Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-12-24
For the Enquirer
TO THE vIsiTERs OF WILLIAM AND MARY

For he EhqhpT.
TO THE vIsiTERs or WILLIAM AND MARY
COLLEGE.
Grnllemen-I claim The right and take the re-
sponsibilily, as citizen Of this proud Common
wealth, TO address you, through the public press
in reference 10 your government Of The affairs OF
The College.
claim also 10 speak out, and TO speak all my
sentiments on this subject, without fear, favor or
affection.
make no profession OF overwecning partially
for your Board, or OF confidence in the course Of
any body Of men, sell-cOnsu!ed and iucsponsi-
Bile.
| Imusi farther premise, that hold il tnnda
mental truth, that all men, on all subjects, should
desire 10 have correct opinions; and when they
have not, that then il is their bounden duly TO cx-
change error Tor truth, SO soon The ruth is by
them perceived.
Wrong opinions of men and things must result
in wrong actions, inrolving ell concerned; and il
is believed thai there is no exception To this rule
hence The importance OF correct views OF The ine-
rests OF the College, by those entrusted with The
control OF lis affairs.
Entertaining these views, am not only ready,
bu: even de,uoxs OF exchanging such OF my opin-
ions of your action as can be shown TO be errcnc
Gus, for such as are correct.
am aware that your services are all rendered
for nought-lhat they are often onerous, and ought,
therefore, 10 be imparialy and even charllably,
weighed. 1t mus: moi, however, be lofsoiten that
| they are voluntary OIL your part-and volunteers,
gentlemen. conc fo1ih 10 serrc Nor is the mea-
sure OF heir service ercr full, until the shout OF
| Virloryl Vicloryl Victory! is heard in the camp
When he lamcnled Dew fell il was seen by
all that crisis had arrived in the affairs OF the
| College, and every eye was anxiouslY turned TO-
wards the Board OF Visitors 10 see what would
be their action in that hour Of ncsI. Ii wise coun
sells prevailed, they would be succeeded BY pros
perily-bul, if not then the Institution must sui
| fer loss
Thanks 10 Bishop Johns and ,he Rev. Dr.
Hawks, they successfully decline! The Presiden
cy which you offered them, and thereby sared for
he time being glorious old William and Mary
| Ion-ior her past history has fully demonstrated
that she cannut succeed in The hands Of The Epls-
copacy.
| ANY other College would have sunk under
such weshls-but her great fame and her able
and popular Faculty sill sustained her. The
| elevation of Professor Saunders 10 the Presiden
| CT operated like charm; and, though i. came
loo late for full attendance, the number OF stu
dents al College is highly sa,islactory-and, wha
| s he,er they seem 10 be oil the right stamp.
Il may well be doubled whether there is an
| Episcopal Divine upon earth v no could have at
racted 10 William and Mary the same, or an
| equal number o! students, under The same cir
| cumslances. the reason is obvious: She is sur
rounded by an immense population both wealthy
| and intelligent, whose religious sentiments are
not Episcopalian.
II William and Mary College is ever 10 -four
ish, as her favorable location plainly indicates
she may, it must be by other counses than those
which have prevailed. She must have the pa
| Ia Of mi md
This she can and will enjoy, ii her interests and
not the interest OF one particular sect be consult
ed. II is suicidal 10 drive her friends and neigh
bors away from her halls.
will venture 10 predict that by proper and
udicous course Of action on the parI OF the Board
OF Visilers, the number Of students would be
| doubled in a single wear and would very soon be
increased even four fold. This, however, can
never be done unless there be introduced into the
Board OF Visiters such an admixlure OF Religion
isis as shall secure the hearty cooperation Of the
different leading secs in all the tide-waer dis
lricl OF the Stale This is what ought 10 be done,
ana done Immediately, and the Classic Halls OF
the mother OF Presidents will a. once be filled 10
ovel1owing.
II any should doubt the correctness OF these
views, their doubts will be removed by glance
at the catalogues OF our different Institutions
They will al once perceive that we have madly
thrown away the cup OF prosperity from our own
lips.
The writer of this article has abundant reason
10 know that many young men from Eastern Viz
ginia have passed by William and Mary, prefer
ring her honors, but driven away on account OF
the supposed bias entertained here in favor OF
Episcopacy. Let the public mind be disabused
in this vita mater, and hcncelorth the course OF
William and Mary will be onward, triumphant
and glorious!
Gentlemen Visitors, you will again hear from
| A FRIEND CT THE COLLEGE.
December 8, 1871
II The Richmond Wing, Petersburg Republi
can aud Norfolk Herald will please copy