346 AS UNIVERSITY PRESIDENT-IV 



from Eussia, being able to make the last stages of his 

 journey only by charity, and on arriving was found to be 

 utterly incapable of sustained effort, physical or mental. 

 The most definite part of his aims, as he announced them, 

 was to convert the United States to the Eusso-Greek 

 Church. 



Added to these were dreamers and schemers of more 

 mature age. The mails were burdened with their letters 

 and our offices with their presence. Some had plans for 

 the regeneration of humanity by inventing machines which 

 they wished us to build, some by devising philosophies 

 which they wished us to teach, some by writing books 

 which they wished us to print ; most by taking professor- 

 ships which they wished us to endow. The inevitable poli- 

 tician also appeared; and at the first meeting of the trus- 

 tees two notorious party hacks came all the way from New 

 York to tell us "what the people expected/' which was 

 the nomination of sundry friends of theirs to positions in 

 the new institution. A severe strain was brought upon 

 Mr. Cornell and myself in showing civility to these gentle- 

 men; yet, as we were obliged to deny them, no suavity 

 on our part could stay the inevitable result their hostil- 

 ity. The attacks of the denominational and local presses 

 in the interests of institutions which had failed to tear the 

 fund in pieces and to secure scraps of it were thus largely 

 reinforced. Ever and anon came onslaughts upon us per- 

 sonally and upon every feature of the institution, whether 

 actual, probable, possible, or conceivable. One eminent 

 editorial personage, having vainly sought to " unload " a 

 member of his staff into one of our professorships, howled 

 in a long article at the turpitude of Mr. Cornell in land 

 matters, screamed for legislative investigation, and for 

 years afterward never neglected an opportunity to strike 

 a blow at the new institution. 



Some difficulties also showed themselves in the first 

 working of our university machinery. In my "plan of 

 organization, ' ' as well as in various addresses and reports, 

 I had insisted that the university should present various 



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