Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1845-06-30
RICHMOND DAILY WING.
MONDAY MORNING. Jun. %. ! IS.
The University.


The University.
The Charlottesville Jcffersonian Of last Thurs
day says:
"Thc Richmond Wing seems determined to destroy the
University II IL either by withholding the annual arpr
Paton OF $4,000, which the State gives this
or by building up another College University in Rich
mond, OF by both"
Ear better would for the State to appropriate 800
OO6 and then the fees the Professors might be
abolished, aud the INDECENT and needy youth educate
selves ut very uaing sxpensc-and in this way a hos
OF teachers would spring in all Of the State: and
instead OF 200 Students 600 would i'm attendance GU the
Lectures II tho State will mt do this arc there not gencr
Gus and worthy Of the Old Dominion who viii step
forth and endo~ the Institution with sufficient to
effect desirable obec Other Colleges endow.
ed, and why not the Virginia University. We arc for
building and not destroying Institution founded by the
immortal patriot and sage OF Monticello, and are the
mass OF the people OF Virginia. the vand,
sm manifested by the Richmond whg and some Of its
correspondents"
CoMMENT.-A more unioundcd and graceless
accusation than that of vandalism" against US
that Vandalism which delights in destruction and
repines at the advance Of knowledge, virtue and
the human race-was never preferred by igno-
rance or malice. Ii any man has gone farther
in the support of all things and all measures
which promoted or were designed to promote the
public welfare, to improve our condition and ele.
vate our social happiness-or is willing now to
or is willing to pay more according to his ab.
shall hail him brother.
To destroy the University was never our OBJ.
ject wish: TO make it efiicient-to denude il
oil its aristocratic features-to open il TO the Peo
pie who built it and still support ito compel it,
by rigorous reform, to realize some at least of
the objects for which so proi;Ise an expenditure
has been incurred-these and these only are the
ends we have in view. No personal i'll will
against any one concerned in its administration
Ion the contrary the highest individual respect for
all of them, and long course of friendship for
othersJ has pointed any censure, or dictated any
commentary. sincere, disinterested and
therefore, we hope, laudable zeal for the cause
of Education, the resuscitation ofOld Virginia and
the erasure of the vile reproach of leading the
vanguard of unlettered ignorance from her es
cuicheoa have been, and arc, our sole motives.
These motives will urge us on still, notwith
standing the sensibility and the Rinchiness which
the peculiar friends of the University betray. It
has long needed some one TO open up to the view
of the People of Virginia the inadequate benefits
which that institution conferred upon the People
for sums lavished upon her wholly Unprecedented
we believe in the annals of this country towards
any other institution of learning Circumstances
appear to have devolved this task upon rs more
peculiarly, and we shall proceed 10 discharge it
firmly, though with profound respect, to all the
parties concerned.
We have In this article Of the Jefersonian a
singular proof of the uareaseasi,asess not to say
the arrogance, OF the Pcofiisr trends 81 the Uni.
versity. who appear 90 think that the State and
the peeal@s we're made Tor u, nnrf MOI u The
People. demsad iiss-a,ade. OF a MODEST sueres.
non at leist, to increase the annuity from is TO
$4,000, and at the exact juncfure of time, too,
when those very peculiar friends themselves ad-
NIT. that the University has fallen much short of
tine objects of It's creation.
Our Saviour in his parable deprived the unfah- |
iul steward even Of that which he had but we il |
seems wiser than he must cntrust other talents TO |
him who has proved himself incompetent to man. |
age the first The people of Virginia will hardly |
subscribe to such reasoning.
What is the Faculty of the University itself
pFocaning indirectly, but mos, intelligibly to the
country! What means the proposed re union of |
the Alumni, SO anxiopsly drummed up, on the Sd |
July! What is it but an acknowledgment that |
trouble has come upon them-that they are con. |
scious of having incurred popular displeasure-
and that they look to the Alumni to ferry them out
of the dooP water in which they find themselves
What is il but calling on Cassius to help them, or
they sink!
Yet from that reunion Of the Alumni we anti.
cipate much good, if their deliberations should
happily be directed to the future and not to the
past-to the Reformation of errors and abuses
and not simply TO making apologies and excuses for
them-to the GOOD OF THE PEOPLE. and
no, Ia complimentary explanations upon the Inst.
tuition where they CHANGED to be taught They
may do much good, or 10y mlsdircction OF their
efforts they may yet more inname public displea.
sure.