welfare. To your
protection, and wise arrangements, he submits whatever he holds in
official rights by the Charter of the seminary; and to you his
invaluable rights as a subject and citizen.

"He entreats your honorable body to take into consideration the state
and concerns of the college and school, as laid before you.

"And as the Legislature have never before found occasion to provide,
by any tribunal, against the evils of the foregoing nature, and their
ultimate dangers, he prays that you would please, by a committee
invested with competent powers, or otherwise, to look into the affairs
and management of the institution, internal and external, already
referred to, and, if judged expedient in your wisdom, that you would
make such organic improvements and model reforms in its system and
movements, as, under Divine Providence, will guard against the
disorders and their apprehended consequences.

"He begs only to add the contemplated joys of the friends of man and
virtue, in the result of your great wisdom and goodness, which may
secure this seat of science, so that it may become an increasing
source of blessings to the State, and to mankind of the present and
succeeding ages, instead of a theatre for the purpose of a few,
terminating in public calamity.

"Whatever disposal your Honorable body may please to make of the
subject now presented, the subscriber will never cease to maintain the
most humble deference and dutiful respect.

John Wheelock."

* * * * *

It would not be profitable, at the present time, to re-open the
discussion of the subject matter of the various charges contained in
the above document, which were so fully elaborated in the "Sketches,"
and so carefully considered in the subsequent "Vindication" by the
Trustees.

The prayer of the Memorial was granted by the Legislature, by the
appointment of a committee of investigation. The following letter is
worthy of careful attention in this connection:

"Exeter, August 15, 1815.

"My dear Sir,--In common with many others I have felt considerable
anxiety for the issue of the matter so much in public discussion
relative to Dartmouth College. I do not feel either inclined or
competent to give any opinion as to the course which ought finally to
be adopted by the Board of Trustees for the benefit of that
institution. I am entirely willing to leave that to the determination
of those much better informed on the s