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Document : 692

Title: Letter from John Anderson, Regarding the Dr Reid Controversy

Author(s): Anderson, Professor John

Dear Sir


On Saturday last, Dr. Reid remonstrated, I am told, against
the propriety of holding a meeting in Dr. Wights House. I hereby protest
against the Legality of a Meeting in that place, whether held there by a
Mandate
or an adjournment from the Faculty Room; and I do so:

1st Because the last Royal Visitation appoints the stated Meetings to be
held in public Rooms, the expreſs Words of the Statue being - in the
common
Hall, or in the Faculty Room; and accordingly there is an expreſs
proviso in the Statute for the absence of the Principal, and eldest Regent.

It is true that Meetings have been held in the House of the Præses, when
he was not well; but I know of none, till of late, that were held in the
House,
or Houses of other Members. On the contrary, when the Faculty had Busineſs
with absent Members, Committees were sente from the Faculty Room to their
Houses, and a Report was made of the Busineſs. Meetings, either in the
House
of the Præes or of any of the Members, were irregularities; and ought not
to be
acquiesced in, not only on account of the Spirits of the Statute above
quotes, but on
account of the consequences: for

2dly If Meetings are held in the houses of the Members, when sick, there
may be great partiality; for they may be always held in the Houses of one
Party,
and never in those of another; whereas when held in the houses of neither,
there can
be no partiality; the chance of sickneſs being equal to both, as well as
the place of
Meeting.

3dly At the last Meeting which was held in Dr Wight's house, He, Mr
Cumin, and Dr Stevenson thought fit to give the most illfounded, and
unusttifiable
Reproaches to me that were ever given to any Man, as shall be
easily proved; and when I replied, the Rights of a private house held me in

Fetters, to which I will submit no longer.

But setting all these Reasons aside, a Meeting there at present is
unneceſsary;
because Papers between these three Members and Dr. Reid are going
on hine inde; and when they shall have done, then Papers between them and
me will be seen and answered in like manner. Till this shall be done, and
my answers are short, and ready, my presence surely cannot be neceſsary.



I am respectfully
Dear Sir
Your most obedient Servant
John Anderson

March 21st, 1780

To the Clerk of the Faculty, to be communicated.