./?3 /?^y AMHERST COLLEGE. X' A Petition was presented to the Legislature of Massachusetts, at their Session in June 1823, by Rev. Dr. Moore, Hon. John Hooker, and others, in behalf of the Trustees of Amherst Academy, — representing that the said Trustees had been entrusted with the funds of the Collegiate Institution at Amherst,— stat- ing the character and progress of the Institution, and requesting that the said Trustees might be invested with such corporate powers in relation to the Institu- tion as are usually given to the Trustees of Colleges. At the same Session of the Legislature a Memorial was presented from Subscribers of the Permanent Fund, ^^"---^Kiu^h is the basis of the Institution, representing that !^ they had associated together for the purpose of found- -^ mg an Institution on principles of charity and benevo- ^_^ lence for the instruction of youth in all the branches _^ of literature and science usually taught in Colleges,— stating that they had committed the management of their Fund to the Trustees of Amherst Academy, un- der whose direction the Institution had prospered be- yond their most sanguine expectations,— and praying that the request of said Trustees to be invested with College powers in relation to the Institution might be granted. The said Petition and Memorial were referred to a Joint Committee, consisting oi Hon. Sherman Leland, Hon. Benjamin Mams, Hon. JYathan J\oyes, Hon. Jon- athan Russell, Hon. Jairus Ware, Ebenezer Shillaber, Esq. and Pliny Cutler, Esq. Six of whom agreed in a Report in favor of the Petitioners having leave to bring in a Bill. Statement of Hon. Sherman Leland, Chairman of the Committee, to the Senate, June 9, 1823. The allegations of the Petitioners for Amherst College have been substantially supported, in the view of the Committee, who, I am happy to say, were nearly unanimous upon the subject. The Trustees of Amherst Academy have indeed received, in trust, a Subscription of a permanent Fund of ^50,000; which, according to the terms of subscription, is the ''■basis of a Literary Institution in Amherst for the instruction of youth in all the branches of literature and science usually taught in Colleges.'''' Upwards of ^44,000 of this sub- scription has already been secured by actual payment, or by notes, or bonds, to the satisfaction of the Over- seersj and most of the remainder, which still rests on the original Subscription, will probably be faithfully paid. According to the terms of subscription, five sixths of the interest of this permanent Fund is to be used, and has been hitherto used, in procuring the Classical instruction of hopefully pious and indigent young men, of different denominations, intended for the gosjDel ministry; and the other sixth of the interest is ^-; to be added to the principal. The five sixth of the . interest, being thus appropriated, will, in fact, furnish, ^ iH part, the support of the College Instructors. A new Subscription has been commenced, payable on condition that 1^30,000 shall be subscribed by the 28th of the present month; which, judging from the advanced state of the Subscription, will unquestionably be done; so that the monied property at the disposal of the Trustees, if chartered, may be fairly estimated at nearly ^80,000. By the aid of other generous contributions, the Trustees have been enabled to erect two College Buildings of brick, each of them 100 ft long, 40 wide, and four stories high, and a com- modious house for the President of the Institution, and to procure a Library of more than one thousand volumes, and also a Philosophical and a Chemical ap- paratus for the use of the Institution; all of which to- gether may be valued at ^30,000. For which, howev- er, and for other purposes, there is still due about ^15,000; so that after the debts are paid; the monied funds of the Institution may be estimated at about ^65,000, and the Buildings and other property at $30,000; making the whole amount of property be- longing to the Institution $95,000. — The income of these monied funds will pay the College bills of a large number of pious and indigent young, men: which in- come, together with the College bills of others, who are not charity students, will thus be sufficient to sup- port a competent number of able Instructors. A President, three Professors, and two Tutors have been appointed; all of whom have accepted their ap- 4 pointnients, and five of whom have entered on the du- ties of their office. The students, already 98 in num- ber, are pursuing precisely the same elevated course of study, which is pursued at Yale College — the study of the sciences, — not Theology. — The board of students, in respectable families, is Jrom one dollar to one dollar twenty-five cents a iceek; College bills, thirty dollars a year; and other necessary expenses about twenty dollars; so that the whole expense of a Collegiate education need not exceed one hundred dollars a year. The friends of this Institution and of the Common- wealth, now ask that it may be incorporated; not merely as a favor from government, but as a Right, which all free citizens, enjoying equal rights and priv- ileges, might, under similar circumstances, reasonably expect would be granted. These Subscribers and Donors surely had a perfect right to do as they have done; — they had a right to found this College; — they had a right to institute this elevated course of instruc- tion; and if so, the Authorities of the State are un- questionably bound to give them a Charter; — an int- strurnent acknowledging their Rights-, — which is all they ask for. But it is intimated that if this College is chartered, its prosperity may injure other Colleges; but this ar- gument is nothing, unless it can be shown that the in- terests of the Commonwealth will be injured. No per- son will pretend to believe, that a less numher\will be educated in the State, if this College is incorporated. And supposing that it should draw away some stu- dents, who would otherwise go to Cambridge; as very probably it may, if students can be educated in the pleasant town of Amherst, at about one third the ex pense of an education at Cambridge; there will even in this be a saving of so much to the Commonwealtho And there is no doubt, but that there will always be a sufficient number of gentlemen of opulence and splen- dor, who will choose to send their sons to Harvard College; so that it will continue to have as great a proportion of the students of the State, as can be de- sirable. It is peculiarly desirable, that flourishing In- stitutions of this kind should be so situated, that those in the middling walks of life, as well as others, may enjoy the advantages of them, and that intelligence and influence may be equally distributed throughout the Commonwealth. In regard to Williams College, its numbers are not yet diminished, as it appears, by the Institution at Amherst, and perhaps they never will be. The two Institutions now contain more than double the number that were in the habit of going to Williamstown, before the Institution at Amherst was established. At any rate, Williams College has very considerable funds, as it is stated, which will support it, even though its number of students should be di- minished; so that it will not "go doivn,''^ as it is said, but will probably continue to be useful. The Institution at Amherst has had many unneces- sary difficulties to encounter; it has had no charter under which to manage its funds — and no power of conferring degrees; still, on account of its peculiarly favourable situation, it has risen rapidly, and is at pres- ent flourishing; and will unquestionably prosper, and be eminently useftd, ivithont any pecuniary aid from the government. These statements are made, as an ex- pression of the result of the investigation, and views of the Committee. Certificate of the Treasurer. This certifies, that, (in addition to the sum of Fifty thousand Dollars, previously subscribed for a Perma- nent Fund, and in addition to many generous donations in materials, work, and money, towards the erection of College Buildings and a President's house,) the pro- posed Subscription of Thirty thousand Dollars, for the benefit of Amherst Collegiate Institution, which was commenced the 28th of June 1822, was completed in ene year from that date. JOHN LELAND, Jun. Treasurer of Amherst Collegiate Institution. Amherst, Dec. 31, 1823. Legacies. Since the last session of the Legislature the vener- able Dr. Moore has left to the Institution a residuary Legacy, which is valued at about $5,000. Mr. Adam Johnson has also bequeathed to the Institution about ;S5,000; the validity of which be- quest is to be tried before the Supreme Court and an impartial} nry. Relative Situation of Amherst College, Miles. Distance to Harvard University, East - 90 " to Brown University, R. I. S. East 90 " to Yale Coll. Con. South - - 90 " to Union Coll. N. Y. West - 95 « to Williams Coll. N. West - 55 « to Dartmouth Coll. N. H. North 100 « to the Western line of the State - 52 " to the North line of the State - 30 " to the South line of the State - 30 The College is near the Centre of the old County of Hampshire, which, (according to the Catalogues of lfi23,^ furnishes 129 College Students; only 8 of whom are at Harvard, and 19 at Williams. Conveniences of Stages and Mails. A Mall-Stage, running between Hartford and Hano- ver, N. H. passes by the College every day of the week, except Sunday. A Mail-Stage, running between Boston and Albany, passes by the College 4 times a week; (which regulation commenced the 1st. of Jan. inst. TRUSTEES. Rev. Heman Humphrey, D. D. President. Rev. Joshua Crosby, Vice President, RuFus Graves, Esq. RUFUS COWLES, M. D. Rev. James Taylor, Nathaniel Smith, Esq. Rev. Experience Porter, Rev. John Fiske, Israel E. Traske, Esq. Elisha Billings, Esq. Rev. Daniel A. Clark, Hon. John Hooker, Rev. Joseph Vaill, Rev. Jonathan Going, John Leland, Jr. Esq. Treasurer^ OVERSEERS OF THE FUNDS. Henry Gray, Esq. Hon. Salem Towne, H. Wright Strong, Esq. Rev. Samuel Osgood, Rev. Theophilus Packard, Rev. Thomas Snell, Rev. Luther Sheldon, Rev. HEMAN HUMPHREY, D. D. S. T. P. President. Rev. GAMALIEL S. OLDS, A. M. Professor oj" Mathematics and JYatural Philosophy, JOSEPH ESTABROOK, A. M. Professor of Latin and Greek Languages. Rev. JONAS KING, A. M. . Professor of Oriental Literature; {to be absent for two pears.) ZENAS CLAPP, A. B. Tutor and Librarian. SAMUEL M. WORCESTER, A. R Tutor. Students. Senior Class - - - 19 Junior Class - - - 29 Sophomore Class - - 41 Freshmen Class - - - ^7 Total 126 The following abstract is given from the last Catalogue of the Academy, to show that it is entirely distinct and separate from the College, about a quarter of a mile dis- tant, though under the care of the same Trustees. AMHERST ACADEMY, JVov. 1823. David Green, A. M. Preceptor. Ebenezer S. Snell, } /, . Ephraim EvELETH, I ■^''''">'>' instructors. Miss Hannah Shepard, Preceptress. Students in the Academy. In the Languages, - _ _ 59 In English branches, - - 94 Total, 153 Females, 60. 10 Sketch of the Colleges^ in which JYew England Students are educated, taken from Catalogues of 1823. 1823. Und ergraduates. From Mass. Harvard, 267 - 192 Williams, 118 - 71 In Harv. and Ws, 385 From Ms. 263 Amherst, 126 - 79 Total in 3 Ms. Colli 3.511 From Ms. 342 Yale, Conn. 374 - 68 Brown, R. I. 154 - 94 Bowdoin, Me. 123 - 15 Waterville, Me. 34 - 5 Dartmouth, N. H. 141 - - 21 Middlebury, Vt. 85 - 6 Burlington, Vt. 53 - Union, N.Y. 209 - - 18 Total, 1684 Total from Mass. 569 Mass. students in Harvard and Williams, 263 Mass. students in other Institutions, 306 Mass. students in Amherst, 79 Mass. students in other states, 227 Thus it appears that out of the 569 students furnish- ed by Massachusetts, 306 (which is a very considerable majority,) choose to go to other Institutions, rather than to Harvard or Williams; (viz. 79 of them to Am- herst, and the remaining 227 to Colleges of other States;) which is a pWm demonstration, that public opin- ion calls for another incorporated College. 11 By subtracting 511, (the number in the three Col- leges of Massachusetts,) from 569, the number furnish- ed by the state, it appears that 58 go out of the statit more than what come in. for an education. In an Appendix to the last printed Catalogue of Yale College, the average amount of necessary expen- ses there, is stated to be from $150 to $200 a year, "without including apparel, pocket-money, travelling, and board in vacation." But supposing that these 58 students who go out of Massachusetts more than what come in, expend for all purposes, each $200 a year; this amounts to $11,600 annual loss to the state. Connecticut. From an examination of the same Catalogues, it will appear that the state of Connecticut furnishes for the different Colleges only 226 students. But Yale College in that state contains 374; so that, (subtracting 226 from 374,) it appears that 148 go into the state of Connecticut more than what go out of it, for an edu- cation. Which, (allowing that they expend, each $200 a year,) gives to Connecticut an annual income of $29,600, a very considerable part of which goes from Massachusetts. Rhode Island. From an examination of the same Catalogue, it will appear, that the State of Rhode Island furnishes for the 12 different Colleges oiilv 42 students. But Brown Uni- versity in that state contains 154 students; 94 of whom are from Massachusetts. Allowing that these 94 ex- pend in Rhode Island, for College bills, board, clothing, travelling, &;c., each ^150 a year; then Massachusetts is paying to that state a tax of $14,100 annually! As the above statements are taken from official doc- uments, it is not deemed necessary to add the signature of the writer; but if any one doubts their correctness, he may see and examine the Catalogues by referring to the Hon. Chairman of the Committee. In the foregoing remarks no disparagement of the Colleges of other states is intended; and it is hoped their only effect will be to excite a generous emulation. \i\s honor able to those states, that their Colleges are so situated and so managed, as to attract a muchgreater number of students than what are furnished by their population. But it is not honorable nov profitable to Mas- sachusetts, that 227 of her sons, are now obliged, from year to year, to go for an education to Colleges of other states, principally for want of a chartered Col- lege favorably located in the interior of this. And the men of other states will smile with astonishment at the impolicy o( our Government, should they refuse the simple privilege of a Charter to such a College, after it is in fact established, and furnished with spa- cious Buildings and large funds, in a place which all parties acknowledge to be peculiarly eligible. Let this rising Seminary have the honor of beij]g acknowledged by an impartial Legislature to be, what 13 it really is, — a College; so that students may receive the trifling honor of degrees; and who knows but these 227 students, who now go out of the state for education, and (at the low^ estimate of $150 each,) carry out $34,000 annually^ — who knows but that they may be retained, and honorably educated in the bosom of the most enlightened state on the face of the globe? Extract from the Remarks of Hon. Daniel Davis, So- licitor General of the Commonwealth, before the Joint Committee, June 5, ]823. Should the Legislature refuse to incorporate this Institution, it must be an exam|)le of illiberahty, un- precedented in the history of our country. To put the illiberalit}^, and injustice of such a refusal in a clear point of light, compare the o6j/"ec^ of this petition, with others for which charters are every year granted without hesitation. Let ten men in Boston, or in any other part of the State, associate together and collect a comuion Fund for the most mercenary and entirely selfish purposes, and ask for a charter, and it is almost universally granted as a matter of course. In this case, benevolent individuals, scattered in all parts of the State, many of whom are known to us as men of elevated character and distinguished worth, have as- sociated together and freely given their property, for the most heavenly purposes. They have founded a College, a leading object of which is to educate pious young men of all denominations for the ministry of the everlasting gospel; and the general object of which is 14 to furnish to all students the means of pursuing an ele- vated course of Classical education in a delightful part of the country, where the expense of living in good families,^ is one dollar, or one dollar and twenty-Jive cents a week, and no more. It is impossible to doubt the purity of their motives, or the importance and grandeur of their object. Most of the Subscribers and Donors can have no personal interest whatever in the success of the Institution. The Institution is founded in Chari- ty; — the son of the poorest peasant may here obtain an education of the highest order, and may become an instrument of God to save our State and perhaps our JYation. Is it the spirit of our government to dispar- age such Institutions? Will any man, after a clear un- derstanding of the case, come forward with the Con- stitution in his hand, and the oath of God on his con- science, binding him ^Ho cherish the interests of literature and the sciences, and all Seminaries of them,''^ and "?o encourage private societies and public Institutions^'' — will he deliberately refuse to encourage this Seminary? Will he say, the students shall not receive the privi- leges and honors, which are usually granted to others of the same standing in literary attainments? It is ab- surd to compare the policy of our government in re- gard to Colleges, with that of Europe, where not more than one third of the population can write their names. The character of our government and the spirit of our citizens, do not at present call for such Universities as Europe affords, where the rich only can afford the expense of education, and where many spend their lives in study or idleness, without any wish to become active or useful to the public. But activity 15 and skill in the learned professions, or in other useful employments, is what the spirit of our government and the genius of our country have a right to expect from men of College education; and to perpetuate our free government, and to elevate the character of Repub- licanism in the eyes of all nations, it is necessary that Colleges should be so situated and so multiplied, that the advantages of them may be enjoyed by some in all ranks of society. If it can be supposed that any individuals do indeed fear the too great p?'osperity of this Institution, it sure- ly becomes such persons especially, to avoid even the appearance of persecution; for such is human nature, that nothing could be more likely to ensure its tri- umphant success. In conclusion,^ — it is respectfully added, that the Trustees of Amherst have no controversy with the Trustees of Williams College, and that no reply to their Memorial is deemed necessary. While they stsitejacts, and thus demonstrate that public opinion as well as public interest calls for the incorporation of a new College; they only wish that Constitutional Rights may be enjoyed by all, and that the pubhc may be left free to say where they will extend their patronage. Boston, Jan. 1824. Printed by Crocker & Brewster. LIBr"*" ' „,.„ 1111 ^ 020 773 475 5 /^ay LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 020 773 475 5 # HoUinger Corp. pH8.5