The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1866-07-02

Nhcn hunter VlSltcu LcAiuHtoh IL Sun'i
1864, he suffered his vandals 70 sack the
collegc-destroying its chemical and pbilo-
sophical apparatus and libraries.
When the Board Of Trustees mot twelve
months ago, the prospects were indeed
gloomy. Faint Heart said that nothing
could bc done, and urged that the coilege
be closed TO await better times. But zap
tain Bolivar Christian, Of Stanton, aoiy
seconded by Judge Brockenbroagh, noun,
mated General Lee for President, ana
secured his election. The day that TIE ola
hero accepted the appointment insured the
success Of the college. Despite the imam
c;aI pressure. they have had this session
ono hundred and forty-sx students, and
have every prospect for from three to four
hundred next session. Besides, they have
secured already about seventy thousand
dollars towards their new endowment, with
prospect of much larger amount. This
has enabled them to appoint four new pro.
icssors and seTeral assistants, and to greatly
enlarge aud improve their course Of i'll
struction.
Rev. Mr.. Lcfcvrc has declined his APP
pointment to the chair of Moral Philoso-
ply. and the Board of Trustees have as yet
failed to agree upon his successor. They
have appointed special meeting for this
purpose, to come OIL the 18th of July next.
The Board decided to erect at once dormi-
tories for the accommodation Of one hun
drcd additional students.
But promised an account Of the COM
menccment exercises. At an early hour,
! the Presbyterian Church, which is capable
of seating about twelve hundred, was filled
with the beauty and intelligence OF this
far famed "Athens Of Virginia" 1t was
pleasing sight to look out on the sea OF
! faces, and note the contrasts which they
presented. Your correspondent was struck
with the large number ofdistinguishcd men
present. On one of the most unobtruslve
seats sat the modest president OF the col.
lcge, seemingly oblivious to the fact that
ali ewes were turned on the hero OF world
! wide fame. Near by might be seen the
portly form and intellectual face OF the
rector. Judge peterborough; next to him
sat Hon. Waller X. Staples, whose clarion
voice rung out so true in the dark days OF
the war. The iovial face of" Honest John
Letchcr" might be seen i'm the crowd; while
General Gusts Lee, Captain Brooke, Gene
raj Pendleton, General Colston, and other
] oNNihS ih~
tcrest To the occasion. OF course the Fa-
culties of both the College and Institute
were present, and noticed amongst them
the newly elected professors McCulloch,
Joynes, and Allan. The ladies, too, were
t out in full feather, and one could scarcely
imagine, from gazing on their splendid at
! tire, that We have Just emerged from ter
! ribe war and are dweilers in q poverty
stricken land.
| The Stonewall Band, from Staunton, per-
formed very creditably as the procession
Of students, alumni, ETC., filed into their
appropriate places. The change in the
plan of the college-substituting the
University free system" for the old
Curriculum "-and the fact that so many
of the students had been obliged to lay
aside their books during the war, brought
! il about that there were no graduates
on this occasion, and therefore no diplo-
mas to he conferred. The exercises were
opened with prayer by Rev. J. William
Jones. Rev. DR., Duncan, of Richmond,
was then introduced rs the orator of the
dav, and for two hours enchanted his au-
dicnce in the delivery Of mastery ad-
dress, which seemed to thrill every heart.
! But in order TO get this in the next mail,
/ must defer until tomorrow any attempt
to report this brilliant effort of the distin-
guishcd orator. LEXINGTON.