Charles Carroll letter January, 1848

Addressed to Reverend John McCloskey, Mount St. Mary's College, near Emmitsburg, Maryland.
Rev. McCloskey was prone to punitive methods with the students, the most severe being locking them up in what was called the "jug"--a dark closet--where they would be fed only bread and water by the janitor. One student was locked up for three days for refusing to study Greek. It is unclear what sort of "check" Rev. McCloskey had in mind for John Lee Carroll. McCloskey's harsh methods would lead to a student revolt in 1858 in which about 60 of the students walked out. The ringleader was a distant relation of our Carrolls named Philip Carroll. He was barred from ever coming back to the campus.
Colonel Carroll refers to being unwilling to send John to a northern college because of the perception that northern colleges were hotbeds of dangerous secularism and vice. The Colonel would ultimately relent about this and John Lee Carroll would spend two semesters studying law at Harvard.
Source: Special Collections, Mount Saint Mary's University, Emmitsburg, Maryland

Doughoregan Manor
Jan 25 1848

Revd Dear Sir
I enclose you my check for the amt (amount) of the (unreadable) just received.
I do not think John is inclined to vice, but his spirits are high, and a check of this kind may be of advantage to him--I do not wish to send him to any of the Northern colleges if I can avoid it; for although the advantages of acquiring knowledge are great, the temptations are numerous, and the discipline not good--Principles imbibed now at Mt. St. Mary's will show in after life, if not at present--With my best respects to Mr. McCaffrey I remain now
Yrs Resply (Yours Respectfully)

Charles Carroll