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FROM TH£ ‘I RENTON TRUE AMERICAN. TO TIIK PUBLIC. The Trustees of the College of N T tw-Jerscv, feel the painful task imposed upon them, of stating to the public, the material Lets con nected with a late combination of the students under their care, to resist the regular authority of the institution. This statement founded on ihe most impartial investigation of facts, arid drawn from sources the most authentic, will, they trust, deserve the entire confidence of the public. The remote causes which h.avc led to this event, arc to be found in the pernicious print i ples and loose manners of some vicious youths who have obtained admission into the institu tion ; and still more, perhaps, in the almost un limited allowance of money, or credit, given to many others, and which, in a society of young men, whose passions are not yet corrected by experience and reflection, are so apt to corrupt minds originally the most innocent. And al though the dangerous and unlawful practice of introducing spirituous liquors into the College, and of frequenting taverns and other places of entertainment, at late hours of the night, was known cr belived to lie common among ;t por i tion of the students, yet direct and positive * evidence of these facts could be obtained only against a few, who were immediately dismissed . from the society. For the more hold and art . fnl oil.aiders, who, hy their very boldncsss, commonly rendered the mselves popular a ! mong their associates, had too successfully es tablished among them this false but plausible principle, that, to give testimony against a hel lion'student, however gross his vices or faults might be, was in the highest degree dishonora ble. Any evidence therefore against tins class of students, on which an act of discipline could be founded, must depend entirely on the \i i lencc and personal observation of the Facult? themselves. And though they were much the smallest class, yet were they aide, under the protection of this principle, frequently to give great disturbance to the order of the College, at different periods lining the late session ; and .towards the close of it, their insolence assumed a bolder tone. The door and windows of the room of one of the tutors, who had been the cause of the detection and punishment of some of them, were broken. Attempts had been made at midnight to destroy certain convenient enclosures, belonging and contiguous to the College, and one small building was actually consumed by fire. They were informed that, although the fa culty had no authority to punish, except on clear and positive proof, yet that the Trustees, whose property the College is, and who were to assemble in a few days, had power to send away all those students whose presence they esteemed dangerous to the institution; and the misconduct otvonreuf them bud now rendered the interposition of that power, a measure of indispensable necessity. Those who were most conscious of being exposed to the exer cise oftliat power, which is the last resort ofthe of the discipline of the College, from that mo ment, as has appeared since bv the confession of several of the students, planned a combina tion to resist the authority of the house, and thus to screen themselves, or to diminish their own disgrace, hy involving others in their fate. Tliis combination was hastened, and brought into immediate operation, by an act of the Fa culty, suspending three of the students fer in dolence to certain officers of the College, in t he discharge of their duty ; or for other practices contrary to the laws, and clearly ascertained. One of these young men, especially, was po pular among his associates. .Many ,f the more orderly students, and some who even de served praise for their regularity and diligence, wen induced to enter into this combination, from tin’ notion that it was honorable to come iorw.ml in defence of a fellow student, and, as some of have since declared, from a belief that numerous and firm association, would induce the Faculty to recull their act, and yield to the w ishes of the associators, without producing iiv fur.her disturbance. They had, prolxthly, no upp. clu avion ofthe violent effects ofthe cx cie l passions of such a number of young men, wh > had once thrown themsebes loose from the restraints of law. .Many have said that tin i believe that no more was designed than a rest) ciiiil petition to the Faculty, requesting them to review their proceedings in the case ol the last mentioned young gentlemen, and under the impression, signed without reading the remonstrance which was presented. Ibit the leaders itithi-. combination had the address to express their remonstrance, which was drawn up under the name of a petition, in sush language us could not he received hy the go vernment oi the College. It contains an impe rious demand, which is not even decently veil ed by a few modest expressions accompanying in to reinstate all the suspended persons in their former honorable station* in the College, under a menace, of no equivocal meaning, if their application should he rejected. It con tains, further a most indelicate requisition, to certain members of the Faculty, to retract cx prcsxions which probably, for the particular purposes ofthe combination, bail been reported among the students, to have been uttered l>y them. And finally, in the pretended petition, thev. i’t effect, erect themselves into a tribunal to re-judge the decisions of the governors ofthe institution. It was couched in the following terms. Common sense is sufficient to inter pret their meaning: *• To the members ofthe Faculty cf the College of .YrvK fcrscy. Cfvti.i mf.n, “ The students of the institution, fully satisfi ed that the procedure of its officers has been jpcuttaisitfnt “ i'4 the principles of justice, r tl at they have proceeded precipitately in their decision of the cases of Messrs, Hyde, Metfeau and Cumming, do respectfully request the re instatement of these gentle im n in their forrnei honorable stations. They humbly conceive that the members ofthe Faculty have not made those nice inquiries into their several cases, anil have depended solely on the representation of a few who are probably prejudiced against the individuals, or w ho have formed erroneous con ceptions of their general mode of conduct.— They therefore request an immediate answer to ihis petition, since their future proceedings will greatly depend upon the propriety or im propriety of their decision, ‘i hey, in addition to this, moreover request the members of the Faculty to retract or condradict certain expres sions which have been thrown out by them, tending materially, in their own estimation and that of the community, to the destruction of their reputations, indivi .w. ily ; such expres sions being in their opinion, dcstitue of the stamp of truth.” This paper was presented to one of the pro fessors, in the name of the students, hy a com mittee of nine. The Faculty immediately con sidled with the only member ofthe corporation who resided in the vicinity ofthe College, on the measures proper tobepersued, and, in con currence with him, determined on such as were at once decided and prompt, and in their opinion, liolli necessary and temperate. The students being previously assembled in the public hall, it was represented to them that the laws, those laws which at their admission into the College, and at the commencement of each session, they hail solemnly /huge t/ieir truth and honor to obey, had foreseen and provided against such combinations as the preseirt, in which a great portion of them were engaged, the laws which relates particularly to this case is in the following words— 1 If any club or combinations of students shall, at any time take place, either for resisting the authority of the College, or interlining in its government, i r for come, afmg or executing any c.\ 11 or iii s orilcily design, every student concerned in such combination shall be considered as guilty oftlu; oficnce which was intended ; and the Faculty arc empowered and directed to break up all such combinations as soon as discovered, and to inflict a severer punishment on each in dividual than if the offence intended had been committed in his individual capacity, whatever be the number contained) or whatever be the consequence to the College.” On the gr ounds of this law. the students were informed that nothing could be. conceded to the combination. On the contrary, if those who were concerned i:t this transaction did not ret urn to their duty, and renounce the />rirt'/ih of uniting together to controul the government of the ( oliege ac cording to their humours, th . would render themselves liable to be, i;r.:’ euiufely ‘,•••/<• ndrd. livery argument was tire 1 to induce them to proper conduct, anil time was offered them to reflect on the part they had to at t Ihil their leaflets had their mind’ already prepared.— One est Item rose, and said thev had concurred in the same resoluti >n, end would not retract any thing they had done. lie left the hall, and rest followed him with greatt tumult and disor der. The Faculty then pronounced the sen tence of suspension on all those who had de parted In this tumultuous manner. The more thoughtless and intemperate among their, were proceeding to acts of considerable violence, an 1 still greater were threatened; hut, by the pru dent precautions which v ere employed, no se rious injury was don.” to the t lei lege ccilvii c. That this combination did not originate en tirely ftbm sympathy with th ; voting g< title men on whose account ostensibly it was chiefly formed, but hud a deeper root, and probably the same which has already been pointed out, appears from the following r< isi'ierations:— In the first place, the combinations was much too extensive and violent lor the occasion ; for although three persons are n unc.l in their re monstrance as unjus t’/ suspended, yet one of these is understood to have been the olficct of their principle concern. But. in the next place il this were not so, andallthe three stood equal ly high tn the estimation of their fellow s:u deuts, it was well known that the Hoard of Trustees was called to meet in a few days, and they were informed that to them lies an . ppcal from every sentence of the faculty by any stu dent who thinks himself aggrieved. To this tribunal there litre, they would had recourse if their pretentions had been sincere ; if, indeed the combination and revolt had not been previ ously resolved on by the greater putt of them, for other causes than those mentioned in the remonstrance, Lastly the young gentleman himself, whose late is -aid to have greet* the chief occasion to the combination, in a letter addressed to the l'msiees, renounces the- piin t ipie of combining among the students for at taining any object front the government and condemns the whole proi ceding in liis own case. The Trustees of the College convened on the Bth of April. Shortly alter their meeting, a paper was presented to,them, signed by six persons, as a committee on behalf ofthe com bination, and desiring to be heard before the hoard in that character. The trustees direct ed this paper to he returned to them, with an intimation that they could receive no commit- t tee who appeared in the name of students, I combined against the laws and government us , the institution; but, if any student had any j grievance to complain of in his own case, he ‘ should be heard.—Some persons in const-- , quence of this intimation, appeared before the ! txiarel, renounced the principle on which they j had associated together to resist the lawful an- j thority under which they were placed; and J pledged themselves to future submission and | obedience. Others, more resolute in error, • openly avowed, in the presence of the uogad, ■ the principle of combination and resistance, ! whenever they thought themselves, or a fel low student, aggrieved by any proceeding of the faculty. They spoke much of rights,com paling tlte college to a state of civil society, in which the people, if they arc dissatisfied with the government, have a right to rise ar.d resist, or even overturn it. This analogy would hare been more perfect if they had founded the college, and appointed its officers; but since the college is the property of the trustees, and students reside in it only by permission, for their own improvement, and during good be haviour, -this analogy is most absurd. Every student who is not contented with the admin istration of the laws, or the models of instruc tion in the institution, lias a right Id withdraw from it; but w hilc he remains in it, and sub ject to its laws, his right is obedience, both by the nature of the thing, and his own solemn promises. He has surely no right to come to it only to violate its laws anil subvert its govern ment. The trustees, after tire me: t patient and clili-! gent inquiry into all the circumstances of this insurrection, and taking into their most set ions consideration the true anil permanent interests of the institution, resolved, by an unanimous vote, finally to expel eleven of those who, in their opinion, were the roost permanent leafl et s in the disorder, and to dismiss without a public expulson six, whose improper conduct, in other respects, had rendered them unsafe members oi such a literary and moral society. In regard to the residue, many of whom, through misrepresetation, misconception of the object of the combination, or menace, had been induced to join in it, the board, after continuing the sentence ofthe faculty, thoueht proper still to lea?e the door open to their rc turn to the college, upon their public and expli cit renunciation of a principle which has led to such serious evils, and the manifestation of a proper penitence for their past fault. Finally, letters were directed, on behalf of the board, to be addressed to the parents or guardians of the persons so expelled, dismiss ed. or suspended, expressive of their regret at being compelled to adopt this apparently severe but necessary measures and requesting such parents or guardians to co-operate iti giving ef ficacy to the discipline of the college. A cir cular letter, lias also been t-.dclressed to the dif ferent colleges and universities in the U. S. to which is annexed a correct list ofthe persons so expelled, dismissed, or suspended, that they tuny be apprized of the circumstances under which these young men have left this college, if ally of them should spply for admission into any other institution. And because dissipation has been found to be encouraged, and the spirit of insubordination emboldened, by an excessive allowance of mo ney, cr of credit, to many of the students; mea sures have been adopted, which will be laid be fore lhe public in a separate address, to restrain as fares may be in the power ofthe board,both these evils. From the foregoing statement of facts, the public will easily perceive, that the single alter native left to the trustees, is either to govern their own institution by their own officers, or resign it to the government of inconsiderate boys, ar.d passionate young men, whenever a popular offender is pleased to call an assembly of students. In a government continually lia ble to combinations and revolts, there is an end of all just subordination. If those who arc sent to obey, undertake to di. ‘atc—ti they are: to lie subject to no control, but such as thru think reasonable, all who have any acquaintance with human nature must know that a foundation is laid for the practice ot every vice—for indolence, ignorance, and eventual ruin. Better, far, that no college should exist, then to exist on such terms. The numbers of the students will be dismissed, for the present, by cutting offi so many dangerous members from the institution ; but the public “ill have a pledge in this act, ofthe vigor with which the trustees intended to preserve their discipline. It wiil even invite parents to con fide their children with more security to the guardianship of these, who, w ith Such firmness and such faithfulness, ’are determined to su perintend their morals as well as their improve ments in science. Is it not then the sacicd duty ofthe parents cf all those youths who may he sent to this place for instruction, to co operate with the guardians ofthe institution ;j and so far as lies in their power, to humble that indocile and usurping spirit, which tramples on the wholesome restraints of all legitimate au thoritv, and which has led to the hue unhannv disorders’ Should they not impress on die ! minds ol their offspring, the importance ofdis-j ripline, as the indispensable means of their own improvement in science and morals; and insist on a prompt and unreserved submission to the • laws ol the college, as the absolute condition of! then parents future approbation and favor ’ Re turning to tiie place of their education,, with such a temper and such views, those young gentlemen who have been misled by the more artful and unprincipled among their compani ons, and whose standing in college, has hitherto been good, will be received with pleasure, and their indiscretion he forgiven. They will again j experience that paternal discipline ; that patient: instruction—those zealous efforts which have always been so actively employed, to fix them in habits of diligence, of virtue and order, the 1 sole aim and tendency of which are, to pre pare them for usefulness and distinction in this iite. and lor a higher state of happiness in a bet ter world. Signed in beltalf of the board of Trustees, Joseph Bloomfield, Governor of.W on-Jersey and President, ex-off do of the corf oration. . Attefta], lOW MACLJUAfJ, Secry. 1 PRINCETON COLLEGE. The Trustees of the College of having always endeavoured to unite the pie* setvetion of morals, with improvement *i tne rature, among their pupils, and having seen with puin the evils to both which have fr quently asisen from young men possessing, irs too great abundance, the means of dissipation* have ordered the following letter to be address sed to live parents or guardians cf ail youth, coming to the College, and adopted the regiw laUons annexed : jS assau-Hai.t., April 10th, 180 r. Mir—The Trustees of the College of Jersey, neatly four years since, published % statement ofthe necessary expanses of the in stitution, and earnestly admonished parents, of the danger of supplying young men, in th© coarse of their education, with large sums above those which were strictly required Ibis nc:< ssaries, and the still greater danger cf ul loving them to contract debts on credit to an I indefinite amount. For some time these sug gestions were attended to, but parental indul gence, ar.d the want of a proper person on th© spot, to take charge of the money of the stuv dents, have produced a departure from them too far. Nothing has a more pernicious influ ence on the studious and moral habits of a largo number of youth, assembled in one place, than the indefinite command of money. Around a place of learning, in which so many young nycti of fortune are collected, there will always boa number of interested persons, who at© ready to lay snares for their inexperience, by offering them secretly every pleasurable, bufc expensive anil dangerous gratification. And the lov e of pleasure will too often tempt theifc to impose upon the affection and partiality of their parents, in order to gain from them ad ditional supplies. Sometimes it tempts them to another very culpable aitilice ; that of con tracting debts to a large amount, which are concealed from their parents till the period of their leaving the College. The Trustees have learned, with concern, that one mean by which many parents have been induced to make unnecessary anti impro per remittances to their sous, is the represen tation that the style of living at the College is such as to require a great expense in order to put a voting man on an lionorabie footing with his companions. This cannot he true of th College in general. It can respect only the circle of those with whom this young man ha chosen to associate, and who count perhaps up-* on unlimited resources in the fortune, or the affection of their parents. But the ingenuity* of a youth who has once been drav. n aside front his duty by the artifices of others, and ti e temptations of pleasure, will be endless in straw tagem to obtain the mcar.s of indulgence. The furnishing of funds is a point in which the restraint must lie chiefly with the parent, or guardian. / ltd we must explicitly declare again, and reiterate the admonition, that, if a young man at the College is supplied with, sums considerably beyond the amount stated for necessary expenditures, no vigilance in its officers, can effectually guard against their abuse. There is thgjgrcatcst danger of des troying his hnprorcißta and materially injur ing his morals. ‘l'lMait e caution should be even more strenously urged against suffering him to run accounts on credit ; or paying such, debts, if he is undutiful enough to” contract them. One such account paid, proves an in jury to oilier youth, by encouraging them to •eiy on the fondness, or the false honor of their parents, to discharge, at last, all the debts of heir extravagance ; and by encouraging their reducers both to tempt and to trust them. In order to give an estimate of the necessa ry expences of the College, that may he under ilood by every person, let it be observed, that tach student, on entering the College, pays ive dollars ; and he provides his own bed, or matress, with a few other articles of chamber furniture, amounting, according to their quali ty’, from twenty to thirty dollars ; which, how ever, if they are carefully preserved, he may dispose of, at leaving the College, for a consi derable part of their original cost. During the T,sections, which continue four weeks in the spring, and she weeks in the fall, if he remains in Princeton, he will be obliged to pay for board and washing, at the rate of fiom four to five dollars a week—in the country, between three aid four. Setting these items aride, the ac tual expenses of Ihe College, during its ses sev ions, called the summer and winter ses sions, are as follow : the summer session. r>. c. For Enard, at Doll,. 225 a week, 20 weeks,4s 00 > Tuition, chamber rent.nfe of Library, 23 66 l-5> Wages of Waiters, * . 250 Washing may he procured at S'MOO a week, 6 66 Land es, perhaps lOlhs. at 25-100 - 2 50- Incidental charges for cleaning chamber, and damages, - - . 1 50 Total 81 82 1-2 the winter session. D. C. Board, twenty-two weeks, . - -49 50 Tuition, &c. as above, - . -2368 i f Wood, about - - . _ -17 (X) Wages of Waiters, - - _ -2 50 Walking, - - - . - - 633 Candles, perhaps COibs. - ( . _ -5 00 Incidental charges, as above, about - - 1-50- Total, 106 49 1-2 Total for both Sefiions, Dolls. 183 32 Besides the above, hooks and stationary- will be of an uncertain .intuit. Clothing, in this estimate, is not taken into the account. But it is cf importance to impose some effectual check, if possible, to extravagance in this