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.