Page:History of the University of Pennsylvania - Montgomery (1900).djvu/381

Rh Usefulness was ever supported in any Country without some certain Rev- enue or Endowment, independent of what is paid by the Scholars. 2 But these schemes were not pursued without animadver- sion by many good citizens. Bradford's paper the Pennsylvania Journal, had admitted to its columns towards the close of the year 1758 some communications reflecting on the College for seeking this unwarranted and unseemly mode of raising funds, which however were accepted by its friends as displaying more unfriendliness to the institution than condemnation of Lotteries in themselves. These disturbed Dr. Alison and his associates of the Faculty, and he sought counsel and comfort from the Trustees. Had the valiant Provost at that time not been engrossed with his preparations to take a quiet departure for England to prosecute his appeal for redress against the Assem- bly, he would have taken up his pen and vigorously met these charges. Dr. Alison was inclined to this himself, but the com- fort and counsel he obtained from the Trustees only enjoined silence and patience. At their meeting of 9 January, 1759, Mr Alison, the Vice Provost, with the other Professors, as a Faculty, acquainted the Trustees, that some Papers were published in the Pennsyl- vania Journal, in which many false and scandalous Aspersions were thrown on the characters of the Trustees and Professors ; and sundry false arguments brought against the Morality and Lawfulness of Lotteries, and desired Leave to make Answer to the said Papers, in order to undeceive the People, and vindicate their Characters. The Request was taken into consideration, and it was the unanimous Opinion of all present, that the Professors should be desired to forbear publishing any Answers, because it appeared to the Trustees and to many sensible and sober Citizens, with whom they had fallen into Conversation on this Subject, that the Persons, who were the Authors of these Papers were some low creatures, who wrote from Passion and Resentment, that neither their Calumnies nor their 2 The receipts from the Lotteries were as follows : No. i. 881. 4. 3 '757- 39 J - O - JI 2. 2983. 9. 3 1759. 1376.19.11 3. 914. i. ii 1760. 574. i. z 4. 990.17. 8 1761. 739- I 5- 2 5. 956. 7. 2% 1762. 877. 8. 7 6. 1079. 5. 9 1763. 2183.16. 4 7. 1652. i. 7 1764. 614. 5. 6% 9457- 7- 7X 9457- 7- 7X