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solicitude on the part of the Trustees of Transylvania Univer-
sity, to fill the vacancy, by appointing one of the most distin-
guished persons of the profession in the state, who would be
likely to act. Accordingly, on the 12th day of July last, Judge
Boyle was unanimously elected, and the chairman of the board
was requested to make that communication to him, which was
don; but by a mistake in addressing this letter, the information
was not given to Judge Boyle. After waiting a considerable
time for his reply, it was not until some time in August, that
Mr. Clay, a member of the board of Trustees, reported that he
had verbally informed Mr. Boyle of his appointment, who sta-
ted to him, that although he had not received any official notice
of his appointment, from the chairman, he, Mr. Clay, was re-
quested to inform the board, that he, Mr. Boyle. could not ac-
cept the appointment, as he conceived it would interfere with his
other official duties. At a meeting of the board of Trustees on
the 20th of September, the subject of filling the vacancy in the
Law department, was again discussed, without coming to any
decision. In this state of anxiety and uncertainty, and without
the knowledge or approbation of the board of Trustees, notice
was given in the public newspapers by Professor Bledsoe, dated
the 20th September, stating, "it was expected that a regular
Professor of National and Civil Law, would have been procured;
but this expectation has not been realized. The undersigned
Professor will have, therefore, to perform the entire duties of
the department, unless, as he has hopes of doing, he shall be
able to procure an assistant, competent to discharge the duties
pertaining to those branches." This publication was considered
by the Trustees as being premature, if not highly indiscreet, on
the part of Professor Bledsoe. It was inserted in two or the
papers published in Lexington, and no notice was taken of it ;
the Trustees still entertaining a hope that a suitable and perma-
nent appointment could be made, before the commencement of
the lectures. In this they were disappointed, until a few days
before the duties of the Professor were to begin. At the solici-
tation of Professor Bledsoe, the President of the University
consented to render his assistance, by undertaking the depart-
ment of "National and Civil Law and Political Economy." The
Trustees, therefore, state, that in their opinion, the "diminu-
tion" of the number of students in the Law department, has been
occasioned (among others) by the want of a sufficient number of
competent Professors in that school, and the frequent changes,
by resignation, even in that too small number. The trustees
are further of opinion, that if the number of Professors was in-
creased to three or four, and men of correct habits. possessing
the requisite attainments and industry. could be induced to ac-
cept, who would devote their time to the object of instruction,