Daily Richmond times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1849-1850, 1849-09-10
THE MILITARY INSTITUTE.

The circumstance that the Board of Visitors of the
Virginia Military Institute have, in accordance with
the instructions of the Legislature, been making in
qures concerning the advantages presented by differ
ent localities as sites for that institution in its
removal from Lexington should be determined upon,
has naturally excited the interest of the citizens of
several of the interior towns. portion OF the
Board on Saturday week, met at Winchester TO con-
slider the subject and after examining several situa-
tons pointed out to them by the citizens, expressed
themselves satisfied, as we learn from the Virgnan,
"that as far as topography was concerned there
would be no difficulty in selecting grounds high
ly adapted to the most extended purposes of the
School"
"Our SOIL and the indications OF plenty adds the
paperO seemed the particular observation OF the
visitors especially those OF them who were from the lower
PARTS ofthe State Whether the visitors may advise the
removal OF the Institute from Lexington is yet uncertain
but should they determine the favored spot tor its iu
ture location will probably be decided small degree,
BY the lberaty Of the citizens around it. Romney
are told town long Distinguished for its intellectual en-
terprze, offers nducement for its location there its
Academy buildings and grounds, with an endowment OF
ten thousand dollars 1t also boast OF the most extern
sve public library of the Capital OF the State the
Collegiate towns. True the future encouragement and
usefulness Of such institution form the most important
elements n making proper selection upon its site; but
berality inviting such establishment, may be regard
ed pretty fair indication OF the disposition OF people
10 noursh and sustain it, should be placed among them
Let the beralty of Winchester then be made commensu
rate with its many natural commercial and social advan-
tages and predict if the Institute Is to be removed 1t
will most probably be brought here
This whole proceeding seems to us TO be one of
the most extraordinary Witnessed in State.
What plausible preteXt there is for the removal OF
the Institute from its present central and healthy
position, we cannot for our lives conceive. We
have heard but two reasons alleged, and they are
without the slightest force. 1t is said the Instl-
tute is injurious to Washington College; but it can
be proved by the catalogues of the latter that it has
averaged larger number of students since the In
stitute went into operation than before Its estab
lishment was in great part due to the efforts OF the
friends of the College. They petitioned forit in
der to get rid of a corps of disordery soldiers who
guarded the public arsenal, and with the expectation
that it would be of advantage to the students at the
College to be able to learn tactics at that military
school. The other argument for the removal is
that the present grounds too confined. But can
they not be enlarged? Ii the State is afraid of paying
too high price for lots and is disposed TO descend to
the meanness of huckstering among the villages of
the Valley for gratutous grants of land, we sup
pose the people of Lexington might be pushed to
ne point OF presenting few acres to the parsimo-
...ous Commonwealth. The fact that this town
offers commanding hill, and another beautiful
plain all for nothing is the idlest Of preences for
such step as is proposed. There is not small
town in the Commonwealth that would not willingly
give that price for the important benefit selling to
100 cadets, and corps of professors, with their fa
lilies and servants When an institution of this sort
has once been put in operation in community, and
new enterprises in their business thus encouraged,
tits highly unjust for the State ruthlessy remove it,
without good cause We cannot believe that the
Board of Visitors will allow themselves to be de-
coyed by such flimsy considerations as interested
offers of ground, without price. No situation in
she North of the Valley would be as satisfactory to
the people of the State as Lexington, and the fact
that large sums of money have already been invested
in the buildings there, ought to have prevented the
question from being raised at all.