Harvard University. Corporation. Corporation papers, 1st series, supplements to the Harvard College Papers, Volumes 3-7, 1785-1826. Copy of the legal instrument establishing the Alford Professorship of Natural Religion, Moral Philosophy and Civil Polity,

77

Know all men, that whereas we Edmund Trowbridge of Cambridge in the County of Middlesex Esquire & Richard Cary of Charlestown in the same County Esquire Executors of the last will & testament of the {Honorable} John Alford late of Charlestown aforesaid Esq. dec'd., did at several times between the 15th of March 1765 & the 1st of June 1782 put into the treasury of Harvard College in Cambridge £1362,, 8,,5 LM, part of the said Alford's estate, to be by their treasurer let out & kept on Interess, and the growing interess added to the principal yearly, till such a capital should be raised, as that the interess thereof would be sufficient to support in said College a Professor of some particular science, of public utility, and then to be regularly appointedpropriated to that use. And whereas by reason of the late war & the evils which attended it, this is not yet done, & there is no probability of such a capital being so raised during our lives.

We do therefore now appropriate the said £1362,,8,,5 and the interess thereof in said treasury, to & for the support of a Professor of Natural Religion, Moral Philosophy and Civil Polity, in the said College forever, whose principal duty it shall be, by lectures & private instruction to demonstrate the existence of a Deity or first cause; to prove & illustrate his essential attributes, both natural and

2

and moral; to evince & explain his providence & government, together with the doctrine of a future state of rewards & punishments; also to deduce & enforce the obligations which man is under to his Maker; and the duties which he owes him, resulting from the perfections of the Deity and from his own rational nature; together with the most important duties of social life, resulting from the several relations which men mutually bear to each other; and likewise the several duties which reflect ourselves, founded not only in our own interefs, but also in the will of GOD; interspersing the whole with remarks, shewing the coincidence between the doctrines of revelation and the dictates of reason, in these important points; and lastly, notwithstanding this coincidence, to state the absolute necessity & vast utility of a divine revelation.

He shall also read a distinct course of Lectures on that branch of Moral Philosophy which respects the application of the Law of Nature to Nations, & their relative rights & duties; and also on the absolute necessity of Civil Government in some form, & the reciprocal rights and duties of magistrates & of the people, resulting from the social compact; and also on the various forms

3

of Government which have existed, or may exist in the world, pointing out their respective advantages & disadvantages & what form of Government is best adapted to promote the greatest happiness of mankind

And to the end that a regular & systematic division of the foregoing subjects & of all the other branches of Science, which come under this institution may be had & preserved, as well as a due proportion of time devoted to each, it is declared that the said Professor shall be under the control of the President, Fellows & Overseers of the said College, who may from time to time give such directions relative thereto as they shall judge fit & proper, and as shall be consistent with the Rules & orders of this institution.

The said Professor shall read his Lectures on natural Religion to all the four classes of undergraduates; Those on moral philosophy to the two senior classes, & those on Civil Polity to the senior class only; provided nevertheless, that the officers of the College & resident graduates, as likewise such other Gentlemen as the Corporation shall permit, shall have a right to attend all or any of the Lectures aforementioned.

Such

4

Such Professor shall be chosen by the President and Fellows & approved by the overseers of said College, when there shall in their judgment be a sufficient fund for his support, raised either in the manner aforesaid, or for the present, with the [assistance?] of the College, or otherwise, until he can be properly supported in the manner first proposed.

But notwithstanding such temporary assistance the said John Alford {Esquire} shall be deemed & considered as the founder of this Professorship, and the Professor shall be called the Alford Professor of Natural Religion, Moral Philosophy & Civil Polity.

And we so hereby institute & appoint that the said Professor shall from time to time as occassion may require be elected by the President & Fellows & approved by the Overseers of the said College; That he shall be a Master of arts & bear the Character of a Learned, Pious, Honest Man; That he shall be at all times under the Care & inspection of the said President, Fellows & Overseers, who shall order & appoint the times & places, for reading his public & private Lectures, and see that the Professor duly attend the business of his Office, and faithfully discharge the trust aforesaid reposed in him; and

5

and as a regular & faithful discharge thereof will be sufficient to employ his whole time & thoughts; he shall not, while he holds the said office be a Pastor or Teacher of any Church or Congregation or an instructor in any other science.

That the said Professor shall hold his Office during his good behaviour, and that he be removeable from it by the said President, Fellows and Overseers, for want of ability to execute the trust, or for misbehaviour in the Office, or for immoral & scandalous conduct & behaviour out of it.

That the Professor on the day of his inauguration shall in the presence of the President, Fellows & Overseers, of the Said College, profess & declare himself to be of the Protestant Reformed Religion, & a member of a Protestant Church, and shall promise to discharge with diligence & fidelity the said trust aforesaid reposed in him. That he will endeavour as well by his example as otherwise to encourage & promote virtue, true religion & piety; and that he will religiously observe the aforesaid institutes of the Founder of this Professorship.

That upon the death or removal of a Professor, the vacancy shall be filled up by the President, Fellows and

6

and Overseers (in the same manner as the former Professor was appointed) with a person in all respects qualified for the Office, and prepared as aforesaid to execute it.

Witness our hands & seals this 18th day of February AD 1789

Edm. Trowbridge - Seal Richard Casy - Seal

Signed Sealed {and} delivered in presence of John Foxcroft / by the said Trowbridge James Fillebrown /

David Deaens / by {Richard} Casy Esq. {Samuel} Casy /

(A true Copy from the original ~ attest Jeremy Belknap)

October 4. 1796. By the Treasurers accounts this day examined {and} allowed by the Board of Overseers, it appears that Mr Alford's legacy has accumulated to the sum of 7138 Dollars 38 Cents - which sum is now on in- terest at 4 per cent.

And that Mr Boylston's legacy for a professorship of Rhetoric {and} Oratory amounts to 14660 Dollars 63 Cents on interest at 4 percent.