Analysis and refutation of the Statements of facts in relation to the expulsion of James C. Cross from Transylvania University --recently published by Dudley, Mitchell & Peter / by James Conquest Cross.

  • Cross, James Conquest.
Date:
1846
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Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: Analysis and refutation of the Statements of facts in relation to the expulsion of James C. Cross from Transylvania University --recently published by Dudley, Mitchell & Peter / by James Conquest Cross. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the National Library of Medicine (U.S.), through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the National Library of Medicine (U.S.)

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    of vice, and also to protect society against the arts and devices of the Pretender. I have always turned with sentiments of dis- gust and abhorrence [particularly when, more than a hu ndrcd times,invited to his entertainments which I sometimes attended from policy but never from inclination] from the conduct and character of this individual; and neither before, nor during his connexion with the School, have my feelings of self-respect allowed me, on any occasion, to enter his dwelling as an associate; [but made every effort to make me the asso- ciate of those who were his guests.] In the last act of the Medical Faculty, pre- paratory to his removal from the School, I can claim neither honor nor participation. Without my knowledge, my colleagues consulted to- gether and united in sentiment on the necessity of the measure. When the result of their con- sultation was communicated to me, I need scarcely add that the measure not only had my approbation, but received my humble, yet firm support. B. W. DUDLEY.* A hasty perusal of the statement of Dr. Dudley, will convince the reader that he de- signs to make the impression that I played the part of a hypocrite with the Rev. N. H. Hall, for the purpose of obtaining his support in furtherance of my project of foul ambition, to be admitted to a chair in Transylvania University, and that I owed my success to his interposition, and denies by implication, for he would not have dared the responsibility of the broad and unqualified assertion, that he had any agency in the matter. Both positions are wholly indefensible, and it is because he has contracted the invete- rate habit of giving an undue latitude to his tongue, that his name has passed into a by-word, being commonly used as a para- phrase for mendicity. To prove that I do him no injustice, it is necessary that I should give a history of my introduction into the Transylvania Medical School. The details *I said in my Jppeal that Dr. Dudley, is the very ideal of self-sufficient folly and vulgar incapacity, and the above statement proves that I spoke of him in more flattering terms than he was entitled to. If there is one word of truth in what he has said iu relation to his opinion of and senti- ments towards me, it conclusively establishes the fact that, instead of being a Corinthian of the first water amongst fashionable and polished people, he is a gross, impudent up- start who, believes he is moving in the society of those who have no more abhorrence for such as he describes me to be than he has himself. The terras on which I was received at his entertainments are familiar to the people of this city, but he seems wholly insensible of the inexcusable outrage he committed in inviting me into the society of those who frequented them. The public has therefore been requested by himself, to take notice that, the fact of meeting mi in- dividual iu his drawing-rooms, iu the midst of the elite of Lexington,is no sort of guarantee that it is meeting with a gentleman. The aristocracy of the Athens of the nest will consider this avowal very frank, but they will hardly be eo stupid, as to esteem it very flattering. Indeed, so powerful was the impression made on the mind of one ol the most enlightened men in Lexington by the statement of Dr. Dudley, that he declared after reading it, that no consideration could induce him to be the bearer of a let- ter of introduction from him to any man whose acquain- tance he desired. which this history necessarily involves, shall be established either by direct and positive tes- timony or such convincing comparative facts, as must exclude all doubt of its strict accuracy from the mind of the candid reader. Before, however, I engage in this history, it is neces- sary that I should show that Dr. Dudley has taken a very unjustifiable liberty with the name of the Rev. N. H. Hall, the only authority upon which he speaks. When I read the statement of Dr. Dudley, I was sur- prised to find that Mr. Hall had so wantonly trifled with my character, as represented in that document. It did not, however, disturb me in the least, for besides a letter, in my pos- session, dated April 29, 1844, that will be found on a subsequent page, which was written to me by Mr. Hall, which not only proves that so far from having had any assurance from me that I desired a chair in the Transylvania Medi ca{ School, he was seriously apprehensive I would not accept even after having been elected, I received a few days ago from Dr. Wm. Pawling, of Danville, Kentucky, a letter that will also be found on a subsequent page, in which he says:—As I have said, I have read the statement of Dr. Dudley made on the authority of the Rev. N. H. Hall, and have come to the conclusion that both of them have forgotten many of the facts connected with the appointment of Dr. Eberle and yourself, for the matter was agreed upon long before the action of the Board of Trustees. But ad- ditional and more conclusive proof of the guilty readiness with which Dr. Dudley mis- represents and falsifies, will be found in the following letter, just received from the Rev. N. H. Hall himself. September 26, 1846, Dr. Cross—Dear Sir: In answer to your enquiries whether you ever spoke or wrote to me as your friend or agent to use my efforts as Trustee of T. U., to obtain for you a seat in the Medical Department of said Institu- tion, I state that to the best of my recollection you neither spoke or wrote to me on the sub- ject. My efforts to have you appointed to a professorship, were the result of my convic- tion that you would be of great importance to the Medical Department. This conviction was strengthened by frequent conversations with Dr. W. H. Richardson, who assured me that your medical attainments, with the opin- ion I had formed of your talents, would emi- nently qualify you for a professorship in the Transylvania University. The good of the Institution, was the paramount motive with me in all my efforts with reference to the whole subject. Yours, very respectfully, N. H. HALL.