Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-10-08
ron THE srAvsros SPECTATOR.
wAsnlNcToN COLLEGE, LEXINGTON; VA.

II ron THE STANTON SPECTATOR.
WASHINGTON COLLEGE, LEXINGTON; VA
4 NO. II.
The men who achieved the Independence of thi
great nation were Patriots i'm the best and hiphes
sense of the word. They had felt the iron grass
Of oppression and learned to appreciate the bless
ings conferred by civil and religious liberty. Will
this was generally true Of the whole country, i
was especially and emphatically true of the fins
settlers of this immediate section of the Valley
They, or their immediate ancestors, had fought a
Derry and the Boync; they had resisted tyrann,
unto blood, and suffered persecution for conscience
sake unto the death. They had left the land O
their fathers sepulchres and sought country and
a home, where they could rear the banner Of civil
and religious liberty and worship the God of their
fathers agreeably to the teachings of the Bible
This was the reasonable boon which they sought
Tor themselves and children, and which they did
not seek in vain But this they were not long per-
mitted to enjoy without molestation. The hand OF
oppression was again employed in forging chains to
| bind those whose sires had raised upon another
shore the standard of freedom in 1858. The sons
of such sres would not tamcly submit to unjust and
| tyrannic eXactions. They struck the chains from
the hands of Oppression, and put their feet upon
her neck, whilst they calmly said-"Sic semper
| fyrdnnis." When the Revolutionary war burst up
on the country, threatening ruin and desolaon ;
when every true man had his attention turned to
when every sword and rifle was called into requsi-
ton, from section of the United States it is be-
leved, did more numerous or patriotic band
enter the service of the country than from this very
region. One We'd with another i'm true devotion TO
the cause OF freedom, and in the whole country
there could not be found half dozen who were not
sincere friends to liberty and independence.
Zen. Washington did not mistake the character
and patriotic daring of these men, when in the
darkest hour of the Revolutionary war; when the
enemy was triumphant and when thousands were
ockng to the royal standard he is reported to have
said, that should the present conflict prove disas-
trous, should every other resource fail, and every
other hope be cut off that he would retire to West
Augusta with single standard, there collect
band OF an indomitabe spirit, meet the enemy at
the Blue Ridge, and establish free nation in the
West.
such were the men who founded Washington
College, and laid the foundations ofmany generations
upon basis which, fondly hope will be found as
lasting as the everlasting mountains. These men
Were generally of Scotch Irish extraction and they
or their fathers, had carried with them from Pres
byterlan Ulster their religion, their love of civil
and religious liberty, and of Literature. Churches
and schools sprung up simultaneously with the
population, which secured to the Young the bene-
fits and blessings of religious and mental training
such as fitted and prepared them to discharge the
duties Of life
Previous to the Revolutionary war of l776,
classical school had been established at Mount
Pleasant, and was in successful operation when the
Presbytery of Hanover took it under their special
care and appointed the Rev. VIM Graham, Rec
tor, and Mr. John Montgomery, Tutor, in this ris-
ing institution. Mr.. Graham was distinguished
graduate of the College of New jersey, and the
school of which he had charge was established for
the training OF plous young men, for the work of
the Ministry in the Presbyterian Church. Such is
the paternity of Washington College
Will close this number with brief sketch of
the character of Mr.. Graham as drawn by the
Rev. A. Alexander, d. d., of Princeton, a distin-
guished pupil of Mr.. Graham
MIR. Graham possessed a mind formed for pro-
found and accurate investigations He had studied /
the Latin and Greek classics with great care and
relIshed the beauties of these exquisite compost
tons He always insisted ON the importance of
classical literature as the proper foundation of Ii
beral education.
He had strong inclination to the study of Ma
tural Philosophy, and took pleasure in making ex-
Per,nents with such apparatus he possessed; and
ne had procured for the Academy as good an one
as was then possessed by most of the Colleges.
The science, however, which engaged his at
tention more than all others, except theology. was
the Philosophy Of The Mind In this he took great
delight, and TO il devoted much time and attention
Though acquainted with the best treatises which
had then been published, his Investigations were
not carried on so much by books. as by a patient
and repeated analysis of the various processes of
thought as they arose in his own mind and by re-
ducing the phenomena thus observed to REGULAR
system. 1t is to be regretted that his lectures were
never fully committed to writing and published for
the benefit of the world. 1t was, however, fault
in this man of profound thought that he made little
use of the PEN And ii was also defect, that in
the latter years of his life he addicted himself little
to reading the productions of other men, and. per-
maps, entertained too low opinion Of the value of
books.
Mr.. Graham, in his theological creed. was strict
~ orthodox according TO the standard Of his own
church, which he greatly venerated As a preach
er, ne was always instructive and evangelical his
whole manner was awakening and impressive. As
a clear and cogent reasoner, he had no superior a
mong his contemporaries and his pre-eminence in
the exercise of this faculty, was acknowledged by
all unprejudced persons.
In the government Of youth, Mr. Graham was
from the first rigid disciplinaran He laid it
down as principle, that, at every risk, authority
must be maintained.
He died in consequence of violent fever con-
tracted by exposure TO drenching rains while on
Journey to Richmond. In that city he breathed his
last. x
The extent of the influence exerted by this one
man over the literature and religion of this repion
cannot be calculated As the stream which fertili-
zes large district is small in its origin but goes on
continually increasing until it becomes mighty
river, so the influence Of the Rev. VIM. Graham
did not cease when he died, but has gone on in
creaslng, by means of his disciples, who have been
scattered lar and wide the West and South"
ANXIOUS.