The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1883-06-29

scnators--amongst tnem Gan,i
oinia. Brcckinridgc OF Kentucky, IL. o
Foote Of Mississippi. and William =. liz res,
ton OF South Carolina; more thah ascoioo y,
congressman, twoscore ana n'oio ~
iudges-amongst them Trimole' Oh 'u1
United ) ates Supreme Court; 'oa'tei, ~,
len, and Burks, Of the Court Of Appea.s "
virginia: twelve or more cohese Pio1
dents. and amongst them Moses Hoge anu
Archibald Alexander OF IIampden-Siuhey'
James Priestly OF Cumberland CoIsgS'
Tenn. and G.. 4. Baxter and Henry hliu'
ner (who presided here. and Socra.es
Maupin OF the University OF virginia
These are but few OF those who have gar
nered the learning that shed so gracious
LIGHT i'm the aiter-tme on them. their couh,
try. and their Alma Mater. And couiu i
ua1se 10 speak Of those who became valiant
leaders OF men in battle could name man!
4 noble soldier whose eye crcetS nine 10.
dav: and, alas | should recall The FORM on
many hero who passed from these llalis
in the flush Of youthful manhood ana mas
long slept with "the unrcturning brave ;
for I'm 1861, when the call to arms resound-
ed. "Tbe Iiberty-TIall Volunteers THE
students Of Washington College-WeIe
qmong the first land in bOdy)to respond;
and when the quiet professor OF your tWih
institute was baptized IN history as "Stoie-
wall Jackson" their blood o'ertlOwcd TIE
christening urn and REDEEMED Manassas
felh. and from Manassas to AppomattoN,
under Joseph f. Johnston, and Thomas >:
jackson. and Robcr, +. Lee, the boys ana
the men of Washington College proved
that they were worthy OF their leaders,
worthy Of their State and country, and
worthy OF all good fame.
TUE FATE OF WAR.
Unsparing war spared not the shrine
where brcatbed into the arts Of peace, yet
lived the spirit and was perpeluated the
nonc OF thc Father OF his Country. Nhen
in 1864 David Hunter led an invading army
AGAINST fhe state of his birth, he came not ~
came those who fought with their own ana
for their own. and who realized that they
met an equal and generous foe. Lee had
pencfrated The year before 10 the heart OF
| Pennsylvania, and the southern infantry
had hiyoulckcd on the banks OF the Sus-
quth1una.
When ne crossed the Pcnn-ylyanil lirc he
had announced I'm general orders from the
Headquarters OF the Army OF Northern
virginia that be did not come TO take
ycneeancc"; that "wc make war only
upon armed men, and he therefore
e. earnestly exhoricd the troops to abstain
with most scrlpuloUs care from unncccs-
sarv or wanton injury OF private pro-
perty." and "cnioincd upon all officers 90
arrest and bring to summary punishment
an who should in any way o1cnd against
the orders on the subject lie had been
obcved bv hi, lieuterMt- and his men. No
chafrcd ruins. no devastated fields, no
plundered homes. marked the line OF hi.
march. On one OCCASION. 10 sci good
examine. he was seen 10 dismOuul from his
horse and PIT up formers fence. In the
city Of Yorl, General Early had in general
orders prohibited the burning OF buld-
! ines containing stores OF war. lest lire
might be communicated 10 ncieiborng
homes. and General Gordon in his pablo
address had declared: III q torch j. APP
piled f. q single dwelling. o. I'm insult Of
! iercd 10 q female Of your town by soldier
OF this command. point ne ont the man,
and YOU shall have bis lie The battle
Of GETTYSBURG had ragged around Gciiys-
| burg College, but when il ended the col
leeo stood scaihlcss. save by The accidents
Of war But when David Hunter invaded
Vir,inia ne clmc t. make war on the help
less. and he was Is rtnlcs, TO rain as hc
was swift TO decline battle and retreat. lie
blistcred the land from which ne sprung,
and broad. blacl, path marked his uaiI
From the summit Of those mountains
where SpotsWO0d first Spied the Valley
could be counted at one time the flames
ascending from lis burning houses. The
Institute was burned and Washington Col
legc dismantlcd and pilagcd, IL scientific
apparatus DESTROYED. it, library sacked. the
very statue OF Washington carried of n q
trophy. The hand OF war indeed fell
heavily here; and when the southern
cause went down at AppomattoX Wash
ineton College remained scarce mOIc than
rninous and desolate relic Of better days.
-Four professors. a handful Of students, ana
the bare buildings were all that was lett
OF it.
PRESIDENT or WASHINGTON COLLEGE.
In August, 1850. the trustees OF Wash
ington College met. The situation they
contemplated was deplorable and dcpress-
Ing. Their invested funds were unpro-
ductivc; their treasury was empty. The
State was PROSTATE and bankrupt. In the
sky Of the future there was scarcely ray
OF light. But they were resolved TO face
difficulties and to do the best they could.
One OF the trustee,-COlonel Bolivar
Christian, OF StauntOn-SuggeSted that
General Lee be invited to accept the pre,i-
dency OF the institution. There was but
little anticipation that he would incline 10
their wishes. The position could not be
very remuneTatiye; il involved tedious
and perplcXing tasks. and il did not seem
commensurate with the abilities nor alto
gether fitting TO the TASTES OF Il great COM
mander who had so long dealt with the
vast and active concerns Of military life.
But the suggestion was unanimously adopt
ed. and Hon. John w. Brockenbrough.
rector Of the Board, was appointed to APP
prise General Lee OF the fact. Al first
General Lee hcsitatcd. Ills mOdcsty dis
trusted his own competency 10 fulfil the
trust. and he feared that the hostility OF
the Government towards him might direct
adverse influences against the institution
which ii was proposed to commit to bis
care. These considerations being success
fully combattcd by those who knew
how high his qualifications were, and
how great were his attractions, General
Lee accepted the position rendered him;
and on the Goth OF October, 1860. he ap-
reared before the Rev. W. :. White, the
Oldest Christian minister Of Lexington,
took the oath OF Office, and assumed the
duties OF president Of Washington Col
lege. On the eve OF acceptance two pro-
positions were made to General Lee-One
to become president Of large corporation
with salary Of $4,000 per annum; an
other to take the like Office in another cor
poration with salary OF $4,000.
He had made up his mind to come here.
and this i what he said TO friend who
brought HIM the last munilicent offer:
- have a seli-imposed task which must
accomplish. | have led the young men Of
the South in battle; have seen many Of
them fall under my standard. shall de-
vote my life now to training young men 10
do their duty in liie."
LII Mn. tLat L,.-.ll-Lt