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

alone from the population of the East; IL the,
nave made this error, why may not their calcu
iat'oiis IN other respects be erroneous mr. b
niade variety OF other remarks,
MIR Baldwin addressed the communicable
thought that the pretensions of the Central
Coi'ese were inferior TO those of the other
candidates he preferred Lexington 10 that
SITE. but Stanton before auy other. He came
TO urge the claims of Staunton--but he came
withno heavy purse 10 back her preiensions.-
lie agreed with the commissioners, that the ".
University was not 10 be putup to public auc ton
There were other and better considerations
living, equalization of public benefits in which
respects The Central College could claim no
superiority. As TO centraty, the commissioner
had said indeed that the Central College was
Only neaier than Lexington and Staunton, but
net that itself was nearer than aHy other point.
III lt was so essential to be near the centre
why not take the centre itself! But il was the
convenience OF situation which was To be
desired not an absolute centrality FOR the
iast itself Is only an advantage because of this
very convenience of siiaatIon which il may
produce. Now will it be conteHded that tile
balance oil convenience lies in favor of the
Central College, Will it be said that tray elling
over steep mountains nnd rapid torrents. sucir
US me people OF the West.wi.l have TO pass, is
as convenient as the roads which the eastern
people enjoy over d bowling greenI How then
can II be said that On the whole the Central
C9.ege is most convenient IL the majority OF
u.
lhat whatever the .censu, wa, IL 1910, il was
now difierent, and that every yearwouid throw
me increase OF population further TO tao West;
that Tue population was advancing there with
,apiu STRIDES. Some of The members Hcm The
West had assured him that Tie numbers in
iheIr counties had since 1910 been doubled
ana others calculated The increase as treble
put III tne East, no SUCH augmentation was 10
ne seen bat III few iioufisliiHg commercial
.o"ns. lie appealed to the Eastern members.
a
not retiOgraded for several wears Alter ex-
haustiug soil not naturally very fertile many
OF heiiIhabitaDts had retired to isore salubri-
Gus regions. On the other hand, many OF The
western counties were filling mp. The difiicul-
res which had reloaded their population were
diminishing. Disputes abouttiIle to land were
disappearing. But the tide does not set 10 the
East Mr.. b. threw iii Giiicf views oil the sub
Ject-Huthe said there were other important
considerations besides centralty OF ,ile or no.
pnlaiion. The commissioners had not visited
me spots proposed, in relation to these consi
derations, and therefore their report was euti-
ted to less weight on this account They had
NOT alluded to fertility of soil or saubrty of
climate. In fertility of soil, the Valley Welded
TO no other portion of the commonwealth,
but Mr. Il added, that the difficulty OF trans
porting their produce 10 market made no
dnce much lower and of course living much
cheaper at Staunton, than otber parts which
were more accessible TO market; that bread.
meat, fuel, were cheaper at Stanton than AT
the other places. lie commended that no part
or the known world WAS healthier than Siam.
ton no epidemics ragged there the finest wa.
tei ghshed from her rocks;" every thing con
spires (says he) 10 give the finest bloom TO our
girls. He concluded by saying that he pre.
snmed The state wouldnot putup her University
TO the highest bidder but he pied red himself
that II stanton was selected, her friends would
purchase 100 acres OF excellent land and erect
the necessary buildings Ior the University.
MIR. Loyal of Norfolk made an impr ssive
appeal TO the committee. He could not dis
gnNe his modification at seeing pccuniary,
considerations appealed to, oil a question so
Important to Virginia. He had honed that no
views OF miserable economy or of thrift would
affect the decision OH this question, much less
that II would degenerate into a calculation of
proft and loss. He said that we are about 10
erect a monument for our future posterity
10 make Virginia as distinguished by the
intellect of her sons by her ply steal strength
lie paid many compliments TO the commission
ers and 10 their report. IL could not be
charged to him that in proferring the Central
college lie was actnaied by any local feelings
His'people had very little interest in this local
question. Situated a. IL were on the broad
boSom OF the ocean, they coul4 derive very
little benefit from its location. Ii was his
earnest wish indeed TO lift up the declining
head of our Alma Mater of that institution IN
winch we all owed so much and hoped that
she might yet extract some pittance of aid from
the Literary Fund. He did not rise so much 10
urge the claims ct the Central College. as 10
intreat gentlemen to lay down their local
feelings on the altar of their common country
ms was sacred cause. This day wonld be
a day OF jubilee or of mourning. Set your
faces against This University. from local calcu
lations. and You may bid farewell. long
farewell 10 the proud prerogatives enloyed by
Virginia. In vain have our fathers toiIed in
our glorious revolution, five neglect this aus
Plcious moment to strike deep the principles
OF liberty. The rejection of this bill would be
the ominous knell OF Gus departing glory.
MIR. Gordon addressed the committee in a
most animated mannerin favor of the Central
College. He had presumed that the gentlemen
from the west would have agreed among
themselves, but when he found some OF them
recommending one situation, and others
another, he would ask by what rule thisHouse
ought TO be guided. Mr.. G. dsclaimed all
personal views on this great question Fix the
site where you please, he would not receive the
benefit OF one solitary cent. 1t was general
love Tor the interests Of Virginia which ought
10 animate him aud the rest of the House He
cast BIS eye back upon the history of the
University. From the era of our revolution.
our citizens had lookel forward with ardent
delight TO the education of their sons. Succes.
sive efforts had been made hy the legislature.
scheme after scheme had been devised; and
fbey had suecessIvely failed for want of the
necessary funds At'iast by successive acts of
patriotism the Legislature had accumulated
fund for, the benefit of education In what
way wasft now to be employedi Where was the
university to be iocated' was now the question.
MIG. drew AN impressive picture of the advan-
tages OF the Central College; in the course of
his remarks he compared Tie soil AMI climate
of Charlottesville, with those of Stanton. az
described by the romantic imagination las he
SAID OF the gentleman from Augusta (Mr
baldwin y The salubrity OF the climate at
Charlottesville was uprqualled an Italian sky
was not superior. Ms. G. read various extracts
from The reports Of the commissioners TO
siflu0us patriots lie paid the warmnst compli
ments. He Joined the gentleman from Norfolk
(Mr. Loyal in invoking the horse 10 aS dowp
their local feelings on the shrine Of thci, conp.
try. FOrhis own part, he had ueV e regarded
Virginia as divided Into different interests. She
had bur one safety, one glory. Let the site be