Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1896-03-24
Letter Erom Mr. g. 8. Rouss.

Colonel j. Bell Bigger. Clerk of
the House of Delegates and Keeper
of the Rolls of Virginia. has received
q letter from C. B. Rouss. of New
York city. to whom the former sent
a handsome copy of the resolution of
thanks of the Geueral Assembly of
Virginia to Mr. Rouss for his gener-.
Gus donation of s25. 600 to the Uni
versity Of Virginia. The following
is an exact copy of Mr. Rouss' letter:
New YORK Cry, Mar. 3, ,96.
J. Bell Bigger, ESQ.,,
Richmond, Va.
Dear Sir:
Very much obliged to U for the
butiful present rec'd this morning by
express. hardly have words to ex-
press myself. tits appreciated very
greatly 1 Assure u, coming from the
Capitol of the Old Commonwealth. 1
feel that u, individually, have been
put to sum epense in this matter and
enclose u trifle, and il U hay no
use for i. yorself besto il upon sum
worthy objiet of charity. always
with u.s. also mail U sum papers
that interest u.
With best wishes.
B. C. B. Rouss.
The paper Mr.. Rouss refers to is
letter from A. A. Dickenson, of
New York city, to Professor William
II. Thornton, of the University of
Virginia, in which Mr.. Ronss en-
closes his check for S25, 900 to Prof.
Thornton, being the donation of Mr..
Rouss to the University of Virginia.
The trifie Mr.. Rouss refers to in his
letter to Colonel Bigger is So, which
Colonel Bigger has given to the
Sheltering Arms Hospital.
The letter from A. A. Dickenson,
referred to above, is as follows:
New York City, Feb. 21, 1896.
Professor VIM. II. Thornton. Chair
man of University OF Virginia,
Charlottesville, Va;
M Dear Sir-It has become n
pleasure to me in my retirement
from business to devote portion of
my time as "a labor of love" in as
sisting our esteemed friend, Mr..
Charles Broadway Rouss, in his great
philanthropic work. It has become
his custom to place in my willing
hands his most important corFespon-
dence touching his mnnificent gifts,
and as l thoroughly understand the
trend of his mind in the direction of
his unostentatious desire to do good
with his handsome fortune, 1 am
able to convey his real meaning, and
express it to his correspondents in
language that his extreme modesty
prevents him from doing. Much of
his noble work would pass unrecord-
ed, and even scarcely known, II left
to him alone, and, feeling that this
should not be the case, and rs he is
pleased TO honor me with his conf
dence, 1 am pleased to perform the
duty ne has entrusted to me, and
give him, as far as I am able, that
place in the hearts of his countrymen
as shining light and high exemplar
| worthy of exalted imitation. True
charity seeks not reward or praise;
it naturally blesses both the giver and
receiver; il is of heavenly origin,
and carries with 1t its own unherald-
ed reward from higher source than
the mere opinions of men. But this
is not all in the case of Colonel
Rouss. He is not only charitable in
the ordinary acceptation of the term
that is, benevolent, with disposi-
ton to help the poor-but he is mu-
nificent, and through his love for his
felloWmen, and a desire to do them
good, he endows institutions of learn
ing, he builds grand memorials TO his
brave and patriotic countrymen,
and monuments sacred to the mem
ory of the heroic dead of the
"Lost Cause, ''for which with them
he offered his fortune and his life.
His generous acts are of historic im-
portance, and il is due to him that a
record should he made, as was wisely
done by the General Assembly of
Virginia in recognition of his liberal
aid to its greatest State institution
of learning by vote of thanks
properly engrossed and recorded
Colonel Rouss wishes to acknowledge
the receipt Of your letter of February
18th, enclosing clipping, and notes
your request to send a check for the
amount Of his donation. l have the
honor to enclose you his check for
twenty-five thousand (s25 ,000) dol
lars made payable Gin accordance
with directions from Governor Holli-
day) to the University Of Virginia
as donation for the erection of the
Engineering Building or the Physical
Laboratory which Colonel Rouss
hopes will be in every way satisfac-
tory. i am, my dear sir, with great
respect, your obedient servant,
A. A. DIckESsoN.