The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1872-02-17
WILLIAM AND MARY COLLEGE.

Some days since we noticed favora-
bly, the bill reported from the Committee
on Education and Labor, to reimburse this
ancient College for losses suffered by stray
gers from our army during the war. Some
statements now come to us from response
BILE sources, which, if true, justify Congress
in Withholding the appropriation. We
know nothing personally of the case, but
state what has come to us.
1t is charged that military company,
composed largely of students of William
and Mary, commanded by Captain Wise,
now professor in that college, tore off the
letters gu. s." from their cartridge boxes
during the last State fair at Richmond.
An eye witness states, that the men, or
a large portion of them, refused to parade
with these odious letters attached to them.
The act was done in the most public
manner and called forth expressions of APP
proval from portion of the crowd, and
especially from the women. The circum-
stances attending the act indicated delibe-
rate purpose to insult and slur the national
sovereignty.
This silly and improyident act, triaing in
itself, is lifted above It's own inconsequence
by the failure of either the officer in COM
mand or his military superiors, Gncluding
the Governor) to punish and rebuke it as
an insult to the country and the loyal peo-
pie who were present at the Fair. The
college in which Captain Wise is profess
sor, and in which a portion of his company
were students, is also compromised by the
act. If a professor can allow such an ex-
hibiton of disloyalty in public to go unre-
buked in company of young men under
his military command, what may we fairly
infer to be the influence of his private in
structions ? What claim can college
properly make upon government which
it teaches its students to regard as alien,
hostile, and an object of contempt? We
are ready to go as far as any man, to meet
honorable foes, who, submitting to the
fortunes Of war, honestly strive to cultivate
friendly relations and advance the common
good. But for the cowardly malignity
which vents it rage by feeble insults to the
magnanimity that spared it; which out
RACES decency by proclaiming its hate
on every public occasion; which
persecutes the poor and defenceless excites
mobs and tries to crush out loyalty among
the people, we have no respect, and can
have none. This Union has cost us too much
precious blood to e&pend its hard earned
treasure in nursing nest of traitors for its
destruction. 1t is useless for us to disguise
or dissimulate. There is no halfway
house of neutrality. The government of
h,s country is supreme, as against any part
Of 1t. The nation is the august embodi-
ment of sovereignty, which commands our
respect, our loyalty, and our love. What
ever institution fails to teach this doctrine
as the Alpha and Omega of its faith, is
false to its duty and to the country, and
deserves only reprobation. We learn that
President Ewell is thoroughly loyal and q
man of large and liberal views, and that he
would condemn any want of respect for
the national authority on the part
OF either the faculty or students of the in
stitution over which he presides. The par
ties accused of these grave offenses against
loyalty and propriety, may be able to ex-
plain their conduct and purge themselves
of these serious charges. We, therefore.
have felt compelled to advise delay in the
appropriation, and we shall be as much
gratified as any of its friends, to see it make
record so fair as to justify the rebuilding
of its ruined edifice by the national govern
ment.