Virginia Argus

ANOTHER COLLEGE RIOT:

President Caldwell, of the North Carolina University, has furnished the public with a statement of the disturbances which have broken out at the college during the present session, and very much impeded the regular exercises of the institution. The symptoms of disorder first manifested themselves among a few of the students, from no assignable cause. A quarrel was sought for with the steward of the college, and in the absence of the tutors from supper one evening, great depredations were committed upon the property of the steward; victuals were dashed in every direction, plates broke, the servants assaulted, and a scene of the most perfect confusion was exhibited. On the succeeding day the disorder was continued by the throwing of stones among the passages and the explosion of gun powder. Five of the students were suspended : two of them, however, were afterwards restored, but the rest were absolutely refused to be reinstated. This gave fresh cause of umbrage to the students, and the disorders recommenced. "One end of the college (observes president Caldwell) was now barred up, and tumult was raised with unbounded licence. It was no longer deemed of any avail, that the fathers should continue within the walls, where nothing but riot reigned, and where uproar was made, such as, it is believed, (continues Mr. C.) is not often, to be heard among civilized men. That evening and the next day the disturbances were continued, by throwing pieces of plank, and stones, and by burstings socks of wood stuffed with gun powder, wherever the members of the faculty were not personally present." Business was in a great measure broken up, and the faculty were at a loss what steps to take. The riots were continued; and it was determined to suspend two of the ringleaders. The sentence of suspension was about to be read in Person Hall, when thirty-eight of the students rose up as with one consent, rushed out of the hall, and renewed in the college the confusion and defiance of authority. As soon as the faculty could be assembled, the persons concerned were summoned to appear. A charge of contempt of the authority, and of resistance against it-but before sentence was passed upon them, they were offered the liberty of soliciting a meeting of the board; this they declined, and they, being 38 in number, an order of suspension for six months was read to them. Thus ended this disgraceful tumult, rendered more so from the fact of one half or two thirds of the young men being from eighteen to two or three and twenty years of age.