Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1828-1831, 1829-08-15
TO THE ED,roRs or THE Wma.

10 III EsDlEOts Or TIE w HiG.
ny object in sending this communication, is to re-
quest you to insert III your paper an appeal from the
Trustees of lIampden Sidney College, which was
published II few weeks since IN the Enquirer. / am
glad to learn that the friends Of that institution uic
making efforts to elevate its character and TO enlarge
the sphere of it's usefulness. hope they will ulect
with complete success. No institution IN the State
is more worthy ol public patronage, than lluinpdcn
Sidney College. For the last ten years it has been
the principal support Of our literary regulations; and
uhth within u few years, 1t was the Chief resort ofour
young men, and the only College that possessed any
degree of responsibility. There has been some lit
tie excitement ,f lato) ON the subject of education,
and the prospects OF all our literary institutions are
more f%lattcring than they have been. But much is
yet TO be done, before they can be placed on n level
with other Summaries Of learning. They all want
the mnteTidt of education. There is not a public IL
orary IN the State worthy of the name: no cabinets,
no inuscuins, nor philosophical apparatus sufficiently
large TO illustrate the sciences IN their present advan-
ced state. III were going 10 build u University That
should rise superior To all others, | would not erect
fine houses, Il make no allusions,) but would collect
u library OF choice books, classical, philosophical, lis
torlcal, TO the amount OF two hundrcd thousand vo-
Tunes. ! would locate around tins library select men
OF the true spirit, and ! warrant YOU | would have a
University worthy of the name IN Il short time
Young men filled with literary enthusiasm, would
como from all directions. They would build tents in
tue open field; would live on bread and water; suffer
any prIVaiIon rather than iorego the pleasure Of being
i'll the neiglbOrhood of such "a treasure. and under The
influence and excitement of such spirits. But | did
not mean TO write an essay; | only wished to call your
dttcuAiou u inc hDONcinelil lnileu appeal. The friends
ot l~iampden Sidney, | understand, wish To raise
about thirty or forty thousand dollars, for he purpose
OF completing the College buildings, charging The
library, and for a permanent fund. They have AREA
dy met with considerable success. Several indivi-
d0als have made large subscriptions; aud agents ale
expected soon to be sent IN The adjacent counties to
solicit further ad. i hope all the Liberal and patrio-
TIC friends OF Improvement will contribute their mite
10 advance the great cause of education. lam not a
prophet, nor the son ola prophet; but tell Won. sirs,
That II more vigorous and umremittcd Efforts are not
made TO Improve the mola! Ind intellectual character
OF Our people, tile Republic is gone. There are no
better means 10 improve the people than the patro-
mage OF our literary Institutions. When properly
conducted, they excite n spirit oil enquiry in the mind
OF all those who come within reach OF its influence.
We want Libraries, lib arics! | repeat it, we want
large public libraries. Private individuals cannot
procure many books OF value so long as the present
IdTU exists. j know you arc Il friend to the ".9me-
ricdt System" aud 50 am in some degree; but n tax
on intellect is insupportuble; it is abominablc, and
only worthy Of Gothic Congress.
To The Editors Of the Enquiyey.
The trustees OF Hampton Sydney College. feeling
IN common with their fcliow-citizcns of Virginia
generally, an increased interest upon the subject
of education; experiencing more and more every wear
the inconvenience arising from the want of funds
sill.clCnt 20 carry OF their opcra:iCnS-ald haVir-
asccrtnIncd by repeated experiment, that they ourIt
not To depend on aid from the Legislature, have de-
tcrmined IN their present circumstances of pressing
need. To make an earnest appeal to the friends OF
sound learning in our state; and confident tn t the
liberty and pubic spirit, which has Heretofore so
generously sustained them, Will not fail them now.
In order that they may come more fairly and more
effectively before the public with their application,
a committee Of their board has been appointed 20
make to that public. through the medium ofthc news
papers, an exposition OF the situaiiono at the %institu-
ton, It's funds, it's wants, and its claims to public pat
ronagc. You will obliae the trustees and friends Of
the institution, by giving that exposition a place in
your columns
The patriots of the days of the revolution, knew
full well that il was necessary in order to qualify al
people for enjoying and retaining civil and religious
liberty, To- %cnlighten their minds by education. To
effect this end, as far rs cam within their power, n
few public spirited citizens of Middle Virginia. on the
south side of James River, raised by voluntary con-
tubutlon n small fund, and with il commenced n
school IN the year 1876, in the county Of Prince Ed.
ward, called Hamdcn Sydney Academy. This Acad
cmy thus founded and sustained Ivy individual lihcr-i
ty, by the year 1888, had assumed a character suai
cIcutly respectable to enable it's friends 10 obtain for
u, OF the Legislature, a Charter as n College. In.
the years 1884 and 1904, It was endowed with two
small tracis Of cschcatcd land lying in the county Of.
Prince Edward. This land with very few hooks and
a map. constitute the sum total of donations made
by the State of VirginiI TO this institutions, since its
ioundatisn. IN return for this poor and pitiful dowry,'
llandcu Sydney, supported by the extraordinary
eXcrtioHs of her board oftrustccs, sustained bv the
hbcralitY ofa few friends principally re idlur in this re-
gIoH ot country, has gone on year ait,r year TO dis
scninate the blessings Of moral and mcnthl imD,ovo-
Incnt, until now, her sons may be found n almost every
quarter ofthc State, occupying and ornnmenting the
most respectable stations both in prbic ani private
nc J = !" n lac undcniablc, that since the fOundl-
Ton OF Hamdcn Sydney College, more Of Virginia.
sons have received their cduc1tions within her halls, !
than at any other Institution in the State, and for
thc last ten wears, moro than double as mauv rs at
any othcr-Handan Sydney docs not rest hor clsims
30 pubic support and patronage, upon the number
OF young men who have in past times, drunk AZ her
fountains ana gone firth into tho State Cxtriinr
most happy influences upon society. IIor trustees
claim for hrr no'o, r high place ainour tho literary
institutions OF this Country. Her course NJ study,
published not long since in tho Richmond Enquircr,
will not suHcr by comparison withthat OF any Collcpe
in tho Union: and the gentlemen who on her chairs.
and minister her instructions, by their zeal, fat hGl.
ness and ability, do honor to the cause in which thew
arc engaged
but, while ilampdcu Sydney has been able Ia mnvc regular.
~ on with her operations since her foundation, and been con.
SANITY progressing ~ Improvement always enjoying a foil
share Of public confidence, and freuaenty succeeding boynnd
the expectations or the hopes Of the most sauguruc Of her
incntS she has been always oppressed and horne down by her
n1-rrLH. She hla Lrrn mnnhLn Ln nnNllc M Lnr nm. a.nh -