The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-26
WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE.

I
WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE.
We publish the following remarks of Iii
members of the House of Representatives
on the subject of reimbursing this collee
for property destroyed during the rebel
lion:
Mr.. Perce moved that the House 90 int
the Committee of the Whole on the private
calendar, and, pending that motion, tha
all debate on the William and Mary Coleg
bill terminate in an hour and half, which
latter motion was agreed to.
The motion to 60 into Committee of tn,
Whole was then agreed to--yeas, JOY
nays, 59--and the bill to reimburse the
College of William and Mary for property
destroyed during the rebellion was taken
up.
Mr.. Strong was ready to concur with the
gentleman from Massachusetts, (Mr. Hoar)
in all that he had said as to the former
glory OF the institution, but thought we
should come down from ancient to modern
history and see what the institution had
been doing of late. He said that the insti-
tuition was closed Immediately after the Or
dinance of secession was passed by the
State of Virginia, and the building used as
barracks for Confederate soldiers. The
president of the college enlisted under the
Confederate banner, and served as adiu-
tant-general to General Joseph E. Johnston
all through the war, and the professors and
students generally espoused the rebel
cause. He claimed that the government
was in no way responsible for the destruc-
ton of the building, and denied that there
was any parallel between this and the cases
cited by Mr.. Hoar. He protested against
national charity being bestowed upon an
institution that had done more than any
other to promote the rebellion, and was
now disloyal.
lie SAID that the other day when bill to
educate the poor people of the South was
before the House, but eleven Democrats
were found to support it, while to- day the
entire side was arrayed in support of this
arlstocratic and reasonable institution.
Mr.. Blair, of Michigan, opposed the bill.
and said that while the committee had piven
the early history of the college, they had not
come down beyond certain time. Tic
charged disloyalty upon it since the COM
mencement of the war. The bill sought TO
strike down the main defense of the Treasu
~, the broad principal that the waste and
desolation of war was not to be paid for.
II the House was ready to strike down this
defense, they must prepare for flood of
bills that would at least shake the founda-
tons OF the Treasury. He reviewed the
circumstances attending the destruction.
and justified the burning of the college,
which ne termed rat-hole of the rebellion, |
The House had, he said, decided over
and over again that it would not pay for
losses sustained from the ravages of war
in the South, and yet it was proposed to
pay this institution because it was old and |
once respectable. He said that in the
Court of Claims claimants were required to
prove, first, that they were loyal, and
second, that the losses did not accrue
through the ravages of war; and if the
House went back on its decision and made
this award, he should bring in from his
committee claims for damages sustained
from the ravages of war, and ask the
House to abide by its present decision.
MIR. Farnsworth said that the committee
admitted that there was no authority of
aw for this appropriation. 1t was simplv
question of generosity on the part of the
government, and he desired to examine the
light and justice Of the case. lie argued
hat the destruction was done by no militia
y authority, and although the incendiaries
we're in uniform, the government was no
more responsible than if they had been
'tizens. If this college was paid for. the
hurches ought equally to be paid for, and
the churches and colleges were TO be paid
or, certainly the school-houses ought to [
&c paid for. Columbia, South Carolina
vhlch was burned by mob of soldiers.
richmond and Chambersburg should be {
'aid for, and he could not tell where thew
you'd stop. There was no stopping-place {
III everybody who lost property by the
var was reimbursed.
Mr.. Garfield said the sentiment of chiyal-
y shown by the advocates of the bill was {
ntltled to at least recognition, II was
roposed to pay for this building which
vas destroyed without authority. What
Tould be said to those DESTROYED bv au- |
hority? All the institutions Of the South
estroyed by the war were involved in the
ase. He cited the case of a loyal citizen :
I Nashville whose property he, when an i
fficer, tore down for a fortifcation. whose :
lain had been rejected, and now it was i,
roposed to gsre to this institution three i
ines what was that mans due. ;
Iio diso iciciicu W tlle case OF Harvard |
'ollege, damaged by occupation by British
roops during the Revolution and the re-
lsal of the State of Massachusetts and the S
Continental Congress to make restitution. a
precedent for refusing this appropria- t
ION. a
Mr.. Stoughton reviewed the crcum-
tances of the destruction of the building S
nd in the course of his remarks he spoke n
f telegram which the committee had n
reduced, whom, he said, had been dis .
lissed the service for his bad conduct of
le fight. !
MIR. Speer, Of Pennsylvania, asked to
hat officer he alluded.
Mr.. Stoughton said he referred TO Colonel d
of Pennsylvania. T
Mr.. Speer. A man whose body was
ddled with bullets in defense of his ?
ountry. The hand of the man who would l
lake such charges should paralyze.
Journalists are appreciated and UNDER
-On1 in fha Entdar Gtala frka GnGe....-