latter part of 1883. The law department was especially fortunate in its faculty. The fame of the whole university was increased by the wellknown reputation of the members of the law faculty. Indeed the establishment of the medical and law schools in various ways benefited the whole university and even increased the number of students in the literary department. Every graduate from any department of the university became instrumental in turning thither students who were in search of collegiate training.1 There is very little to be said of the law department from the day of its foundation, save that without a momentous crisis it has steadily developed until now its course embraces almost every branch of jurisprudence. Its library, from appropriations aided by the generous gifts of Judge Fletcher of Boston and of Mr. Buell, of Detroit, has nearly reached the number of 10,000 volumes, and now occupies the room which was used for the purposes of a general library during the first 20 years of the building's existence. The three men who constituted the first law faculty are no longer connected with the school. Judges Campbell and Cooley remained members of the faculty for about a quarter of a century, and Judge Walker for scarcely a shorter period. The broad learning and profound scholarship of these men have been of inestimable influence, not only in spreading abroad the fame of the university, but in inculcating in the minds of successive generations of students sound legal doctrine and sound legal ethics, with a respect for the law in its nobleness and dignity.

The constitution of 1851 provided for the election of a board of regents all the members of which were elected and all retired from office at the same time, making it possible that an entirely new board should have direction of affairs as the result of a regular election. Such an event was the result of the election of 1857; a board entirely unacquainted with the proceedings of the former board, its aims and ideas, ignorant of the progress and development of the university under its management, with no sympathetic appreciation of the plans of the president who had worked in complete harmony with the board which had elected him-a board, therefore, unless fortified by superior discretion and consideration, absolutely disqualified for the immediate control of the affairs of a great university-took the reins of the institution into its hands January 1, 1858. A feeling of self-confidence immediately displayed itself in a board only two of whose members were college graduates, and who therefore might be expected to approach educational subjects with becoming hesitation and pay a modest deference to the head of the university, under whose administration the university had prospered so admirably. There is no need of going into the details of the difficulties and controversies that ensued. Part of the difficulty was of a personal nature, of no general interest as a problem of education and collegiate government. The lesson chiefly to be learned is the dan

1 University of Michigan, Semicentennial, p. 194.

ger of complete rotation or rather revolution in office, and, possibly, also the danger of electing to such offices men whose education and training have not adapted them to an intelligent appreciation of the duties of the office. The outgoing board had pointed with pride to the success of their endeavors and called attention to the fact that for the first time in the history of any State or nation the experiment had been tried as to whether or not it is safe to intrust the highest educational interests in the country to a body of men elected directly by the people. The history of the next few years threw a somewhat different light on this important question, and yet it would be hard to say that the action of the board was entirely without provocation or excuse. President Tappan was possessed of a lofty dignity that possibly made it difficult for him to appreciate or overlook events or attempts which a more pliable or malleable disposition would have helped him to disregard. He could not brook the efforts of the regents to deprive him of the complete control and direction of affairs which the other board had intrusted to him.

It will be remembered that the presidency of the university is a constitutional office, of equal dignity therefore with that of regent, and any attempt to make the president the mere employé of the board is on the face of it contrary to the spirit and interest of the constitution.

The university senate, a body composed of the professors of the different faculties of the university, and probably constituted about 1852, took cognizance of the disagreement between president and regents, and deprecated any ill feeling or lack of harmony. But the arrangement that was agreed upon, partly at least at the solicitation of the senate, proved of temporary efficacy only, and it soon became evident that disagreements were developing into open hostility. The president was used with scant courtesy by some members of the board. Indeed, if we judge from the words of one member and consider the arrogant and domineering tone of his orders, given with all the vigor of a master reprimanding an incompetent servant or slave, there seems reason for the statement that he entered upon his official duties with the express intention of driving the president from his position. No man could quietly submit to the insulting domination of inferiority, much less a man constituted as was President Tappan. And though, in viewing one side of the case, we have been led to remark, as above, that a more malleable disposition might have insured peace, we can not help feeling that it would have been the peace of desolation.

At the June meeting in 1863, after the transaction of other business, the following resolution was introduced:

Whereas it is deemed expedient and for the interests of the university that sundry changes be made in the officers and corps of professors: Therefore,

Resolved, That Dr. Henry P. Tappan be and he is hereby removed from the offices and duties of president of the University of Michigan and professor of philosophy therein.