Bagley, William, fl. 1842-1850
Your very kind and affectionate letter has been rec
d & I sit down with a full heart to answer it. It were vain
for me to attempt to describe with what feelings I perused it. The
recollections of my childhood—my boyish sports—and the many
pleasant & happy hours I have spent in your presence, with the family,
where you treated me not like an inferior but as a companion &
equal,—all rushed upon my remembrance & I gave vent to my feelings in
a flood of tears.– My Dear
Father, you are too kind to me, I am not worthy of so much
affection. I have not been so dutiful that I deserve so much at your heands.
Neglect not your other children by lavishing kindnesses upon me, but turn me
out upon the world relying on my own exertions for a livelihood.– I
believe, I have never told you, but I did
Ma, while at home, last vacation my expectation of going
West to seek my fortune among strangers, but how can I leave you! how shall I
sever those ties which have so long bound me to the place of my birth! Although
I have an utter abhorrence to
Williamston which "has grown with my growth and
strengthened with my strength" still I feel that it would be with great
difficulty that I could leave you all there & although the law recognizes
me free yet I feel that I am yours & I wish still to be under your parental
advice & instruction.– I have not yet chosen a vocation but my
inclination leads me to be a farmer; & as for graduating I hardly know what
to say to you, I expect to carry on a regular course of studies after I leave
here & if I graduate it will be several years first as I should wish to be
thoroughly prepared for the junior or senior class, but I am under the
impression that it would be of no use to me for it is my desire to be a student
as long as I live. My stay here has produced a doubt in my mind whether
colleges are beneficial at all or not. The late riotous proceedings have
surpassed everything that has taken place, since I have been here. A few weeks
ago one of the students went to
Hillsboro', became intoxicated & with his fellows, went
to one of the hotels & being too noisy, the landlord ordered them off &
not obeying he raised a chair at one of them & this fellow immediately shot
him, the ball went
Page 26
into his arm near his
shoulder. The young man that shot him is named
Ruffin
2
& having a great many friends there he made off without difficulty, he
roomed near where I do. I understand the landlord is recovering.– Last
saturday, the 22nd being
Washington's birthday, it is customary for the
students to partake pretty freely of the intoxicating cup & about night I
observed that they were getting unusually noisy & boisterous, I however
retired about ten & had been abed I suppose about an hour when I was
aroused by my room-mate inviting
Dr
Mitchell
in & the ringing of the bell, having procured a
match he left to go into other rooms of the building, I then got up &
witnessed the manoeuvres of the revellers, I soon saw
Gov
Swain
, who had come up, accost a student, who raised his stick in
defence &
Dr
Mitchell
&
Mr
Philips
the tutor of Mathematics both being near ran up &
seized him, he called lustily for help & one student ran to his assistance
& I expected to see a real rencounter but the Faculty did not strike him,
their only object being to discover who it was, the
Governor
, however lost both the buckles off his cloak in
the engagement, the fellow whom he rushed upon having collared him. One of the
young men was dismissed—the others suspended.
3 Some
of the trustees also have been sitting on the cases of two young men to-day who
will be dismissed or expelled & then probably delivered over to the civil
authorities.
4
Seven, I believe, will be sent off in all.