The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1870-12-17

u III
been but single death by disease at this
IcoIlege since it was founded. This aston
fshfng fact was stated upon the highest au-
thority. He would say also that the col
lege buildings are abundantly able to
accommodate the students that might be
attracted to It by the appropriation.
/ Then, too, no place was more suitable
for the agricultural school contemplated
i by the act of. CONGRESS. The college al
ready possessed fine farm of two hundred
acres, admirably adapted to experimental
and practical instruction in agricultural
4 science. The mechanical department
i might be located elsewhere II thought best,
but for the agricultural school no place Is
better than, Hampden Sidney. But the
speaker did not represent Hampden Sidney
alone. He appeared to claim portion Of
this fund rs the representative of that great
and suffering section OF the State, Southside
/ Virginia. 1t was not great and pros,
tperous, like some other. sections, but
Iprises one-third OF the area of
! Virginia, and pays one-third of the taxes,
and is it not entitled to one. third Of this
fund intended for the benefit Of the people
of every part of the State? 1t has only one
college, and shall not that have. its share?
] II has no agricultural school now, and no
section needs one more. Already there Is
an agricultural school at Lexington and
one at Charlottesville, both, probably, to
be indefinitely expanded by the aid Of the
State, Shall not the State also extend a
knowledge of agricultural science is
so much needed III view Of q poverty
stricken people and devastated territory?
| The Southside contributes every year
$4,000 to build up other institutions, and
has received not one back to sustain her
own college. He repeated that Hampden
| Sidney was now her only college, and the
only claimant from that section for part
of this fund. Once there were three col
leges on the outhside-Randolph Macon,
lLynchburg, and Hampden Sidney. Ran
dolph Macon had been removed; Lynch
burg had gone down in the war, and Hanp-
den Sidney alone was left. *, e.. .
DR.. Atkinson then considered the objec-
tion that his was denomination college.
That it was denominational, he admitted;
lbut twas not sectarian. It was under
Presbyterian influences, but controlled by
no Presbytery, Synod, or General Assem-
bly. There was no attempt to proselyte
students. and professor had once actually
been arraigned on the charge of prosecuting,
SO strict have been the trustees In this re-
/ gard. Hampden Sidney has educated many
Of Virginia's best and most hon0red cltl-
Izens, and they have been confined to no one
denomination Of Christians. Young men
without means are educated for the minis
try of any Church.
| Colonel Pendeton, chairman, inquired
how the trustees are appointed. ...
| DR.. Atkinson replied that the trustees
were appointed at the foundation of the
4 college, in 1884. by the General Assembly
of Virginia, and were self-perpetuating
body. Vacancies caused by deaths and re-
signations were filled by the choice of the
Board. Patrick Henry and James Madison
were members of the first Board Of Trus-
tees. The speaker did not propose to place
Hampden Sidney entirely under the contfol
of the State. The Legislature should see
that proper guarantees are given tnat tne
fund shall be properly employed, bnt 10
these reactionary times it is not best that IL
should be under the direct control OF booy
whose political complexion was likely often
to change. In conclusion, he recapitulated
Hampden Sidney's advantages, claiming
Imore particularly that it was entitled to
third of the fund as the only college OF the
SQuthside. '.. 5:.Ea .r
RANDOLPH MACON COLLEGE.
Rev. DR.. Edwards. the representative of
Randolph Macon College, was next called
upon, and spoke briefly, designing here
after to submit an argument in writing.
His college, he thought, had fair claim to
be heard. IT had no large endowments,
but it had good reputation and noble
history, and, though poor, it was possessed
State would only help little. He was not
4 advised what would be the plan Of the
| committee, and had not before supposed
that the fund would either be given en-
tirely to one institution or divided between
three. He urged that all Of the colleges of the
State, properly organized, and giving
proper guarantees, should participate. III
its benefits. He admired the University,
and wished it God speed, but thought 1t
not entitled to a monopoly. He admired
Washington College and thought it DONG
| great work, but did not believe it entitled
to ANYTHING more than its fellows because
of it's prosperity, or of it's accidental con-
nection with the lamented Lee. Hampden
Sidney, also, was an institution to be fondly
looked upon, but possessed of no adVant-
aces that Randolph Macon and other col
| leees could not claim. Like Hampden Sidney,
Randolph Macon ,Thile denominaJional, was
not sectarian. Prof. Price was an Eplsco--
palian, Prof. Estill was Presbyterian, and
Prof. Valentine was something else. But
! he only wished to urge that the proceeds OF
i this fund be divided. Concentrate, and
you fail in your object. We will do as much
for you, said he, as any other college, and
will guarantee that the objects Of the dona-
| tion shall be faithfully carried out.
RICHMOND COLLEGE.
Rev. DR.. Curry, of Richmond College,
was the last speaker. He said he had not
l'eXpected to speak this evening, but would
|consume the fragment of time left with
few statements. Richmond College, located
on the outskirts of this thriving city, is
possessed of property valued at about
| two hundred thousand dollars. She has
about 100 students in her various depart.
ments. There is commercial department,
which is the nucleus of much larger col
lege of that kind. There is a cabinet which
| bids fair soon to be not only one of the
best, but the very best in the State of Vr-
sinia. There is also library, but that was
only tolerable, as our friends from the
North borrowed good many Of the BOOKS
on their entrance into Richmond, and had
not returned them. There is a. law
department, connected win "hlcn
There is gentleman who is an ency-
clopedia of legal lore-a man not inferior to
any on this continent in legal knowledge.
Richmond College has these already, and Is
ready to start ut once schools for instruction
| in agriculture and mechanic arts. 1t costs
| less to educate man there than anywhere
lin the southern States. By the system OF
messing in vogue, man can 90 through o
wear comfortably for $190 or 5000, though
| be can spend as much more as he may
wish. ....
:. This college is also denominational, but
not sectarlan. 1t was organized by Bap-
fists, and he would not apologize for
that in Virginia. for he must be
stupidity ignorant of the history OF Viz
ginia who does not know how much
,r nd foH fn