law, Jeremiah Chaplin, founder and president of the college. Determined that no such conditions should develop in the Institution, they resolutely checked student enthusiasm in this direction.
The faculty’s position first became evident in 1834 when they abolished a recently formed student antislavery society on the grounds of “expediency” and three years later a second met with a similar fate. Regarding the latter, a student wrote in his diary that the professors viewed the organization as “a nuisance & labored zealously for its dissolution. They wished to compel no one’s conscience or restrain liberty in any respect save this; the society was noxious to the best interests of the institution and must be dissolved.” Three members withdrew from the Seminary in protest, two of them transferring to Hamilton College. Others immediately joined sympathetic local citizens in forming a society in the village where it at once encountered opposition from hostile elements of the community.*
Student interest in antislavery did not subside, but rather sought other outlets. A few months after the faculty stamped out the second society, they were asked to approve a “Free Discussion Society,” the chief subject to be discussed being, of course, antislavery. They denied the petition but did express a willingness to allow debate on the issue under faculty supervision.
In 1839 members of the Eastern Association gave much thought to the question of the support of missionaries “from the avails of slavery” and invited Beriah Green, the abolitionist, to discuss it with them. Shortly thereafter, no doubt on the advice of Dr. Kendrick and Professor Maginnis, they decided “to dismiss the subject, not that we loved slavery less but that we loved the heathen more.” For the third and last time the faculty suppressed an antislavery society in 1841 and as a check against renewed agitation they decided in 1842 to place a gift of American Antislavery Society publications on closed shelves in the library.
Criticism of so cautious a policy came from a few strongly ,abolitionist Baptist churches, One of which even suggested the faculty truckled to the pro-slavery patrons of the Institution in New York, Albany, and Buffalo. However, it was from Gerrit Smith that the hottest blasts came. Irascible and unpredictable, he nevertheless maintained friendly relations with the faculty, even lending Professor Eaton $300,
*Isaac K. Brownson, “Diary,” 1837-43, Aug. 4, 1837
