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simply because they do not approve of them ! While we grant that the ends of these fraternities are probably litera ry, we claim that in such a Universi ty as this should be —of such liberal principles —it is not necessary to re sort to the veil of secrecy in order to confer honors upon those who may deserve them. We hold, further, that this secrecy not only is not ne cessary to securo the ends of justice, but that in many instances, it thwarts them. We feel satisfied that this constant secret.association tends to create unnatural friendships, which cannot fail to bias and prejudice the minds of the members. They be come so wrapped up in their own party, and so determined upon its success, that they lose sight of the merits of others, and in this way of ten wrong those who do not consti" tute a part of their body. No better proof that this is the case, can be given than the fact that at a recent election in one of our literary socie ties, where the two candidates were respectively of secret society and of anli-secret society persuasion—that while they were allowed to be almost if not quite equally matched in an intellectual point of view, the secret society candidate received the unan <« imous r je of two of the secret socie* ; wjfile the votes of those who wertU.«of members of these bodies wore divided between the two candi dates. This is not an isolated ins stance of their party spirit either; but one which is typical of their whole course for the last four years. And where they have been able to decide the questions by ballot, they have generally triumphed, by virtue of their numerical superiority ! How ever, time and space.will not permit, us to refer to other instances at pre sent. Such instances —such unani mous support as they have givon can didates from secret societies on every occasion— such zeal as they show in the cause of every member of a secret society who chooses to offer himself as a candidate for an honor—must convince every sound and unbiased imnd that they 11 labor for the success of -their party rather than for thq, general good of the College. Npw, wwask, is it either generous or just, to resort to such means as the formation of secret societies, who trinmph by virtue of their numerical force, in order to secure the “ literary ends” of their party? We ask, is not such a spirit as they have mani fested, calculated to destroy the har mony of all social intercourse, and . reduce our College to a more faction ront body than the Legislature of our unfortunate State? The writer claims, in the next ptlace, that these societies are right and meritorious, because they are sanctioned by the authorities. We THE GEORGIA COLLEGIAN. do not allow that this fact, of the sanction of the authorities, is a con clusive proof that they are right! We are to remember that the autho rities are probably ignorant of the fact that |they are not now what they were when they gave their sanc tion. The Faculty of the Universi ty, are, some of them, honorary members of these fraternities, it is true; but is it probable that none of them have ever attended the meet 1 ' ings of the societies to which they belong, since the nights of their ini tiation ? They are probably entirely ignorant of all their proceedings, and of the bitter party spirit to which they have given birth in our College. While the authorities do sanction se cret societies, when conducted with propriety, we dare say, that did they know what a source of discord they have been in Franklin College, they would unhesitatingly withdraw both their co-operation and their sancs tion. At one time in the history of the College, the Trustees as well as the Faculty certainly looked upon secret societies with distrust; since it was part of the oath to which the student subscribed on entering Cols lege, that he would not connect him self wfth any secret organization. Secret societies had been in existence here previous to that time, and had beeniprohibited because they were found to be detrimental to the inte rests of the institution. The same element has been again introduced, and with the same evil effects as be-* fore ! The writer goes on, in his article, to deduce an example in support of his party, from the case of a College in Virginia. There, he says, no se* cret societies exist, and still bitter strife and discord prevails in regard to society elections. This, he claims, proves that secret societies do not occasion strife; and that there will be strife whether secret clubs exist or not. We do not claim that there are no other causes of dissension in Colleges save secret societies; but we do claim that they are one of the causes in every College where they exist, and that in our College they are the sole cause of the ill-feeling among the students. At the Vir ginia College, where they have stu** dents from so many different States, and in such large parties, we are not surprised that party spirit should tun high. Here, however, there could be no danger of such an evil, since the great majority of all the students are natives of our State. That there would be no such animosity among the students, did not secret clubs exs ist, is clearly proven by the fact that there were no such dissentions , previous to their introduction! Since the writer has referred us to an instance where secret societies efid not occasion strife, let us refer him to another where they do occa sion it. At Penfield, a secret society has recently been introduced, and the tranquility of the institution has already been greatly disturbed by their presence. Among students, who before, were associated in peace and good will, a violent party spirit has suddenly been engendered, which has marred that unity of friendship. There, these organizations have met with firm and decided opposition, by some of the very first men in the Col lege. At Connel University, in N. York, they became so intolerant that the other students were driven to the necessity of passing resolutions in opposition to them. At Yale, they have been sharply condemned. At Harvard, Princeton, Union, Jeffer son and West Point, their existence, we learn, has been positively prohib ited. Here, in our own University, they have become so powerful and op pressive in their sway that forbear ance has long ceased to be a virtue. Consequently, have arisen an anti se cret society party, who differ from them in the openness aud scope of their principles, and whose sole ob ject is to secure to themselves that justice of which they have been so long debarred. upon your space. We leave the subject with you for the present, and await a reply. I. R. University of Ga., March , 1870. For the Georgia Collegian. Unintentional Enemies, Ho not be angry, kind reader, if anything I should happen to say ap plies to you individually, for I intend to hurt the feelings of no one, but to make a few general remarks about a great evil that has always existed and done much harm ; but which, to day, I think, is doing more harm than has ever been known before, and especially in this in which our University is situated. You may bo th enemy of no one, personally, and intend to do no one any harm ; but when you say, in conversing with your friends, that “ Mr. Jones is a very clever fellow, but (oh, these condemning buts,) he will drink o’er nights; anu though be moves in the first circles of socie ty, you really don’t see how he man ages to do so.” You are then, unin tentionally, his enemy; and worst of all, his secret enemy ; a viper in the grass. For if your heart had not some maliciousness in it, you would not speak of Mr. Jones’ vices or mis fortunes, (if he really has them); but on the contrary, praise his virtues or bridle your tongue and be silent. Or perhaps, when Mr. Jones is mention ed in company, you tell something that Mr. Busybody, your intimate friend, told you, that Mr. Anybody’s business (but his own) told him that ho heard Mr. Somebody-else say, ve ry much to Mr. Jones’ dircredit; all of which, coming through so many bands, is utterly false. Now, you see the necessity of find ing out the truth of what you hear, before ever repeating it, and never telling anything from hear-say ; for reports, like a house on fire, will en velope a man’s character in ruin, be fore the good firemen of truth are able to put out the flames. And, as in many cases of fire, so tn reports— the incendiary is not known. You cannot bo too careful of what you say of others; for a very slight remark, repeated a hundred times, and by another person than yourself, will become to be a .very serious thing; and though you may not have intended any harm, you do a great deal. When you hear a thing said about a person, examine its probability and truth, and then act or speak as the conjecture may require. Don’t speak and act first, and then when it is too late, begin to examine, as silly gos*» sips do—of whom the world would do well to be rid. If you wish to get on peacefully and harmoniously with your fellow men, do no one harm; and to prove yourself no one’s enemy unintention ally, keep your own counsel. Learn to biidie your tongue, and if, as I am sure you have been told before, you can say nothing good of ary one, say nothing at all. If you have heard such and such a t|ing concerning any one, why repeat it? It does you no good, is none of your business, and may do that one some injury; you will find it better, and as much as you can well do to attend to your own affairs. Deport yourself in such a way that you will not deserve re proach, and let other peoples’ busiv ness alone. No character is so detestable and mean as of a Gossip or Tale" bearer, who. tries to make himself agreeable by being meddlesome and officious, and only makes himself de testable and odious to every sensible person, And now, my friend, yon should wish to have the good opinion of all worthy people; and to gain that, speak kindly of every one. Be care ful of what you say; tell nothing you hear, unless you are sure it' is true, or you may unintentionally be somebody’s enemy; and always re member to do unto others as you would have them do unto you. and you will gain not only the good will of men, but the approbation of the Divine Ruler. Affectionately, , Adelpiios. ...The man who ate his dinner with the fork of a river has been try ing to spin a mountain top. 3