected it—we had a right to expect it. But no:—we must return to the Hall even before we had any reason to anticipate a change in our unpalatable and unwholesome fare! We refused to take a step, by which we should have sacrificed our self-respect, our dignity, our duty to each other. On the succeeding day, Thursday, the Faculty proceeded to extremities. Four of our number, to wit: Ralph Bull, John W. Fowler, Elijah H. Mills, and Howard H. White—members of the Junior Class, were selected from the whole body of students, and expelled from the Institution.

We confess we know not upon what principle this punishment was inflicted. We are unable to discover the justice or the propriety of throwing upon a few individuals, the burden of the supposed iniquities of the whole, where all are equally concerned. We have remonstrated against this procedure.—We have claimed on the simple ground of justice alone, either, that those four individuals should be re-admitted into the Institution, or that we should be subjected to the same censure. This appeal has hitherto been unavailing.

Such are the circumstances of this unpleasant affair. To you who are a guided as we trust by
honorable and virtuous principles, do we confidently look for an approval of our conduct. Your has
acted with us. In justifying ourselves we vindicate him. We are aware of the influence which is exerted
against us;—we are aware that the maxim, "The king can do no wrong," is often applied even in our
Republican country, to bodies of men, whose rank, situation, and character, would almost seem to render
the application just. But deeply as we respect, as we venerate the Faculty of this Institution, we
are firmly convinced that they have erred. We have acted properly, as we believe, conscientiously
as we know.