The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-22

~ composed OF dlStlngulsncd Americans.
among the names in its membership being
Chief Justice Fuller. Grover Cleveland,
E.ihu Root. Secretary Taft Admiral Dew
ty. Robert r. Lincoln ST. Clair Nickel
way, Cardinal Gibbons, Richard Olney,
4 DR.. s. Weir Mitchell. and numerous
others. while the late Senator IIoar was
also a member.
President Writes.
Il President Roosevelt Is Interested In the
project, and has endorsed II In the fol.
lowing letter 10 Thomas Nelson Page.
president of the Alumni Association Of
tho University ofyirginia:
HI white House,
Washington, June o. 1904.
MY Dear Mr.. Page:
i have received your letter about
the movement TO raise n Thomas JEFF
" ferson memorial fund az an endow-
ment for the University8of Virginia.
IS L most earnestly wish you success. and
feel that the moment you have
chosen Is most oppo-tune, owing to the q
reawakencd interest In Jenersons
great work caused by the centenary
& Of the Louisiana Purchase. Your work
SHOULD commend itself no, only to
those who are especially Interested In
the cause OF higher education In the
Z South. but to all who are interested
# In the cause of higher education
g8 throughout our country. You need a
large sum for such a memorial, and
3 cannot help feeling that you will gctit
! + the most eminent men OF the coun-
try, irrespective OF section or party
can have the matter laid Before them
and are satsfied. as they SHOULD be
satisfied. as to the great merit OF the
4 i movement.
.~rhe University OF Virginia occupies
a unique position among our cduca-
3 tional institutions. On the first board
# OF visitors TO the institution were JEFF
4 ferson, Madison and Monroe. The y
University was one OF Jefferson's cher
4Eished. ideas--a project which occupied
his whole time and attention during
u the latter years OF his life, It has
# never had an endowment requisite to 3
It's barcst needs. Now, In the great
Exposition at ST. Louis, the country
is proclamtng the centennial OF the
K achievement in which Jeffers on took
the leading part: the achievement
which, in the purchase of the then ter
ritory Of Louisiana. definitely estab-&
j lished this country as the grea test
nation OF the Western Hemisphere.
Surely, this celebra ton should not be
brought to close without leaving on
the nation some other mark than the
memory Of its grandeur The move 4
. nlent to this end car most properly
take the form of a monument forever
to JcYerson's genius: monument far
more enduring than bronze. and which
will fully realize one OF Its greatest
ideals.
sit would be q good thing II the
people OF this country, North and
South, East and West, should come
forward and establish Jefferson Fund \
h for, the University ms a final culmina-
ton for the great celebration Of the
present year. Jefferson wrote his own
epitaph to be inscribed on the granite
shaft that marks his grave at Month 4
cello In this eptaph,he did not recite
the offices he had held but the three
deeds he had done which he esteemed
OF most worth to his fellow-men. and
@the epitaph runs as follows:
.'1EIere was buried Thomas Jefferson.
Author OF the Declaration OF Amer!- Y
can Independence, the Statute OF Vir-
ginla for Religious Freedom. and
Father of the University OF Virginia
1.-THE American people can surely he
appealed to with confidence to carry
out Jefferson's work In the way which
ne would himself have regn rded MS
a most gratifying. by endowlng. as 1t *
should be endowed, tho noble institu-
tloniof learning which he founded. |
earnestly hope for tho success Of your
movement,
sincerely yours.
(Signed)
II /. . - ~ +