Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-10-20
A WORTHY TRIBUTE.

Of William and Mary College. we are ple"'sU
to be able 10 redeem our pledge BY puoiish'ns
this morning The following, beautiful, chas'e "
striking passages from a lecture Of Saunders,
who is DOW President OF the Institution. In oiiei
but strong and graphic terms he points oni Inc
leading characteristics OF Professor Dew, anu pc
sents him as he was, one OF the ablest ana hhos'
valuable sons Of Virginia. But we shall ho'
spoil BY any OF our own, THIS Nervous
and hear, fell ,ribue 10 a lamenied literary as
sociale and friend:
EXTRACT from tie IntrOdnetory address afnre'ea
10 the Students al The Opening OF H,HlaW q lHo'y
CoUepe. IAN Octu5er, 1916, By Professor Sann-
ders. !.
"Thomas Roderie Dew became a student Of
this COLLEGE al the early age of sixteen, ana
Young as he was, rendered himself remarkaole
a. the first who, al The expiration OF TWO years
study. look The degree OF Bachelor oil Arts, ata
time when the course was spread over a wider
surface Than al present-thns giving an earnest
Of the ability and assiduily which always cha
r~ac,erized him. Soon alter, ne sought improve,
ment OF body and of mind in that loreisn lana
whose recolleclions again allured nm so recent
IL TO It's shores-and which now contains ms
ashesi Returning thence with the increased
force and expansion OF mind which travel always
works in a man constituted, as he was, al The
age Of iwenly three he was elected 10 The chair
OF moral and political philosophy in this College
"a distinction rarely conferred on one so youth
full. The wisdom OF the appointment, however,
soon became manifest. The mastery aollity
which he dispIayed-his deep and thorough re-
search into whatever subject was before MN
the copious and various illustrations gathered
from his extensive reading, with which he adorn-
"A md anrrcad he inSfructiOuS and his elegant
STYLE as a lecturer, very soon began 10 build up
The edifce OF his fame, which was destined ere
long 10 be completed in all lis harmonious pro-
portion, by the publication OF his writings
This al once extended to all portions of The Union
The brightness of those talents which had hither-
10 illumined only The sphere i'll which lhey had
been exercised. Indeed, although The subjects OF
these writings were almost entirely local, their
ability attracted distinguished attention on the
other side of the Atlantic. or these publications
only three need here be individually noticed as
possessing, each, a distinctive character, and
marking, each, an epoch in the literary career OF
the writer. These are, his Lectures on The Re-
~striclive SYSTEM" his ESSAY on Slavery" and
his Essay on Usury." Cllhe frsi, it is not in
vidious TO say that il produced a greater i'm
preston han any work upon Political Economy
which had ever appeared in this country; 1t al
once attracted The notice oil the most eminent
puuliC llCH, dNu SuilSQ " III tdiai'i -
place among The ablesl champions OF free trade.
"Thc Essay on Slavery by the absorbing in
terest of the suhlect-by the bold and almost
startling character Of its positions, and by the
great ability Of lis execution, produced a power
iul sensation when il appeared. IL was The FIRST
voice raised 10 warn The Southern portion OF The
Union against the consequences oil opinions then
beginning 10 prevail there, which, il estab-
| lished, would soon, by The intervention OF ia
ra,:o,l ,aalo,c rron ah,oa6 ava dppriued
The Slaveholding States OF all control over thai
important and delicate interest; and il commenced
The Revolution in public opinion, which was so
| rapidly consummaled. The Essay on Usury"
by lis sound views, and wise and wholesome con. I
ciusions concerning the difficult and important
subjecl of money and The currency, gave ASST
rance hat The mind of the author was as practi-
cal as he had already proved il 10 be philosophy
cal.
Besides the writings thus par,icularized, various
| n!her productions OF President Dew appeared al
intervals on subjects of polite literature, politics
and philosophy; all exhibiting his characteristics
of profound and accurate thought, extensive re-
search and vigorous style.
"Just len years ago, after having been for ten
years Professor he was appointed President OF
Ibis College, in which station be remained until
his death, having witnessed during his Presiden-
cy The highest condition Of prosperity 10 which
The College had ever attained. The manner in
which he DISCHARGED this Office, proved him as
eminenlly fitted ior lis duties as Tor the task Of
instruction. te was %vigilanI, faithful and cfi-
cienl.
"Under his administration was perfected a sys-
TEN Of discipline Tor The government Of Inc
youths resor;ing ~ our halls, which, ! hesitate
n TO assert, is not excclled in any collegiate in
stiiution in our country The delicate process Of
applying this system he performed with the
most singular felicity. Lie was dignified, calm,
absolutely impartial, and immoveably hrm.
oHis zeal for The welfare CT his Alma Mater
The parent Of his fame-was without bounds.
| He was identified with her existence, as an afec.
rionate son with that OF The mother who gave
| him birth.
"In private, as most Of you know, he was bland,
courteous and kind, By which means he attracted
al once The regard of all wherever he appeared
remarkably illustrating the opinion Of Cicero,
that benisni,y Of disposition is one OF The most
beautiful qualities which can adorn a man, and
ought Justly to be preferred 10 many of his vir-
tues generally demanding more attention as more
striking in their manifestations.
"Finally, no one could have the slightest perso-
nal acquaintance with President Dew, without i'm
medialrly perceiving The solid material Of his
| characler-unaffectcd simplicity, answering rec
tiIude and unstained honor.
"WeIl NAV we exclaim oil those whose func-
lion 1, is 10 supply his loss,
&Ouondo alum inpsnicnt parem 2"
"At The early age of fory-three, in the prime oil
life, he was stricken down from The zenith OF his
usefulness"
As germane 10 the subject, We extract The fol-
lowing eloquent passages from a tribute to the
talents of Professor Dew, pcnned BY Col. Clai-
borne, the late Editor Of The N. Q. Jeffersonian,
and published in that paper. We r~epublish
them, because they do justice 10 The late Profess
sor Dew, moi only as an able and learned scho-
lar, but as a devoted son Of Virginia:
1.-THE last arrival from Europe brought inte|li-
gence Of the death OF this eminent man, at Paris.
Il will be received with profound regret in Vlrsi-
| MIA, and throughout the Southern States. That
venerable Commonwcal,h-lhc Comedian mother
| Of The Union-whose genius, eloquence and pa
rrioiism belong 10 the Republic boosted few citi-
zens gifted with greater talents, none more en-
dowed with her own peculiar spirit, not one more
devoted 10 her honor, her institutions and her So
vereisnty. VIRGINIA was bis idol. He perceiv-
I'd in her all that was noble and praisewoTlhy in
The Republics Of antiquity, with an exemption
from those errors of organization that ioTesha-
bowed their decay and dissolution. lie studied
and ANALYSED her Constitution, and found in il,
and in the peculiar institution OF domestic labor
and properly that il protected, not a source OF
weakness, bu, guarantees OF perpetuity and pros
perIty-incen,ives To observation-disclosures 10
liberty, and Of public and private virtue.
"At a crisis when lhe mind Of the country was
much aggilattd in consequence of West India
emancipation, and the anli-slavery movements
in Congress, and some OF The eastern States, he
threw himselfinlo the controversy, and placed the
Institution Of slavery on a foundation so deep,
and high ana self.susIained-so supported by the
authority of revealed religion-so recommended
by The prccedenls Of hislory-so justified by our
own experience and produclion-and 50 benign
and bene6cent as ii exists with us-ihat il has
since defed assault and iriumphanlly challenged
investigation. He brought 10 its defence all The
powers Of a colossal intellect, singularly refined
by assiduous cultivation, and adapted alike 10
bold discussion, and the incest subtleties of con
%,roversy. His argument was, as we have said,
conclusive, and from that moment there has been
a perceplible and happy reaction in the public
mind"