I disappoint you and must state the reasons. In Mr Breckenridges letter to Mr Plumer is the following passage
Baltimore Illiterate and Irreligious Magazine
Now with regard to the first member of this sentence underscored it is hard
to believe that Mr Breckenridge
did not know it to be untrue when it was penned as evidences of its untruth
may be drawn copiously from his own magazine — from the numbers
published within the last three or four months. The latter member he must
know to be also untrue. In a contest with a man of this stamp who cares not
to ascertain the truth of his assertions ones character although he deal
fairly and honourably is never safe and least of all in times of excitement.
These are reasons additional to those stated in my note to you which note is
intended for publication. Of that note will you please as it stands and
return me the manuscript by mail.
To Gov. Swain / Sir. Some of the Trustees
will probably be here tomorrow. I am willing to make an effort by a
reference to one two or more impartial umpires selected from that body to
effect a removal of any unkindness of feeling there may now be between us.
And with a view thereto I will state to you beforehand what in my judgment
is the source and origin of whatever collision I have had the unhappiness to
fall into with the President of the University. I suppose it to be found in the fact of my having
been charged with an amount of duty that I have not the ability to perform
to your satisfaction. I must go back some years for the purpose of shewing
that I have never shrunk from a generous contribution of labour for
promoting the welfare of the institution.
I was first professor of Mathematics. I have not as much talent for that
science as Mr. Phillips though I do not suppose the difference to
be as wide as he imagines, some reasons for
this opinion I might shew if it were important The classes were about as well instructed when I had charge of
that department as they are now — certainly they were if there
was ground for the statements made by him in your hearing two days ago
— "That he should change his plan of instruction
— that it was a total failure as it was — that he
should talk to them hereafter — that it might not be any better
but could not be any worse)
I heard regularly 12 recitations pr week, viz ten in the mathematics
— one in language and composition alternately, and one on the
sabbath. According to the present mode of reckoning Mr Phillips with
his sixteen seems I mention him because his is the greatest to do more but the
reckoning is deceptive. There are but eight in fact to be prepared and they
are extended through two hours each — and this this is a small
affair — I care very little when the lesson is ready whether I
hear it through one hour or two. Mine were distinct recitations 12 in number
and equivalent to at least eighteen of the kind which it is now regarded as
just and proper to count. My work was more than was done at present by any
Professor myself excepted connected with the institution. This state of things continued for some years, and I
made little if any complaint (I also preached one sermon pr Month)
Mr
Olmsted in the mean time confined himself to his own department
three lectures per week said that the amount of labour performed by him in
experimenting or preparing for it was underrated, that he would not step
into any other department though ready to do more if required in his own.
You found me here engaged with chemistry, preaching and doing other things.
It was thought expedient that I should officiate at evening prayers in the
Chapel, and I fell into the plan which connected as there is with it an
attendance every night on speaking involves a contribution of some half an
hour on an average every night (perhaps not quite that.) to the college
exercises.
The bursarship was next given me — It seems to have grownin favour with parents and guardians the
amount of business having gone on increasing untill it now amounts to some
12000 dollars pr session. — The little accounts I have to look
into and arrange are very numerous. A student locates himself at a boarding
house, gets tired of the place and goes to another without giving me any
warning or taking account of the time, gets tired of that also and goes to a
third. All these duties I have to hunt up to ascertain the money due and pay
it over, labour is double transcription of the
accounts at the end of the session.
The preaching half the time is what is considered is sufficint for half the
labour and thought — espicially the kind of adience I have to
deal with being considered.
There are besides these my sunday recitations and those of one half day in
the week on which the Faculty are willing to impose the most laborious of
all the duties we have to perform that of the compositions. You recollect
that when we were apportioning the duties of the year in August last the
enquiry was made who will have the compositions — I had
complained of being burthened with them the year before there was no answer.
You then enquired of me would I have them. I told you
To Gov.
Swain, Sir. Some of the trustees are expected
to morrow. It is desirable that cordiality of feeling should exist between
us if we are to be associated even for another session. What say you to
referring the matters on which we differ to two of them to consider and
advise — I suppose any collision into which it has been my
unhappiness to have fallen with the President of the University
to have had its origin simply in the fact of my having been charged with an
amount of duty which I should never have been asked to perform. The whole
history of my connexion of my connexion with the institution would shew if it can be known that I have been ready and
willing to work to the extent of my ability and without complaint.
True and I shall not fly my engagement — but under what
circumstances. You and I — Here my error lay — not
telling you the amount labour prescribed to me was — and that I would not undertake to
My duties now are
- 1. Those of Professor of Chemistry Mineralogy and Geology
— all according to Mr. Olmsted that I
ought to perform in order to be entitled to draw as high a salary as any
one
- 2. Attendance on prayers and officiating those as chaplain on
every evening in the week and to
declamation on five evenings after the prayers are over
- 3. The Bursarship involving the receiving and disbursing 12000 dollars
pr session and keeping and accounts of the
same.
- 4. Preaching twice every other sunday — — enough in itself to employ half
the time and thoughts of many men.
- 5. Recitation on sunday and on one half day in the week to which half
day the compositions of the sophomore class are reformed reformed as a
matter of necessity because no other member of the Faculty will have
them.
- 6. The charge of the college when the president is away and more care than
devolves upon any other professor in repressing disorders in consequence
of my proximity to the college buildings.
I have had experience in teaching the mathematics, Greek Latin Rhetorics and
history in this University — have taught them all
for months in a decent and satisfactory manner at least if not well and it
is my belief that my duties are at this time twice as onerous as those of
any other professor in the college
But I undertook to perform all this — my name is subscribed along
with those of the rest to those articles of agreement by which this
apportionment of duties was made. True and I am not going to fly from any
any contract into which I have entered. But what were the circumstances you
had been to Raleigh and brought back a scheme of duty and
remuneration for the faculty to consent to. I
was disappointed by it, felt it to be oppressive at the time —
and told it was as much as Icould stand
under. I hoped and expected that in the transaction of our Faculty business
— the extremely burthensome character of the duties imposed upon
me would not be forgotten.
When
perform it. some of the Faculty did not relish but in my earnestness to
secure what was supposed to tend advancement of the welfare of the institution and accord your views I gave in my trusting to your dealing greatly with me if I
should find myself unable to accomplish every thing perfectly. From, a
remark that fell from you that —"I had the best in the institution"— you seem not to have thought upon the
matter. It would be if I had nothing to attend to but the duties of my
professorship — it is not now so far from it that it was better
for me to be reduced back to my former. If you think so, let a third and
fourth person come in and judge between us. If it is as you suppose I shall
yield immediately the whole question — and say that I ought to
have been at the meeting of the Faculty before the time or to have submitted
pateintly to your rebuke — I ought to have attended to all the
matters you complained of as having been neglected by me last vacation
— but if on the other hand you have bonded me with a quantity of
work which I cannot get through with without laboring the whole vacation
the matters are materially changed
— I am right and you are wrong.