Ramsey, John Ambrose
Page 1
To the
Trustees of the
University of N.C
Gentlemen—
Having been debarred for some time past from the priviliges
resulting from your
institution, I take this method of informing you my
sentiments and lay open the cause that leads to this address. Probably some of
the members of your honorable
board have not heard my situation, or the relative
circumstances of my
2
unfortunate punishment. It was during the agitations and commotions which
happened at College in the month of March last that I was seduced to take a
part in those disturbances; a part which I long have sorely repented that I
ever bore, as
it gave reason to the faculty to
imagine that I wished greatly to add to the confusion which universally spread
itself.
The reason upon which was founded my suspension appeared to have
been the act of firing one pistol and if it is any
palliation of the crime, it did not take place within the hours prescribed by
law for study, nor at night when amid the
silence of darkness the cracking of a pistol might have caused greater
tumult.
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This I mention with the hope of convincing the
Board that I had no settled plan of annoying and
disturbing the business of the
University, and that it was an act of wantonness
which I have been sorry for ever since the commission; and had I been called
upon to make confession for that fault, I should have been ready even before
the infliction of my punishment.
I shall now go on to Solicit of the
Trustees a reinstatement at this time, also that I
may be allowed a diploma. I have read of the books studied by the Senior class
of College the following;
Blair's
Rhetoric,
Helsham's
Lectures
upon Natural philosophy as far as the Lecture upon sounds;
Paley's
Moral
philosophy through the third Book, and
Ferguson's
Astronomy to Equation of time, upon which I suppose the
Trustees would choose I should be examine
d.
3 I have
also to mention that should this request be agree'd to, I have not pretended to
commit to memory any part of my studies as is done at College, only to attend
to general subjects, and that being deprived
before of the aid before afforded by the distinguished
abilities of
President Caldwell
am destitute of much necessary
explication.
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Having been ever since the beginning of the year 1803
under under the protection of your
guardianship, and having received the first rudiments of my classical education
at this institution, having long been inspired with an affectionate fondness
for its prosperity; and never before during that time being
censured by the Faculty for the least offence,
whilst scores of my fellow-students have been suspended and admonished, (some
even expelled) and again readmitted these things being considered, I fervently
hope that the
Trustees will confer upon me that honor for which I
have been laboring these seven years, and if not which my situation will
absolutely preclude the possibility of prosecuting farther. It is unnecessary
for me in my humble Capacity to extend and dwell upon situations formerly
presented so like my own. Should my presence at any time be thought requisite,
I shall wait with pleasure to answer any interrogations which may be deemed
necessary.
With Sentiments of the
most profound respect, I
remain yr obt st
4
Jno A. Ramsey
Chapel
Hill
June 28th 1810.
Envelope page
Endnotes:
1.
Faculty Minutes 1:193-96, UA. The letter is addressed "To/
The Trustees of the
University of N.C./
Chapel
Hill." Along the right margin of the envelope face, a second hand
has written "C. 44/
Jno A. Ramsey
/June
1810."
2.
Ramsey
wrote
m on top of
th.
3.
Hugh
Blair,
Lectures on Rhetoric
and Belles Lettres
(London: W. Strahan, 1783);
Richard
Helsham,
A Course of
Lectures in Natural Philosophy
(Dublin: Bryan Robinson, 1739);
William
Paley,
The
Principles of Moral and Political Philosophy
(Philadelphia, 1784);
and
James
Ferguson,
Astronomy Explained upon
Sir Isaac
Newton's Principles
(London: James Ferguson,
1756).
4. "yr obt st": your obedient servant.