Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1833-09-12
rroR THE AEExaNDRA eAzETrE.j
UNIVERSITY OF ,VIR GI N A

(" We copied, last week, paragraph from
an article which originally appeared IN the A'ex'
andria Gazette, charging Professor DAVIS, OF the
University of Virginia, with intoxicating the doc
trines of the South Carolina School, 10 his lec-
tures before the Law Glass, and We added few
words Of comment, such as the charge. 1t it were
true. seemed to Us to demand. The last Char
iottesvilie Chronicle republishes our remarks
and it gives Us pleasure to say. as we'll on ac'
count OF our personal regard for Professor DAVIS
"a Of the deep interest which we feel IN the pros.
perity of the University, unequivocally contra.
diets the charge. The Chronicle asserts, from
personal knowledge, that, whatever Mr.. LA.
Wis., sentiments may be on certain political ques-
tions he never introduces them into his lectures,
nor has he ever, in any way, inculcated the doc
trines of Notification aud Secession to his stu.
dents, nor has any other Professor" 1t affords
US unqualified pleasure to publish this contrad,c-
ton, as It gave US great pain originally to notice
the allegation"
The above remarks are taken from late mum.
Der Of the Lynchburg Vrginian-a paper which,
however much the writer Of this notice may think
to have erred in adopting political creed, has
uniformly been devoted to the amelioration OF the
good old State in respect TO intellectual and mo-
raj culture. When the article signed " Pendle.
tom appeared in the Alexandria Gazette, 1t was
thought unnecessary to notice 1t, as the assertions
contained 10 Il carried with them intrinsic evl.
,lence of their incorrectness. Could il have been
po,sibIe for the Professor OF Law 10 such an in.
sttution as the University Of Virginia to have in
cuicated doctrines for the space Of two years (,he
period since Mr.. Davis commenced his lectures
on constitutional law detmed heretical by four
fif,hs Of the intelligent citizens OF the State, aud
for the few deeply dyed Federalsts 1--WE use the
term in its party acceptation) among them not to
have convicted HIM of the overt 0Henre? Ii Is
frue that on a former occasion, " Pe0dieton"
threw out some indefinite charges Of similar
character, but they were received with the indit-
ference aud contempt which they merited -
Would not the diminished number Of Professor
Davis class at tire last session have evinced the
sprit by which an attempt to disseminate suca
poIitical sophlsms had been met BY the commu
nifty, had any foundation existed for such gratut.
Gus allegations? But what are the facts? The
Law Class at the University during the session
of IsSl-s2-the year that Professor ID. began
his Course on constitutional iaw-numorrrd ~;
at the session Tor 1888. it contained S7-De,ng
ten more than had, at any one time, attended the
law lectures while Judge Lomax occupied the
chair.
Aud what proof has " Pendleton" advanced
to sustain his charges? HIS own ssertions sim.
ply Anonymous and unsupported by particle
OF evidence; and which assertions have been un-
eauivocally contradicted by paper edited with.
in s,ght Of the University walls.
A few words may explain the origin OF Pen.
dletcn's misrepresentation. To give general
and connected view of American Jurisprudence,
the Professor of Law has deemed it not merely
sufficient that his lectures should he confined to
the municipal regulations OF the country. Our
connection with foreign nations, and the delicate
points which have, at different times, arisen from
the embarrassing state Of our neutral and belli-
gerent situation, have induced him to give ample
lectures on international law; while the same con-
sideration OF utility has impelled him to dwell at
large on the constitutions Of our country, and the
yexed questions which have grown out OF their
construction. His plan has been, to state as i'm.
partially as possible the arguments advanced on
either side to support any particular doctrine,
and then 10 give the result at which his own judy.
ment had arrived. This latter circumstance has
been the nucleus on which has been formed the
mass of SANDER current in relation to Professor
Davis course. In What consists the objection to
this plans The student is at perfect liberty to
adopt or reject, at pleasure, any opinion he may
hear advanced from any chair; and this privilege
is constantly exercised "Pendleton" has not
now to learn that dognatism, cant, and system
BY which thought and speech are fettered. are
things unknown IN the University OF Virginia.
Nulius sddic,us jurare in verba magis,ri
may emphatically be the motto Of each matricu-
late within its walls. Moreover, how can such q
course be avoided!
Tedious and unsatisfactory indeed would be
that system Of instruction which consisted ia
mere detail Of arguments or OF facts. without
showing their relative bearing on each other
without giving to each side its due and appro.
pirate weight, especially if those facts we're in
tended to elucldate mooted point in legislation
or morais. Equally irkso@e to both professor
aad s,sdent would it be to teach aud learn either
facts or arguments without arriving at approPri.
ate conclusions-to state the premises Of pro-
positiun-reasun upon Il and discuss it, and leave
it undecided Just AZ the moment we are expect
iny the legitimate deductions from those pre-
misses. As well may Pendle,on object to pub.
lie instruction in municipal law, because some
of the pr,'esso,'s opinions, no matter how we'll
sustained by reason. analogy and justice, may
De at variance with precedent or established die.