Caldwell, Joseph, 1773-1835
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Chapel Hill
June 3d 1807
My dear Friend,
I had the unexpected pleasure of your letter a few days ago, in which you give
me information of many interesting events which have passed since our
separation. I had learned some time ago that you were settled as a pastor in one
of the congregations of
Connecticut; but was totally unacquainted with the removal you have
made into another state. In 1796 I received an invitation while I was studying
at
Princeton and acting as tutor there, from an old friend to come to
N. Carolina and fill
his place as Professor of Mathematics in the
University.
After further correspondence I determined to accept and answered him on the last
day of October. There I have continued ever since, and am likely to spend here
the remainder of my days. The difficulties, trials, and anxieties I have
encountered through this lapse of time, are too numerous to be recounted within
a short compass. About three and a half ago I married, and at the end of two
years had a daughter who with my
wife
has a few months since
been surrendered into the hands of Him who gave them.
When I first came here I found the
University just commencing business,
and it took two years afterwards to render the highest class fit for its
degrees. There was no president, and I suffered myself to be
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persuaded, young and inexperienced as I was to take
the superintendency of the institution. After a year's experience, I determined
to resign, and stated to the
Trustees that this was the only condition upon
which I could consent to act any longer in the college. At that time there was
but one officer in the
University beside myself. On this resignation, I
continued as professor of mathematics, and another professor was appointed to
whom the superintendence was assigned. In little more than eighteen months he
left us, and the consequence was that I was obliged to assume his business anew.
For four successive sessions I continued to solicit of the
Board the appointment of
some other person to the chief professorship, but a person was not to be easily
had, and the
trustees still insisted that I should continue. At last finding it
no longer to any purpose I went on in the business, and had the good fortune to
give general satisfaction to the
Trustees, the students, & the public. In
July 1803 I married, and a year afterwards was regularly elected President with
a salary of $1000. This is a small sum for such an office, and the
heavy duties annexed to it; but the buildings of the
University are
not all finished, and the
Trustees are forced to apply their funds to that
object as far as possible. I was made happy by a daughter, who died six months
ago when she was 14 months old, and my
wife
soon followed her to the
grave. Such is the fallacy of human expectations,
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and the transition of present happiness!
About 8 or ten months ago the trustees of
Columbia college
in
South Carolina elected me to the
professorship of mathematics in that college with a salary of $2000
but finding my attachments grown to this place, and disliking change I declined
the appointment, though they held up as an inducement the prospect of a speedy
succession to the Presidency which is endowed with a salary of $3000.
I must confess I was surprised at those parts of your letter which speak of the
change of your sentiments with respect to the doctrine of the Trinity. No doubt
you may have found reasons satisfactory to your mind to induce you to relinquish
the opinions you formerly held. I have not seen the books you have published on
this important subject but hope that I shall be able to procure them either from
you or by some other means. It is a doctrine which has been the occasion of many
controversies & schemes in every age; but often having settled my
opinions with respect to it I have never felt myself shaken by the arguments
which have been advanced against it. It would seem by the title of your book
that you think what is called the orthodox doctrine denies the unity of the
divine Being. This I hope is not the case.