a salary of $1,000 per year. The definition of his duties and prerogatives they left to a committee of five of their own members and professors to determine. Three months later, Dr. Taylor accepted the offer, much to the distress of the Lewisburg Board, who deeply appreciated his exertions and sacrifice in establishing their university. The President-elect, appreciating the extraordinary and challenging responsibilities he was about to assume, wrote with reference to the Madison Trustees:
I crave & expect an interest in their prayers for constant purity of motives and all needful supplies of wisdom and strength; I crave a large share of their fraternal charity which covers a multitude of sins, &, in good degree, gives, to a fellow laborer, cheerfulness, &, success; &, finally, I crave & expect their own generous and constant cooperation.
The definition of presidential duties and authority which Dr. Taylor had requested was postponed. until after he took office in September 1851. The Trustees probably decided that since this matter was actually a part of the revision of the Laws of 1840 which they already had directed the faculty to undertake, it would be wise to give the new President a chance to participate in the discussion. They also knew they could rely on his highly developed sense of order and discipline in bringing the University’s administrative policies up to date. To confront so strong-minded a man with a set of regulations which he found unsatisfactory would have invited trouble as soon as he set foot in the campus.