The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-10


Ms Destruction by Fnre-lntsrestnng Haste- |
neal slx.tch-Its ulastxious GxaduAaes-One |
Of TIVE Landmarks Of the Fast Swept |
AwNy. |
In Yesterdays Herald We publshed brief account u
destruction by Ore, early on Tuesday morning, Of tia
venerable college, Of william ana Mary, a Williamsburg,
Virginia. Be,h from ~ antiquity, and from iss having
been the s'sa atr nursing mother Of some Of the
most distinguished the country has produced, this
college deserves historical notice st our hands.
Next 10 Harvard, s the oldest IN tho United
States The order Of the dates Of colleges founded
before the Revelation is rs fOlows-F1rss, Harvard,
at Cambridge, Mas, by John Harvard, 1885, which
b now the most important and best endowed in
ahe United States; Second, wsam and Nary in 1892,
being called from King wlAsm and his wife Mary, 0
England, who granted tho CHARTER, with donation Of
10000 Of land, third, Yale, n New Haven, l7oo
fourth, Co'egc Of New Jersey, At Princeton, 17Ae;
aifth, Colrmba Rev York, 1884, sixth, University Of
pennsylvania, PhiadelpAia 1885, seventh, Brown Uni
versity, ProviAeuce 1904 eighth, Dartmouth, at Ha-
mover, N. H. 1862 ninth, Rutgers, New Brunswick, N
j., ITO.
Like the ce.1ege, williamsburg where it was built, Is
named from w iliam H. It of justice for the
county; hssy eight miles from Richmond twelve from
Yorktown, sxty-sight from Norfolk and seven from
jamestown. II is Smelly situated, level plain, between
The York and james rivers. 1t is laid out in parallel
Streets with square IN the centre of several acres,
containing the county buildings Through II runs the
principal street, which very wide, and about mile in
length at end Of the capitol and at the
other now the ruins of the college. II is the Oldest in
sospcrated town m Virginia, and has an air Of
rerose about it iateresting from it's historic as
socia.ions. Its immediate vicinity was first known
~ the Middle Plantations, and the town was
settled in 1882, from the adjoining settlements
principally Jamestown which twice burned down by
the Indians 1893 the Of removed
from the latter town to Williamsburg, and from that
time till 17Te, when Richmond became the capital, Will
namsburg The centre Of the fashion, wealth and
learning Of the OLD Dominion the influence Of which has
sc IFS impress upon the place and upon the manners and
characteristics Of its present Inhabitants. London lifo
solort and elegance initiated by the ''F F. Vs.
Being then residence of the Governor-he immediate
representative of soveregnhe royal state in which
he lived the polite and brilliant circle which he always
had about him, dused their influence through the city
and the circumjaceDt country, and filed Williamsburg
with degree of emulation, taste and elegance OF which
form NO conception by the appearances of the
present day. During the session of the House of Bur-
eesses these stately modes OF life assumed their richest
FERNS The town was filed with concoarse Of
visitors, we'll citizens, attircd in their gayest
ooers the streets exhibited continual Of ami
Zion Several Of the bunings yet standing, and
ae finest structures in the United Statesamong them
the college destroyed.
In its palmy days. and when the population was thin
Williamsburg very important city; OF late its prin
c,oal support was the college, population in the Older
time was 2 goo; ii is no. more than 600
The front Of the College of William and Mary, which
hooked due east ls6 feet long 1t was lofty pile Of
brick BUILDINGS adorned by cupola Az the north end
xct,;ct h,n., bail
Tnere was a spacious piazza the west side, from
wing TO the other Il was surrounded by courts and gar
Sens together with large park enclosure Of $50
The building which was beautiful and commodious, had
been FIRST modelled by the renowned Sir Christopher
Wren, but since then 1t burned down, and when re-
built it was adapted TO the country by the in
senous direction Sosswood Tuesday Last the
eh OF February the anniversary Of the date of its
charter, and the day TO have been celebrated with
great the college by the chief OF the State
On the morning at three O'Clock was burned down
Fortunately, the students all escaped NO doubt VIII
10 the beautiful square fronting the college stands tho
statue of LORD Botesourt the Colonial Governors
Il is much mu!aied, though i'll presenting Specimen
Of elegant sculpture He appears IN the court dress OF
that Gay, with snor, sword at bis side
Facing the public square the house IN which, lew
years spce resided President Tyler, and wno still re-
sizes the vicinity On the stands tae sold ma
gaziue bull. about hundred and twenty years ago,
and memorable as being the building from which lord
Dunore the powder belonging TO the coony on
board the MngdGtne man Oi- war, WHICH, tpit aCt
threw al, Virginia and occsoned the first
assembling OF armed force ia the colony in opposition
70 royal authority AZ Palace Green are inc ne Tsnass
Nonary war by Ere; FOR in the vic nifty 81 this
place were two Of its battles fought: In the
sOd CAPITOL also destroyed by FIRE, Patrick Henry 6fs
made his debut electrified the audience by " the rug
ged might and majesty OF his eloquence."
College received check from the Revolution,
but Il gradually recovered its former standing. 1t had
recently ninety eight students, and in the law school
thirty two students II had resident aud I'VE prof
MINI ufctt md a
In addition the endowment granted by William aud Nary
it received penny pound duty on certain tooaccos
exported from Virginia, which had been levied by the
statute Of Charles H. The Assembly gave dasy
on furs exported and liquors imported From
tnese IL 'eived upwar TO Of
$4,000 per annum NJ. Boyle, OF England, annexed a
psef.ssorship for The education Of the Indians.
Rev James Blair, ID. d., named President 81 the Col
Iege In the charter He 1872 succeeded
by Rev William Stith (aulhor OF History OF Virginia.,
who died in 1850. Rev James Madison, %, lbshop
at Vugina) was president from 1777 to lsl2. HIS
ceesors have been Rev W a. Wilmer, DE-. J. Augustine
Smith, Rev. Dr. Adam Empie and Thomas r. Dew, A. Nj.
The College is distinguished for the very arEe p-opor-
of graduates who have risen 10 eminence. Some
OF books Of the library, which suppose is all con
eumed wese presented by Robert Duwiddle had his
81 arms afxedthe crest an eagle-.nd the motto,
"Utt Ostas III patria' In Others was ,ni6lped the
were the gns OF the former Presidents q the
College and others Of the Assembly Of Virginia.
Catesby's Natural History of Carolina, Florida,
and the Bahama Islands was given on cond eon
that should go out Of the College THIS work
printed ID lonoon 10 A'ot WIN co'vreu pia.s, III W.
volumes folio English and French. Tie condition OF It's
lift which have just mentioned is contained In note
ia the first page the hand writing OF Thomas Jefferson
The illustrious author OF the Deciaraou Of ndepen
aeucev was educated this college, which, in 1850, ht
entered at seventeen years Of age in advanced class
and distinguished himself Ills attainmenis IN belle
Lyes appear in ali his early writings His early acquire
ents in natural political and statistical science are ndi
Gated his sNotee Virginia" In word, there v ne
grand department. and scarcely branch OF bero learn
ing then taught, which 'the Sage of Monticello was moi
we'll yersed Surely he reflects honor his college. nc
friend OF education and the Chie
instrument in establishing the Virginia University, al
Charlottesville, in 1319
Monroe was also student OF William and Marys, apd
left the college his year. TO play part
Of Independence. ExPresident Tyler, highly polished
and classical scholar, Of its alumni having enter
cd when twelve years of age General Scott most
distinguished warrior received his education at William
and Narye; and need Bay that his military history
sheds halo glory around the ruins OF that
ed and revcred Institution which hope 10
again with Increased splendor, like phGnx from III
ashcs1