Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1824-07-13

* enest regret and most lasting sorrow while
to confess his Own gull, is to call down upon
his head the terror Of the law, and the anger
Of his parent or guardian.
IL he shall prefer To stand mute and not To
answer interrog at0fies, the course most r,a-
sonably to be expected, expulsion or suspen-
sion, alike awaits him and from the moment
he becomes victim To statute SO obnoxious,
he is made determined and active enemy to
the College itself. That the public at large
entertain a well founded objection then, TO this
regulation, your committee are compelled to
admit. hlay not much of the present state Of
the College be ascrbed to this single statute ?
What father but must feel reluctant To expose
his son to tire temptation of falsehood? Be-
sides, young man coming To College, has
already attained some know ledge of the laws
of the land, he has made himself somewhat
acquainted with the rights of the citizen: he
feels and acknowledges the mildness and hu-
mainly oil the law, and among the earliest 0 {
the principles which he recongniZes, is that
which announces that no man can be held
to be his own accuser, or esteemed to be
guilty until his guilt be- proved But when he
enters Inc pale Of the College, he finds this
principle abolished as to him, and himself sun
yected TO an lnqusitoriaI authority. Ii is be-
leved that this statute has not been enforced
Tor many years past; but your committee re-
commend that it shall forthwith be stricken
from the statute book. To relieve the young
men from all collegiate control, except during
the time of lecture, and to subject them To the
civil authority exclusively, has been strongly
insisted on by many but your committee eau
not recommend such course. The morals
OF the student require 10 be as Zealously guard
ed and attended TO, to Il certain extent, as his
advancement IN literature and science and
The parent sends his son TO College under the
expectation that the professors shall in this
respect substitute the parental authority and
restrain him from excess. The frequen,ing of
taverns, the practice ofgaming, SO fatal in its
consequences, and other perniciOus vices are
strictly, and your committee thinks, properly
prohibited by the statutes of the College. In
reference to the internal organization of the
College, some alteration might in the opinion
OF the committee, be advau,ageOusly made ::
1t is made the duty of the president TO super
wise the conduct of the other professors, Ga
task which must be obnoxious to him. while
he is professor himself, subject 10 no super
vision, save that which is lodged in :he inqnisi
tofial body. The other professors are thus
Illuminated without reason, or the promise o I
benefit TO the institution. Each of the profess
sors Is selected for his station, not only be-
cause of his skill IN the sciences, but for his
high standing in the community. His charac-
ter and standing, and his pccupiary interest
arc intimately connected with The faithful dis
charge of his duty. Where hen, the necessity
of any other control than that which applies
to the president himself in his character oil
professor and president They are all equal
~ responsible TO public opininn, and ac,uated
by the same individual interest; AN interest
identified with the prosperity vi the institu-
Al hi
to the visitors. Ii other amendments be re
quired, your committee have no doubt that
they will fall under the observation of the board
and do not therefore require to be specified
And they pass on 10 the examination of oh
Jeclions which have presented themselves Of
late IN The public prints, and are principally
connected with the location of the Collcge.-
Two objections on this head have been urged
against the College, and have RECENTLY receiv-
ed some countcnance from letter which is
said TO have enianated from the pen of that
distinguished citizen and patriot, Mr.. JrfIer-
son {" nOmrn ciarum ri venerable,") address
sed by him IL ex-president Adams. The board
cannot but remark, that the name of Mr. JEFF
ferson is In be found enrolled among the re-
cords of VIM. & Mary, as one of its students
at an early period of his life, and that this
University has ever esteemed il one Of lis
pr0udcst boasts that 1t contributed TO rear up
that great philosopher and statesman, and TO
Undue his mind with those principles of
science and generous policy, on which he has
acted with SO much benefit TO mankind. They
regret most earnestly the necessity under
which they feel themselves of noticing re-
marks from his pen, which were used merely
as explanatory of his own pursuits, and with
out the most distant intention of injurng this
College but which may. nevertheless have
that effect, if passed over in silence. The
slightest suggestion from his pen does, and
ought To claim The attention and respect of
the public. The objections in substance are,
land these objections have been often urged, J
LIST. That Williamsburg is not sufficiently
healthy, and I'd. that the College is not sutii-
cienty central. AS to the first branch of the
objection, your committee deem it only ne
cessary to present facts 10 an impartial public,
for the purpose of oyerhrowing il. The COL
legiate course here, commences in the last
week in October, and terminates early in Ju-.
ly, comprising period of upwards of eight
months and the committee does not hesitate
To say, that during the whole term, as little dis
ease prevails among the students, as at any
other seminary in the Union. In every
climate, under all possible circumstances, dis
ease occasionally, in some form or other, as
sails the human body. Pain and suffering are
debts which we owe To nature, and which ia
all situations we have to pay. Your com
mitlee submits the following facts: that from
the year 1902 up to the present day, period
of 90 years out oftbe great number of stu
dents who have matriculated at this College,
there have occurred during the continuance OF
collegiate courses, but three deaths :; two OF
which arose from accidental causes, and one
from iDnamnaiory fever. The committee snb-
init these facts without comment ;they speak