Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-10-10
Pr liz Eggpiro
:" 80 LHI'Htf
THE, UNIVERSITY mo vi

We have seen that the regulations OF the Uni
versiiy have heretofore been such, as 10 place it
entirely beyond The power Of a very large portion
Of the people possessing properly, 10 receive any
benefit from the institution, though The people ot
Virginia have pai'i three hundred thousand dol
lars 10 erect il and keep il up. II has been shown,
also, that it was mistaken policy toappoint chap
lain, since, in this age oil seciarian bgo'ry parry
spirit and religious prejudice, The appointment
mus, iroll The established laws of human nature
and human weakness give dissatisfaction Ia many.
Whilst the authorities, from the best motives, have
decided that Tie selection shall not be made from
one denomination but the Jru prevailing demo
limitations OF The State, thus paying respect 10
ir0 millions OF The population oil this Union,
they have disreSarled more Than three millions,
the aggregate oil all other denominations.
Many are made 10 wonder al the irequen! as
-aulls made upon lie University aud The number
oil opponents il has AMI this Circumstance would
be unaGcouatablc, if wc considered merely the
design OF the nsiituion-to difiuse knowledge
and extend education But when we take into
consideration existing regulations, il admits Of
easy explanation for Tie scholar and the title
advocate ot literary Standing and emincnce, Is
disguised with The easy admission within lis walls
ot all SORTS ,iuJenis; ihr man in moderate crcum
Stances that he is dehafrrd from the benefits OF The
College mi the Christian, seclarian and liberal,
is dissatisfied, that SOFT OF qnadrangular ChIis-
liantv is established By his unwise regulation
appointing n Chaplain.
Though there he some radical defect in The
clearly from its failure; and though il be admitted
hy many, that certain rules and regulations are
irnpoliic, and contrary to tie true interests 81
lie institution many are opposed 10 any changes OF
,ctorm. Hence the opposition 10 reduction 81
professors fees and lhc other charges proposes.
With those improper regulations, they say "et
i, alone: lei il go on as il has been conducted,
AMI lei The State give The 81 600 annuity" The
great difference between the writer OF this, and
other proiessed friends Of The University j., that
they ask Tor HE slJ 600, 10 be expended on the
same improper principles hitherto obtaining,
wh;lo.L. lis for The Sl5 600 also, but, before The
iIuney IS goien. certain regulations onght To be
made, so that The expenditures might be most prn
dent and judicious. II skiliu physician were
called in 10 see patient one Of whose limbs were
affected with 4 disease having lis seat near the
bone he would rol apply ointmens and saves out
he would begin with The seal of The disease. lie
would not conceal the state oi The ci"c; but would
begin al The cause oi Tie disease, ..t rero:e sha
Some are in favor OF conccaiine he detects an0ui
llr Universit, regulations lest discussions oil me
subject inlure The institution; but who does mol
see thai this course, however well.meaning, must
cause nj the present want ot success, and 10
future mnsl sink the University lower and lower
in publc estimation The true policy is, open
IL and canlidly 10 acknowledge, that IL requires
REFORM. and 10 point out the lrne state OF he
case. Lei il he proclaimed, from Dan 10 Beer
sheba-lrom Maine 10 Georgian The voice Of
thunder. that The regulations ol Inc University
have bccn improper, and that The institution re-
ouires and nccc. sarily demands rtf1m. when
This is done, and no reasonable ground OF obcc-
ton is Jeff To The scholar, The man who pfaclses
economy in the expenditures for he education OF
his sons, or 10 the religious partizan, however
scrupulnus il requires no prophet 10 loreleii inc
future destiny Of our great Stale institution.
The great question now 10, alter showing Una
r. fern i. required. and pointing out certain
items in which changes may be made with grea
advantage. Shall the Stale sill grant The annGa
anprontiation Of fifteen thousand dollars
donh; moi that strenuous effort will he made by
many members uf the next Legislature 10 with
hold this annuity. When popular sentiment am
ruhlic orIrion are aroused, il moves with hi
force OF the whirlwind, and the effects may b.
characterized bv the greatest want oil wisdom am
prudence. Now, when the State has erected :
great literary institution, IL an expense OF thTe'
hundred thousand dollars, and extended us sup
port BIZ granting fifteen thousand dollars hhhhal
ly, and, after al nothing but disappointment ant
sad failure are the consequence, u y hos 10 w
wondered a. that many should he IN favor 81 tnci
REPRESENTATIVES opposing The annual appropriation
/ 'rhe University has become the theme oil CONVEX
! sation with the plain un!cl,cred farmer, and iht
unpretcndny mall on-every class i aSltatinS afS
| discussing The subject in the private circle
Hinder these circumstances, there need be no sur
pri>e al any proposition, that Shall be Drou9E
before The next Legislature. In The mean time
| il becomes every phi.anIhropst, every friend if
/ humanity and education, every friend 10 Inc Uni
versy 10 come 10 her aii and nse al lis efiort
! 10 relieve her al This Rbsi important cfiSS.
/ Il is with feelings OF regret, that se see loo
many disposed to consirue any thing said in fave
/ ofthe University, into an intention 10 dsparas'
other library institutions, and 10 bolster M GU
own though sc commend his Jealousy and grea
regard which the Aldmnus cutivales Tor hi
/ Alma Mata, il kept within proper hounds. AM
/ II is with mingled feelings OF disgust and pity
/ that we see sneers and diSparaglng remarks, iron
| the proGssed friends OF the University, II am
! wholesome suggestions he made as 10 The man
apement of The institution. We pity The week.-Mrs.
ol human nature. that il is thus constituted, ah'
u,o ,;,r tho man whose views are so exclusively
/; limited and horizon 60 contracted, that IN 10!
world of impeliec,iOn, where all that man mas I
do with has mperfecton stamped on u, ne shoul,
come 10 the settled conviction, that The Universi
| ~ regulations are and have been perfect. Cd'
Such characters not see, that the scale upol
! which the University was erected calls Tor iron
500 To coo students nnually2 And what po>sibi
difficulty can be imagined 10 prevent This state O
hincs hut The resulations2 Have we not sui
fcienl number OF professors, and apparatus, phi
lo.ophical and chemical, 10 justify such an ex
per,at;onl Jefferson spoke Of tuning ont hhd
| dfds every year hom the University, well cdu
called. so far a The iniellec: is concerned, 81
qualified 10 eEier upon all the departments {
lie. but now it.re are not 200 matricuiates. ant
so far from turning olii hhndTcdS annually, iher
are not 25, well educated turned out ak
Jefferson, who was The founder Of The University
(Which was more honor than TO be elected fies
dent Of The Uni ed States twice. did mol cohlen
plate large scale Of business, ana extensive !
lerary uperalions7 Yet, SO far rom seeing al
anlicipalions realized, the merest upstart coils
ge,, the creatures 81 circumstances COREY w
did not cost one tenth OF the money That Inc oh
versity ,osi. are sending out, annually, as man
oraduo:ss as We do! Yet, III The face oi all thes
Startling truths, written as with sunbeam, 10 =
read by The world certain proiessed friends Of III
University are saying, "lt il alene-m0Se
amendments or a!icraiGas-hef regulations are pt
f.gt;" and regard him, who would see whole
some laws sanitary regulations, ard .pTopt
enactmenls made, as he enemy Of the insli''
lion. am as sincere friend 10 every liierar
institution, as any man that lives. am an u
compromising advocate for education, and
would lha, there were 1900 colleges and hie
schools in The United States, instead OF ITO co
leees: 50 lha, literary characters might be null
Piled, competition excited, and general in'ere