Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-01-19
sEDGWICK EXPLAINS.
In n Letter 20 Professor Thornton
of the University.

CHARLOTTESVILLE. VA, January
(special)-Professor Thornton, of the
University OF Virginia, has received the
following letter from Professor w. I.
Sedrwick Of the Boston Institute OF Tech
nology;
Il sent you telegram last night ask
ing you to suspend judgment on the gross
perversion OF my words about the Univer-
sity Of Virginia until l could write, as
/ now do.
at a meeting OF the Massachusetts
Moral Education Association on Friday
last. l was invited TO speak on The Nor
al Training of College and Institute
Life, and did So believing l could DO
the higher education a service by point
ing out the great moral advantages or
such life for young men and women. In
the course OF my remarks, which were
made without notes and without much
preparation, / naturally touched upon
cheating in examinations and the honor
system. This led me TO speak OF the
University of Virginia in terms of high
praise l then continued, substantially,
as follows: This does not necessarily
mean, however, that southern young men
| are, on the whole superior in moraiity
| TO their northern brothers. They may
| have other moral defects. such as drunk,
enness or RIGHTEOUSNESS. We are all
moral only i'm spots The last sentence,
| a casual, and of course, foohshly sehei ai
| one, concluded this part of the SUBJECT.
Il cannot affirm that these sentences
| are exactly what l said. or even all thdt
| I NAV have said, but they are what l
! meant 10 say. and very nearly what dld
| saw | was very busy on Friday evening"
| having an important public lecture 10
| give on Saturday at IL O'Clock, ana SO
| dismissed from my mind the whole SUP,
| fect making il difficult for me 20 recali
| precisely the language USED. am d
| rapid speaker and have been toiu py
! stenographers that l am hard TO take. l.
therefore, believe that l was misunuel
| stood and thus unsupported. Ger
| tainIv never said. and never meant TO say
the outrageous Things alIiiuu'0u W NV -
| the dispatches.
| 81 have. of course, absolutely no know
| ledge of the moral condition OF the Onr
! versity IT, any particular. excepting oiiy
its leadership in the honor system uie
| not say. and ] do not believe, any sucl
outrageous and impossible things as INA
III is famed for immortality ana hcehtlous
moss, did not say, and L do not be
! lieve. that 1T is moral only in spots. vi
| the contrary, / do firmly believe that I'M
University of Virginia, like all our grea
colleges. universities, and sclentin'
schools. yields, on the whole, poWerIu
moral influence. and is a force that make
for righteousness This was the genera
tenor and burden Of my address, as yo'
, NAV see from the very decent report o
il in the Herald of Saturday, copy
which l enclose.
Il will only say further. how oeepl!
pained and grieved l am by TINS "hoi
affair. and how much l lament the eIue
, and possibly harmful publicity when ma
been given to it, l have profound re
spect for the University, and would no
willingly do or say the slightest thing L
damage il. even if i could. You Will per
mans recall the fact. in support OF thes
statements. that shortly before your owl
visit 10 Boston, after the FIRE when DE
! stroved the rotunda, | made IN the iran
script. our principal evening paper
strong appeal for the University, ana
! | have never since failed TO speak IN II
praise whenever opportunity offered
May l ask you to show THIS letter I
| the chairman of your faculty ana you
J | other colleagues, and make its content
! | known 10 the student body, VINO nave
] right 10 demand an explanation. Further
| more. YOU may make any other use OF
E that YOU deem proper. l only nope Una
Y the discussion evoked by this whole ana
! NAV serve to make better and NOR
e | widely known the Splendid history an
l present fair fame of one OF our most al
D Gent and honored universities"