Page:An Examination of Certain Charges - Alfred Stillé.djvu/12

 well as a pleasure to state, that during the whole period in which a difference of opinion existed among the members of the class, it was only of opinion, and that private partialities were not sacrificed, or interrupted, by the free exercise of thought and expression. This they are impelled to, by observing a disposition, in uninformed spectators, to misconstrue or distort the honest differences of their constituents.

Tuesday, Dec. 9th, was the day on which the resolutions were, in accordance with the rule in such cases made and provided, placed in the hands of the Faculty, with the accompanying note. Two hundred and fifty-nine signatures were appended to the resolutions, the whole number of the class, including graduates and others, being three hundred and ninety-two.

"Philadelphia, Dec. 9th, 1834.

To the Medical Faculty of the University of Pa.;

Gentlemen, At a meeting of the class attending the lectures in the Medical department of this University, it was resolved that a committee be appointed to receive signatures to the accompanying resolutions, and transmit them to the Board of Trustees; in pursuance whereof, the undersigned were constituted the committee.

The Medical Faculty must already be aware of the circumstances under which the present movement has been commenced and conducted. For years past the class have with great unanimity expressed their dissatisfaction with the course of lectures on the Materia Medica and Pharmacy, delivered by Professor Coxe. They have appealed to that gentleman in various ways, but without success. Finding all their efforts unavailing, and foreseeing clearly that if a change in this respect is not effected, the University must ultimately suffer, they have adopted the only method of redress, which seemed to hold out the prospect of a successful issue, and have come to the deliberate conclusion to absent themselves from the lectures of that professor. This measure, apparently harsh, has not been adopted unadvisedly. Several meetings of the class have been convened, and a free interchange of opinion on all points frankly solicited, and as frankly afforded. Differing as a small portion of the class has done from our constituents, as to the "mode" of securing the object in view, it was conceded without a dissenting voice, that Dr. Coxe was "incompetent" to give that degree of information on the important subject of the Materia Medica which we have a right to expect, and which it is his province to communicate. The Faculty should not therefore suppose that as our resolutions are not signed by all the members of the class, those who have not done so design continuing their attendance on the lectures of that chair. On the contrary they have fully declared the reverse determination.

The committee feel it incumbent upon them to make these explanations to correct any misapprehensions on the subject into which the Faculty might inadvertently have fallen. The class have endeavored in the accompanying resolutions to express their sentiments mildly, yet firmly, avoiding even the appearance of dictation, which is as remote from our intention, as it would be discreditable to the body which we have the honour to represent on the present occasion. A large