The principal then left them, and they entered on the trial.  The result was that they discovered the guilty individuals, ascertained the amount of mischief done by each, and sent to the selectmen a message, by which they agreed to pay a sum equal to three times the value of the injury sustained.

The students were soon after informed that this mode of bringing offenders to justice would hereafter be always pursued, and arrangements were made for organizing a regular republican government among the young men.  By this government all laws which related to the internal police of the institution were to be made, all officers were appointed, and all criminal cases were to be tried.  The students finding the part of a judge too difficult for them to sustain, one of the professors was appointed to hold that office, and, for similar reasons, another of the professors was made president of the legislative assembly.  The principal was the executive, with power to pardon, but not to sentence, or even accuse.

Some time after this a student was indicted for profane swearing; he was tried, convicted, and punished.  After this he evinced a strong hostility to the government.  He made great exertions to bring it into contempt, and when the next trial came on, he endeavored to persuade the witnesses that giving evidence was dishonorable, and he so far succeeded that the defendant was acquitted for want of evidence, when it was generally understood that there was proof of his guilt, which would have been satisfactory if it could have been brought forward.  For some time after this the prospect was rather unfavorable, though many of the students themselves opposed with great earnestness these efforts, and were much alarmed lest they should lose their free government through the perverseness of one of their number.  The attorney general, at this juncture, conceived the idea of indicting the individual alluded to for an attempt to overturn the government.  He obtained the approbation of the principal, and the grand jury found a bill.  The court, as the case was so important, invited some of the trustees, who were in town, to attend the trial.  The parent of the defendant was also informed of the circumstances and requested to be present, and he accordingly attended.  The prisoner was tried, found guilty, and sentenced, if I mistake not, to expulsion.  At his earnest request, however, to be permitted to remain in the Lyceum and redeem his character, he was pardoned and restored, and from that time he became perfectly exemplary in his conduct and character.  After this occurrence the system went on in successful operation for some time.

The legislative power was vested in the hands of a general committee, consisting of eight or ten, chosen by the students from their own number.  They met about once a week to transact such business as appointing officers, making and repealing regulations, and inquiring into the state of the Lyceum.  The instructors had a negative upon all their proceedings, but no direct and positive power.  They could pardon, but they could assign no punishments, nor make laws inflicting any.