The Trustees of the University of N.C. at a late meeting adopted this resolution, a copy of which is hereto attached marked A. to which I beg leave to invite your attention.

By a report made to the Executive Committee of the Trustees by Gov. Swain the President of the University, the condition of the four classes are as follows.

There are nine (9) members of the Senior Class, of these two (2) have joined the army, two have substitutes, two have seen hard service in the army, one is under eighteen years of age, and one permanently disabled.

Junior Class — consisting of 15 members — of these 7 have substitutes, 5 have been in the army, 2 are under eighteen years of age, and one T. R. Bryan is dead. This class at the close of the Session year numbered 30, all of whom except the 15 named above are supposed to be in the army.

These two classes were, heretofore, by your kind favor, granted permission to finish their collegiate career, which the Senior Class will have accomplished by the first Thursday in June next.

Sophomore Class. This class at the end of its Freshman year numbered 24 — of these 16 are supposed to have entered the army — of the 9 men remaining, 3 are exempt from physical inability, & one or more of the 3 have left the class on that account. In a communication by President Swain to Gov. Vance he says, "Our Sophomore Class is now reduced tosix regular members. Morehead (who has a substitute an Englishman over conscript age) is the best, and Mickle the second best scholar in it. The latter has a slender constitution and is in delicate health."

Freshman Class. Of the 27 members of this Class, 24 are underage; and one over eighteen years of age Julius C. Mills of Caswell who has a substitute. The remaining two are Julius S. Barlow of Edgecombe born 5 Jany 1845 and Isaac R. Strayhorne of Orange born Aug 7th 1845.

I have been this minute in relation to the Sophomore & Freshman Classes, for the reason that on them, the reliance for the continuance of the exercises of the Institution must mainly depend.

It will be seen by reference to the numbers of the Sophomore & Freshman Classes, & their ages, but five, very few soldiers can be added to the army of the Confederacy. Whilst the removal of that small number may so reduce the Class, as to render it necessary to discontinue the exercises of the Institution — one of the oldest and largest in the Confederacy; and disband the able & venerable corpus of Instructors, some of whom have devoted their services to the Institution for more than a quarter of a century, and others for nearly a half century. To disband this able body in their declining years when their accustomed salaries are so necessary to their comfort in the coming of life would seem to be ingratitude. To continue those Salaries without corresponding Service would subject the Trustees to merited censure.

And although the limited number instructed might not seem to justify the Salaries paid, yet when we consider that this Institution numbered between four & five hundred students at the commencement of this war, by whom any state in the Confederacy was represented, it is most respectfully submitted whether the Trustees are not justified, even at the sacrifice of their scanty means, in using all exertion to keep the Institution in its present condition of usefulness, ready to meet the demands of the Confederacy when our Independence shall be blessed with peace.

Pardon me Sir! for suggesting, in behalf of the Trustees, that your aid in continuing these classes will greatly contribute to the continuance of the Institution, whilst the army, to where efficiency your first duty is due, will not be materially affected.

Allow me to call to your attention the letter written you by Gov. Swain on 15th Oct 1863; in which there are some interesting details connected with the University.