Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-02-28
WHERE II THE UNIVERSITY,
The Great Institution which WASHING.
ton Proposed TO Establish I'm she Fede.
rsi titS-Fhe Need Of n National and
Th"ro"ghly American University
"Gath's" Views On the Subtecs.

| Thoroughly American University
"Gath's" Views ON the Subiecs.
"Gath" writing recently TO the Cincinnati
Enqu'rcT,' said: among the designs of the
FOUNDERS OF this country, which has never been
carried out. was one of the erection OF National
| University. The denationalizng OF our eastern
colleges is but too apparent 10 American citi
| zens I'm general. The temper OF education IN
these old schools is adverse 10 popular govern.
ment In the direction OF the respecting OF per.
sons and 10 the nourishing OF quirps, puppets
and afieSations which frequently take the
! form OF sincere hate OF the students native
land. John C. Calhoun and John Quincy
Adams, the Two great competitors from the
north and the south. the two men who really
began the great conflict which has ended In n
, uii,ae1 people, were both advocates of Ma
| uohd University. lnsenSihly Congress has
gone on making collections at Washington and
rs Where oi all the equipments OF a university
creation of Congress, because the money MFR
Sihlth>on gave our government was lost by i'm.
Nes'menl I'M state rights. Ii was loaned 10 Ar
kansas, and was there stolen by the state roy.
erhheht, ana never made good Congress
the money, and the Smithsonian insfitntioa
pears Smithson $ name, but was made by the
American taxpayers. The United states col
lection OF patent models has grown at WASH
ington So greatly that some years ago IL was
voted to let portion of them he taken To dif-
ferent colleges through the country To assist the
education of pupils and mechanics. The main
collection. however, is still AT Washington. and
Is the most complete on the globe. The Ameri-
cans have
LED ALL COUNTRIES
In Inventions although they became a country
after the steam engine invented. The
library OF Congress. the largest i'm our country,
! is entirely beyond the necessities OF Congress
ana the government, and will. after the usual
delays be accommodated IN some respectable
building, built to be accommodated TO the
growth OF the library. All the departments at
W ashington have their museums illustrative OF
the development. not only OF the Americans,
| but all of the families OF men I'm production
manufacture and science The National Mu-
scum, which founded a year or two ago. IL
me most agreeable place To visit In all Wash
iiiSoh' ana ~ one OF the best museums OF the
,Sp. n IN me a,, world The new observatory
nhest telescopes that can be manufactured.
congress itself il something OF n great faculty
uidl every stranger in Washington knows,
| whether his purpose there be literary or scien-
tine. He can lind in the delegates and MEM
force % o me aleIent states and in the official
tors for whatever lac may want to know.
| WASHINGTON CITY AND IT'S COLLECTIONS
| 10 return TO Washington city and its collec
lions, II has the first and the best Army and
| Navy Medical museum i'm the world In each
Oh the departments Is special library for the
| use OF that department, mainly devoted to the
| specialties thereof. In the Capitol and other
pubic buildings are the finest illustrations to
| pe found IN America for drawing, art archi-
| tScture, engineering, DC. The country around
| Washington l. still comparatively crude and
| abounds in natural specimens of almost every
| thing apperaining Ia education. I.atrobe one
| oi the architects of the Capitol took his horse
| and went wandering around the neiehborins
| rocks. and there discovered the Potomac mar
| bic. which rs so original and fine a feature of
| the old Hall OF Representatives. From WASH
| lngton have radiatcd the various fish commits
| slons of the several states and the tightening
laws To preserve all natural productions which
nave life. The documents of the government
alone, which are only to he found perfect i'm
| Washington, and have been kept carefully
wonderful library.
Among the schemes which will terminate in
the near future il ;he National University and
! instead OF being opposed from the south, IL
ought Ia be the especial advocacy of the soutl-
ern states, by which great institution can be
made upon their borders, superior ultimately
| in the character of its Students and yraduates
To those of any of the more aged schools.
| GEN. wAsHINGroN's VIEWS
| Gen. Washington favored a national univer-
sity ninety years ago. He wrote TO John Adams:
The proposition to transplant the entire fac
| ulty of the University OF Geneva TO Washington
| city, and transform them into AN American
university, Is Important national university
| In this country is thing to be desired and this
| has always been my decided opinion; and the
appropriation OF grounds and funds Tor it I'm the
| federal city has long been CONTEMPLATED and
talked OF Al that very tine Washington had
made his viii and provided for the establish
| ment oil a college, saying: at is always a source
OF regret TO me to see the youth of these United
states sent 10 foreig countries for the purposes
OF education, contracting habits there and prin.
| clples unfriendly TO republican government and
| TO the true and genuine liberties of mankind
| which are afterward rarely overcome. For
| these reasons il has been my ardent wish TO see
| plan devised on a liberal scale which would
| nave tendency to spread systematic ideas
through all parts OF this rising empire, thereby
| 10 do away with local attachments and state
| preludlces as far as the nature of things would
| or Indeed ought, TO admit from our national
| councils; Looking anNlously forward 10 the
accomplishment OF SO desirable ala object as
this Il, my mind has not been able to contern-
| plate any plan more likely TO effect the meas
| ure than the establishment of a university I'm a
| central part OF the United States, to which the
| youths of fortune and talents from all parts
! thereof might be sent for the completiuh OF
| their education" Thereupon Washington gave
MS shares in the Potomac company, which
| Virginia had given him, To endow a university
| under the auspices OF the general government
| In order 10 pacify home feeling I'm Virginia ne
| also gave his shares I'm the James River Nayiea-
| ton company 10 what is now the Washington
and Lee college, at Lexington. The above let
| ter was written to Edmund Randolph on the
| 18th OF September, 1894
Gath suggests the propriety of carving ont
| Washingtons plan before the centennial to oc-
| cur ten years from now, of his proposal 10 es-
tabiish the university. He quotes various
writings and utterances of Washington and
Jefferson favoring the establishment of a ma
| tional university i'm the federal CITY, He saws
trolled by the Jesuits, which has become
large and handsome Institution, educates a
| large proportion of the sons OF our Congress
men, He refers also To the Columbia college
Mr.. Corcorans benefactions to IT. and the hfrh
| standing OF its law school.