The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1880-03-01


for collisjoi, and e0ppetition with the vir-
ginia Military Iusfii11ie and other colleges Of
the State, besides dWnrfDg the special and
technical features Of agriculture and me-
chanics. thus doubIy and seriously impair.
ing the expected usefulf ess OF the Blacks
burg College aud seriously complieating
and hazarding tue prosperity OF all tbe col.
leges In the State. And II, In another view
(as some Of the testimony implied). the
blow was only intepded for portion OF the
personnel Of the Faculty, then the commit
tee Is equally and strongly impressed with
the belief that the discussions which have
so long prevailed at Blacksburg are too
deep-seated and too widespread to be cured
by any such partial and unequal operation.
The committee feels assured that the State
at large would m,st earnestly object, on the
one hand, to any change tending to impair
or dwarf the technical feature OF the col
lege, thus robbing the farmers OF long
coveted and highly valuable means OF edu.
eating their sons; and, on the other hand.
that its sense OF propriety, justice, and
equity would be Outraged by sentence of
expulsion, without tria, passed upon only
one side of the unhappy feud, which has
prevailed (as all the witnesses testified, the
only point on which there was perfect
unanimity) "since the first bricks were
burnt" down to the present day.
The committee sedulously holding itself
aloof from what, at best, could be but an
imperfect and unsatisfactory Investigation
OF dissenslons which for many years have
rent the college and surrounding commu-
mites into hostile and angry factions, is
still clearly Of opinion that there can be no
healthful and certain rejection until the
whole system OF the college from Alpha to
Omega is renovated and re6rganized, and
TO that end the committee commends with
such notifications and amendments as will
be presented hereafter) the bill introduced
into the Senate by Senator Eskrid2e, a copy
Of which is appended.
b. JOHNSON BARBOUR,
Chairman OF Committee on Schools and Col
leges, and seven others OF the committee
concurring, making eight.
The bill Of Senator Eskridge vacates the
present Board Of Visitors and Faculty and
empowers the Governor, by and with the
advice OF the Senate, to appoint new
Board.
Mr.. Ellis presented the following:
To the Honorable the House Of Delegates
The undersigned, members OF your Com
mittee on Schools and Colleges, which COM
mittee have had under consideration the re-
solution referred 10 it directing inquiry
into Irregularities in the late admnistra-
ton Of the Virginia Agricultural and NJ :
chanical College," and 10 what extent, II
any, the original designs and purposes OF
said college, as a school OF practical agrlcul-
ture, have been diverted by the recent ac-
tion Of the Board OF Visitors OF said col
lege," being unable to agree with the ma
jority OF the committee, would respectfully
state that in our opinion there have been
grave irregularities in the late administra-
ton. growing out OF dissensions in the
Faculty, and an imperfect system OF dlscip-
line, the effects OF which were extremely
detrimental to the interest OF the college.
We would further state that the Board OF
Visitors at its recent meetings inaugurated
radical changes in the Faculty and IN the
system OF discipline hitherto practiced,
which changes practically take effect with
the beginning OF the session, which com
menced on the 25th day OF February; that
said changes have as yet bad no practical
test, and when fully applied will, in our
opinion, arrest the disastrous tendencies OF
the institution and place II upon a prosper
Gus basis; that the said Board OF Visitors
UOL ITdIsCtuutu III the
premises, and has not diverted the original
designs and purposes OF the college as
school OF practical agriculture.
We therefore recommend the passage ol
the following resolution
Resolved, That it is inexpedient to legis.
late on the subject at this time.
THOMAS l.. NICHE,
WILLIAM M. ELLIS,
III. ~ l.. GOODE,
JAMES Lyons, Jr.
The two reports were passed by and or
dered TO be printed.
THE RIDDLEBERGER BILL POSTPONED TILL TO
DAY.
When the Riddleberger bill came W. il
the House Saturday, Mr.. Hanger moved t(
postpone it until to-day at 1890 o'clock
and carried his point (though the Read1ust
ers generally voted "No") by the following
vote:
| AYES.