The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-31

| OF LEARNING IN AMERIcA--A LETTER FROM
COL. r.. W. HUGHES.
RIcHMoND, January l6, 1871.
| Hon. Charles II. Porter:
My Dear Sir-A memorial, signed by the
| Governor and all the members of our Legisla-
ture present ip Richmond, without distinction
| OF party, has gone to Congress asking aid for
the ancient college of William and Mary, the
principal building of which and several out
buildings were destroyed during the war while
occupied BY Union troops.
| As a citizen of Virginia, supposed to possess
| your confidence, l address you in behalf OF
this venerable institution of learning at the
request of its friends, and do so the more con
fidently from knowing that, through member
of your family, you are intimately identified
with the city of Williamsburg. My own
interest in William and Mary is explained by
the fact that my father was educated there,
and that have sent my son TO this college in
the confident belief that he will not be insulted
because of my well-known politics.
Next to Harvard, William and Mary is the
Oldest college Of America. 1t was founded by
the founders of the colony of Virginia. 1t was
nurtured and cherished by those statesmen of
this Commonwealth who were among the most
earnest and conspicuous in establishing the
American Union. Having its beginning in the
earliest traditions of our State, its history was
for many generations the history of Virginia.
Thomas Jefferson derived his education from
this fountain of learning. George Washing-
ton was its chancellor at his death land derived
in his early manhood, his commission as SUR
veyor from this college, which was, in its
corporate character, surveyor general of the
colony, endowed by the Crown with the fees
of this Office. 1t gave its president to the first
American Congress it has given three Pies;-
- N tha TOD tota ~ to
Justices of the Union, and long list of judges,
jurists, governors, legislators and heroes in
our armies and navies were graduates of Will
liam and Mary.
The profoundest sympatbes of our Virginia
people are enlisted in the fortunes Of this his
torical corporation, and we shall look with
fond and earnest solicitude to the action which
Congress shall take upon the memorial of our
Legislature.
There has been no period in the history of
the State in which the cause of education has
so largely as at present engrossed the thoughts
of our people; in which the necessity of maxi
ing education as universal as the suffrage was
more generally acknowledged, more apparent
or more urgent, and in which, unfortunately,
the people were less able than they now are to
accomplish the general desire in this important
direction.
To look over our State at the extent of
ignorance prevailing among both races, to
observe the magnitude of the work needed to
be done, and to contrast this with the paucity
and feebleness of our means for accomplishing
the task before us, fills the hearts of many Of
our most enlightened men with dismay.
We are not only wanting in pecuniary
means. but we are especially wanting in teach
ers. These latter can only be supplied by our
colleges, and the endowments of our colleges
were either lost altogether or greatly dimin.
ished during the war. But in no direction
have the recuperative energies of our Com
monwealth been more decidedly displayed
than in the important business of restoring to
efficiency its collegiate institutions; and while
our citizens are exhibiting such commeudable
enterprise in this behalf am sure that an ap.
peal for aid to Congress, upon claim of sim
much force and eoquence in the petition of
the rector and president, which has been filed
along with the memorial of cur Legislature,
will be favorably considered;
During the war of independence the build
ings of William and Mary were repeatedly
occupied by British troops once even when
under the command of Benedict Arnold. They
were in every instance respected as sacred to
the cause of letters, and left intact.
During their occupancy by French troops
in one of the vicissitudes of the same revolu-
tion, some of the out-buildines were burnt and
injured. After the close of the war Louis
XVI, the ally of America, caused the des
tFOytu UuIuluRS 10 U6 TeDiaceuy anu every |
injury to be repaired, doing royal homage to
the sacred cause of learning.
In 1865, when General Sheridan passed |
through Charlottesville, the seat of the Uni |
versity of Virginia, he detailed faithful guard
to protect the institution from oil injury, and |
the fact is recorded to his enduring honor upon |
the archives of the University. Thus this |
noble institution, which Thomas Jefferson
gave to our country, was fortunately preserved,
although the more venerable college, which
gave him to America, had fallen victim to
the Moloch of war. With such conspicuous
examples of homage to learning from Kings |
and heroes, presented by the history Of these |
two learned corporations of our State, l..
cherish the loyal belief that it will be only |
necessary to bring the facts of this case to
the attention of Congress to secure from that
body the action which is prayed for in the
to which have referred.
l will add, as my individual opinion, that
it would be more expedent for Congress to
make grant of lands in aid of the college than
of money.
| refer you to the proofs filed with the Com.
mittee on Education, &C., of the House. of the |
facts of burning and destruction, and to various
letters in possession of the committee from dis
tinguished personages, for full information
the merits of this appeal in behalf of
William and Mary, and especially do refer
yeu to the letters of Generals Grant, Sherman,
Butler, Meade, Mcclellan, Scbofeld, Burn
side, of the Rev. Henry Ward Beocher, and the
Rev. DR.. Tying, generously commencing the
claims of the college to public favor.
These claims are submitted to Congress on
their simple merits, no extraneous Influences
whatever being employed to enforce them, or
being allowed to interpose in their behalf.
May venture the hope that Congress will |
embrace all such occasions as this application
presents, of coDquering genuine loyalty at
the South, by policy of noble magnanimity |
Now, that the fate of war has taught our peo-
Pile the impossibility of achiev 1g the indie
pendence for which they conten I, it is still |
in their power, under the infue'ce of such |
benignant measures as this college solicits of
Congress, to show themselves capable of man
Iy submission.
| am, most sincerely and respectfully, your |
Dbedient servant, Il. w. HuGHEs.
END OF THE CUBAN IEsURREorroN BE-
LIEvED TO BE NEAR.-A Havana telegram
says: