Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-10-21

TFE UNIVERSITY OF TIE SOUTH
DESTRUCTION OF THE CeRNER
sT0NTs-gEEETING OF THE TRUS-
CONFEDERATION TO GO ON
WITH THE WORIK-THE ElOTS TO
BE LEASED.
Correspondence Union and American.
An interesting meeting Of the Trustees of
the University Of the South, was held last
week at Sewanee, convened by order Of Bishop
ELLIOTT, Of Georgia, the present Chancellor.
When the late war commenced, this great
enterprise, inauguraied by the distinguished
Bishop Polk, Of Louisiana had so far pro-
gressed that preparations had been made for
the erection Of the permanent buildings.
The corner stone Of the central building, an
immense block of variegated Tennessee
marble beautifully wrought, was laid on the
10th Of October, 1860, in the presence Of
thousands of spectators, the interesting
services Of the occasion being participated
in by some ten Bispops and large number
of the clergy Of the Episcopal Church
Among the documents deposited in the cor
ner stone was a copy Of the Constitution o.
the United States, which was laid in the box
by Bishop ELLIOTT with an emphatic estd
perpetua.
In the progress of the war the temporary
buildings Of the University, as well as some
private residences, we're destroyed by the
federal troops. The vault attached TO the
Office Of the Engineer was forced open and
its contents carried of, and the beautiful
cornerstone which had been laid with such
impressive ceremonies, was forced from
It's bed, the Constitution of the United
States torn from its place Of deposit within
il, and the cornerstone itself shattered into
thousands Of fragments by brutal soldiery,
and carried off as mementOes Of its destruc-
ton.
By the death of Bishops OTEY and CABBs
the University has lost two of Its most
thorough and earnest supporters, but in the
death Of Bishop PoLKit lost its great founder
and originator, to whom it owed almost
wholly the progress it had already attained.
He had laid the foundation Of great work,
which is, we trust, to be carried out to a
successful completion. The princely domain
of eight thousand acres, secured to the Uni
versity upon the Sewanee plateau Of the
Cumberland mountains, remains in itself a
magnificent endowment-and of the liberal
subscriptions made before the war to the en-
terprise, amounting to near half million
OF dollaIs-it is believed the larger part will
be eventually secured.
The Trustees, at their recent meeting, de-
cided unanimously to 60 on with the work,
and to carry out if possible this great enter
prise upon the scale originally designed,
and to the end originally contemplated, OF
establishing a University complete in all
the departments of human science.
In the meantime, however, in view Of the
pressing need of the means of education for
the thousands of youths who havenecessarily
been deprived of such advantages during the
war, it was deemed advisable, instead Of
awaiting the organization of the depart
ments, and the erection of the permanent
buildings, that an effort should be made to
raise sufficient fund to put up at once
comfortable buildings for the immediate use
of the students and faculty, and place the
Institution in operation in the course Of the
ensuing year. The energetic and respected
Bishop QUNTARD, of Tennessee, was ap-
pointed a Commissioner to solicit funds,
and it is to be hoped that this
effort will be warmly responded to,
not only in Tennessee, but throughout
the whole country. 1t is an aseertained
fact that we can educate our sons at Sewanee
at little more than half what it would cost
in most Northern and Southern schools, and
it will therefore, be true economy, to place
the University in operation as soon as pos
sible.
A gratifying report of the. operations Of
the Sewanee Collegiate School at Winehes-
ter, under the management of Rev. DR..
KNIGHT, andnow numbering about one hum
dred and thirty students, was made, and eli
cited much interest.
The Executive Committee decided to lease
out lots for residences on very favorable
terms, and to any parties who will put up a
good hotel or boarding house, lands will be
granted at a mere nominal rent. 1t is to be
regretted that accommodations could not
have been provided there during the past
summer, for the thousands who had left
their homes in Nashville and Memphis.
Persons DESTROYS of procuring lots, can OBJ
tain full information from, and make their
arrangements with GEO. r.. FAIRBANKS,
Esq, the General Agent of the University,
Box l96, Nashville.
Oct 10, 1866. "UNIvERsITY."