Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-01-22
Fo, the En9n're'.
To THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF VIZ


80, !, Comui:tse Of the Farmers
A.s.nhlv. and in their bshalf respectiu!'y teprn
fha, phiiip st. Geo. Cooke, tel.. 80 ~: i,rnl
erm ma President of the Virginia o'..e :: .:.;,
ociety wherein he had served W" U',, ,asan,hly
bv pIerino Of the disposal OF The Farmers Aa'!
y! donation 10 be used in founding = fcn"o'
ne Agriculture in the University Oh 'ES'",h' :
donation was twenty thousand dollars III le JUN, =;
N, University guaranteed ny inc s'ate a.U ,ha
nlsssSG ,hs nnblic spirited donor to connect In
EerIMs,s, Assembly with his enlightened schems' py
mt,in,, il the organ of communication WI" ~, n'
W;,nrs IF the University, and tho recipients u'''
,nst.ly Of the privileges hs reserved ..o,,. tho
The farmers Az emily vera 2Iad 10 ht'ep, h nT
d,nstiop which they evuced by accompanying 'n.,'
scentsncr with declaration OF thar profound ssnse
of ,h, Gbernlty of MIR. Cooke. aud proceeuen w
take such measures as were 10 the't p'T w in
,be ca operation oil the Fisi:ora "t tue onse.J -
design wh'ca they 'en'
nantly patriotic arl wise. ,,,.obsd
They did no. hesitate at the condi'iops "''" az
bv the donor 10 IA. d,naiion but prooorasa !" np
pont committee 10 apply to th7 Sis'1's e.,
action on their part rs would securs Inc oene'dUu
nnd estahlish aud open the school These G0nd''lons
49, ,h"t Mr. Cooke, during his life. should be per
mit,ab 70 nominate the Professor, sunect 10 tue p
nroval of the yiaiturs aud to appoint Two scio,as
70 hs educated in tie school without charge ana .a.
a; his death these reservations enouu 'e'' -"
wed by the Farmers Assembly ,,,d;,;on,
,onn me question OF acceding 10 these copnilions,
q dr,rence of opinion exists he:w.en the ,.I;m
and tha Farmers Assembly; me 'iso,s dona,inn
that they have not the power to accsp. .ne wnnJ
ON the terms connected WIN u; anu ,hat tho
NOT hs for the interest oil the Cni'e''nJ ' "
nowar should be conferred upon .heih' I,
AZ ,ha recent sesson of the Farmers Assembly
rss,;on arose NJ to the action to be taken oy II III
rssnect TO the objections Of the Visitors ana was
resolved ls pn4 IT ph i; ST. Geo. Cooke Esq
towards this endowment Of the Prcfess?rsh,p VI az
,,crI,nrs in the University OF Virginia, upou ne
,arrns heretofore approved by this Assembly ana an
n.x.d thereto in his communication 'enue''s Wv
aono,;nn mud in his deed of conveyance.
Rssoved. 2d, That Committee OF hve De appoint
~ ra,i,;np the Legislature 10 accept SAID doha!lon'
~ csnse the Visitors to accept II, ana 80 olu a
that tbs Proessorehip may be speedily p.or.
on footing of entire equality WIN Ine o'n''
sorships therein. .1,,soo,ca or Mr.. Cooke
,,iii ha defeated. and the University uhd tne oGih
monwealth must lose his rich enaowu'e eta oannIn
womr honorable body shall dissent from .ne
sons of the Visitors, and be pleased 10 ,n.es'
;,h the nec.ssary authority. Your petitioners epeel
s,uu noncede ths high respect which 10 cue 10 the
V;s!,ors as A learned and impartial BOARD put tie
are emboldened 10 appeal to you agalusl 'ne is
.rtboritv by the consideration Wh'cn none IN ~
tate to yield to tue deliberate Io"' ''''"' "
Iners Assembly. aoa ~, ali s;ds, that an
,,r;cutura School in our University IL an 'mpolon'
dss;d.ratum. The University is not ana cannot Vt
complete without H. o.o, ~ ,s.r,;no n
,n.re tauobt. "a is declared aud defined by law
IT,, GRAFT patrou and founder assigned It prominent
nlaca in hs own comprehensive and original schelne
Mr Madison exerted his great influence in bus re
tired aud serene life, in al endeavor 10 excte III;
cnuntrymen, by voluntary CONTRIBUTORS 10 iouno
ond maintain therein dslinct Protessorship OF Asri
culture. ,, a.. a, ,r,
In bis own impressive language-"lc Tue cue sue
ca.s of Agriculture as of other arts, theory sn Pfac
;ios ere both requisite. They always reneo' nsGt W
ZACH otbe-. II the former without the test VI '"e
latter be vsin science, the latter without Tue Oh
;,htensd precep,s OF the former il generally ensaVeu
~ anc;apt modes however erroneous, or Is ut oes
but tardy and partial in adopting ta'rtsry chamses-
In mn instance perhaps. is habit more unyieldng OF
irrational practice moro prevalent imam alnohR ,nose
who cultivate The earth. And this Is inc more 10 OF
lameuted as agriculture Is still so lar oehinu 'ne d.
;aiuments to which II may espre
The importance, not to say necessity, OF an ARrl
cultural school, rs integral part OF tis nVerehy'
and SO ths only foundation Ut The progress 10
which Agriculture should aspire among U.s. may eaiel}
chaIjsnp. assent supported by the united authority
If .Jsf.rsou aud Madison; but IN truth, the prop"s
tion is now far too generally admitted std received
to need authority OF argument.
IA we'll the examples OF other countries as the con
victcns of our people, have long since oanisneu
,hs ;gnoble conceit which would strip agriculture Of
tbs honor duo to il, OF being the truest and hoGss
nf sciences It was, therefore, becoming, "a 1t was
nstural. 70. the Farmers Assembly to welcome tue
nhoralty of Mr.. Cooke with unusual satisfaction as
The harbugcr OF generous and phllosophic concern
for our greatest c2d most neglected interest.
But neither the beneiceEas OF his design, nor thf
e,tsnt Of his liberaty nor the !aaentSble deficiency
which his public spirit would 20 Tar supply, ahonIc
reconcile I'd to reservations al variance E'h SCUM
principle pure and disinterested Us VETS inc motives
wLioh led him 10 propose theui'
This zons are more ready TO admit than the Farm
era Assembly OF the distinguished donor himself
But in their iudsue: the objections should be clear
" Defined and both weli foGrted aud grave, which
are permitted dofo"t Propooi.ier &c found much
nesd.d public institution ut The expense - the pa
go s,I thereby discourage the dedication Of private
raeonrcss Id objects Of common utility.
Are the affections of the Visitors OF this nature I
1hs only ma, eral inc r!ry respects the fitness and
exosdiency of admitting departure IN 'he ihoae OF
nnrss nj sppointing the other Professors. Accord.
inc as Won msy eXpouEd the policy o! the State In
.hst hebaif will YOU be inclined TO provide for ihe
acceptance or approve tlie retnssl OF the DONATION.
II has been the policy Of other countries concsde
,aroa privileges to the founders OF public achoo!s IL
bas bssn considered rs due TO common justice that
the founders should have and exercise ample visto
rial mower and wherever this policy prevails, there
too do we find schools and colleges esaolishcu ny
nrivste beneticence. There are examples OF the con
cessiou of the absolute power OF appointment or III
dnct;,n IN their patrons or founders. II cannot be
dened that It ia becoming well as natural IN the
founders of schools desire 10 participate IN 'heir
management; nor would il seem that power could be
trusted to eater hands than The generous oevoelo'
which had gone ahead in relieving the public neces'
stie. Inducements therefore, TO private lioerhlty
to undertake the supply Of educational Warts nave
been freely administered IA safe AID cheap stare ek
pedents-on the byp"thesls that ,s oeuet 10 nnve
sobool with any respectable agency for the appoint
men of the professors than 10 &c w,teou. u atoge'
Their. ..... ::
But in thi, instance, the power OF appointment ls
10 remain in the Visitors unchanged except that they
must copGne themselves to the nominees, Wlthou',
however, being required TO make an appointment
until {, name he presented which comnends i'eet 10
their Gun choice. Even now the Visitors are prooa'
bly not permitted to make an appointment ~ithont
numerous nominations in effect from the irends OF
the ssprans, aud IL the scheme pr.sen,eu pts.a,,'
there will be- scarcely anything new but the substitu
lion of responsibilities al rresp;naioie nomination
The con nection Of Mr.. Cooke with tho school,
seem to mark him out as the one OF oil DINERS 10 oe
consulted in selecting the Professor. ne VISITORS
oould hardly do less than confer with him If the ap'
poiptmaut were committed 10 their cole dlscretion-
Ills known intelligence and large agricultural lnte'
resta the paterna socude he would !ee tor t7 sue
csss and reputation of the school and the dshppoint'
ment he, of all othera, would suer II II iaiisn or ms
carried would ent,le him least to that small com.
pliment And, on the other band, his vigilance and
activity in qualifying himself To aid the VISITORS IN
their choice, could not be otherwse than increased
many fold, ii he held responsible for tue selec
hon. Inc pTOUGUlity, luticioiV, VI N'N
fortunate choice would be increased by his right TO
nominate Nor would the independence and due in
aueuce of the Visitors, be in any degree impaired
The government of the University over the Agrcul'
tura school inclusive, will, as now, continue in them,
subject TO the notifications which j may be your
pleasure at any time to prescribe. Neither will it's
harmony or unity be disturbed. Except that inc
sphere OF its usefulness will be greatly enlarged
whatsoever is practical and useful will continue as
now.
mi a., ha n nrnnrtefV
eresns the Agricultural class in tho selection OF an
Agricultural Professor; and the Farmers Assembly
happily affords the OF their combined ana de-
liberate action. Nor il slight thing in the scheme
of Mr. Cooke that he has selected it as the recipient
of his reservations At his death. 10 the lnducsment
it would supply 10 perpetua'e the body, Il may ope-
rate, as it is 10 be hoped it would, in keeping alive
the interest with which it is now regarded and to IN
spre an increasing disposition TO Uphold its dignity
and weight.
In the plan of Mr. Cooke care is taken to prevent
vacancy in the ofoe, by provision for pro iempore
appointments by the Visitors, and for their appointing