Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1819-01-19


IN the county of Bedford"--" Establishing an
Inspection Ito baeco in the town of Hard,sville
in the county of Bedford"--as :. Establishing
several towns'-ihat Hey had also passed the
lrevised) Dill :" 10 reduce into one the several
acts concerning counsel aud a,tornies at law >
7 with amendments. On motion, the hill with
the amendments was laid npon the table.
Mr.. MagiiI presented several revised bills
which were Immediately actpd on by the House
(, An engrossed bill :" To reduce into Que the
several acts concerning enardiass. orphans,
! curators, infants, rsaii preniices" was
read a third time, and passed.
Gu motion of Mr.. Harris leave was given
to t~ing IN a bill concerning the Mutual
Assurance Society against fire on buildings in
| the state of Virginia"
! The House again resolved itself into a com.
| mlttee OF tue whole-on the Unirer sity Bin.
| On Mr.. Meridith's motion, the leih section
was so amended, as to require OF the Visitoss am
annual report TO be made to the Directors of
the Literary Fund, to be by them submitted
| to the Legislature.
Mr.. Alexander, of Rock bridge, moved to
| strike cut certain parts of tue first section,
designating the Central College the site of
the University for the purpose OF filling up the
blank with w ashngton College in the town of
| Lexington. Mr.. A. went into an argument 10
| prove the advantages of that situation over the
Central College. He entered into various
| geographical statements to show, that il was
nearer TO the centre of the territory of the state
than the Central College; and though the
Commissioners had reported that the C.. C.. was
l n. r.
| A. argned from references To the census,
| OF 1917, that population was advancing west
wardiy, and in few years Lexington would
/ be nearer the centre of the white population of
| Tie state. Mr.. A. then touched upon the fnnds
OF the University; aud asked if any man could
suppose Chat 5 900 would be sufficient to
| endo~ so large an institution Yet this was tile
whole annual appropriation which was pro-
posed to be given TO the University out of the
Literary Fund. But give the University 10
Lexington, aud how would she stand 'Fhe
Washington College will transfer all its funds
| 10 this institution and "a gentleman of large
| fortune proposes TO endow it, it located at
Lexing ton, with his large estate MIR. a. then
| submitted certain documents which he would
request To be read. These had been laid before
the commissioners al the Rockfish Gap. They
would prove that MIR. Robuson's estate was
worth Sl5C,00O the funds Of Washington Col.
| lege 6l,100 aud that there were private sub.
scrtptiOtis TO the amount OF % 2TS in all about
S2s3 700; besides an expectancy (arising from
thGirrepeaied resolutions )ot obtaining the funds
OF the Cincinnati State Society. With these
funds, you might commence the operations of
the University alta very early date. He also
enlarged upon the health of Lexington and
| stated thatfor several years there had been no
case OF mortality at Washington College. He
contended that when population had advanced
westwardly as il would do, Lexington itself
might be rather too far to the East Of the state
that the economy of living at Lexington was
| an object which should BIZ duly considered -
| that the Central Coliege was too near the
Csliege of " ll'iim and Mary, thus there would
! be two institutions i'm the same corner of the
| state; and that such a policy, by eviscimg a
local partiali,y. would create dissatisfaction 10
The West, and might finally lead to the division
! of the state.
/ The documents which Mr. A. presented we're
| then read by the clerk.
Mr. Taylor of Chesterfield, arose to address
the committee in favor of the Central College
| he contended, from the calculations laid before
the. commissioners, that the centre of The whole
population was nearer 10 the Central Col
| iege than any other site which had been desiy
mated that II YOU run a line from the Chesa
peake through the Rocktish Gap TO the western
iiue OF the state; or If You run lines mol thwardy
or soutbwardiy, parallel with The Blue Ridge
so as TOR one to run through Lexington and
another through the Central College, that fhe
| Sdvaniase would be Oh the side of the Central
college. The sections forHed in relation to
1 That college would be molc nearly balanced in
point OF whitcpopnlation than those in relation
| 10 Lexington. MIR. L. entered into minute
statements TO prove this positien. But il was
said that the population of the state would
| vary fCf his own part, he was not disposed
| 10 Ieslsiate Tor future events nay, tor events
never likely TO happen. He asked the commit
| mountainous region which lies in the west of
| The state, and see there large portion of
territory which was not only nninha bited, but
nninhabitaDie there was. it was true. a pro-
portion of vallies and fertile land which might
| hereafter be filled up with inhabitants but
the mountains never could be. 1t was argued
| indeed, from the census of 1910, that popuIa-
| ton was on the advance there is no doubt of
! an increase; Inhabitants had rushed To that
| point, as they do now to A la ama and the Mis-.
soHri; bnt the fertile lands i'm Western Virginia
/ had TILED up. aud no very great increase was ]
now TO be expected: that il CT ease would never
| be so great, as in d country equally fertile
| but whose fertile fields were more extensive as
from the Blue Ridge TO tide water.-But large
| donafIOus are to be transferred TO Lexington.
| III Lexington Is not near TO the centre of white
4 as he had alr Iy mil tha
| legislature he induced by these donations 10
1 give her the UnlyeTstyl The donations then
! proceed upon this ground, that ;hey alone
| are 10 determine tie site; and that without
| theul. you would never locate the University
at Lexington. But it sever occurred TO the
| commissioners TO set up the site TO auction. Ii
you go OIL this principle, then open the bid
dingS again; let the whole state come into
competition, and lie had do doubt Richmond
would command the site, though she was neither
the centre OF wealth nor population.-Mr. T..
hnaiiy d~eif upon The high character of the
commissioners; their integrity, their talents
| the high confidence which their conntr, re.
| posed IN them, their being drawn from every
| quarter of tie commonwealth, from its ~
senatorial districts: aud after the most mature
| reflection on the subject for months, what did
| they voter A large majority was for the Central
College.
Mr.. Alexander, while he was aware of the
| high Character OF the commits ioners, whom no
man valued more highly than himself thought
| III was his duty To Judge for himself He then
proceeded 10 show, that their location was
| an improper one, aud to reply to Mr. Taylor
HE csDteDded there was large portion OF
| iertle land TO the Westward not yet filed up
| Ei' entered into geographical statements to
| illustrate his views OF the population OF the
state and concluded finally that Lexington
| had the decided advantage
| Mr.. Bower advocated the claims of Licking
| ton with great zeal. He cOntended that the
| Legislature ought to have recourse TO other
means, TO Tue aid OF individuals and bodies
| corporate; that il the Literary Fund had been
| Apf