The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1905-05-07

tho latter. The fact remained that the
| father OF the University had opposed the
| creation OF n president, and these friends
| OF the University, therefore, would not
! consent to remove the ancient landmark.
MIR Jefferson's attitude of protest was
| first affirmatlvely expressed ut meet
| Ing OF the board of visitors held on tho
| Sd and 4th Of April, 1926, attended by
| Thomas jefferson, Joseph G. Cabell, John
H. Cooke, Chapman Johnson and James
Mndlson. at that meeting the board, by
formal resolution, established tho office
rather as an inducoment to VIM. Writ,
then attorney general of the United
states to accept the chair of law, than
through any recognition of the crying need
of president at that time, when the
student body numbered only 166, and
when the number of professors was COM
paratively small. Mr.. Jefferson filed his
written dissent and protest ITO so much
of these enactinents as go to the estab-
lishmcnt Of the Office OF president of the
university" though concurring heartily
in the appointment of Mr.. Writ to the
chair Of law, and this protest follows tho
adoption OF the resolution in the record
Of that meeting. ~
On the 9th Of April following. Mr.. JEFF
ferson at Monticello addressed to Mr..
Writ a letter. informing him that the
board had, with a view to strengthen
Inducements TO your acceptance" OF tho
profcssorship of law in the university,
created an office of president of the uni
versty with an annual salary Of $1,000,
and appointed you to that office also"
With this letter he forwarded to Mr.,
Writ the record of the proceedings, which
stated that the members of the board who
gave their unanimous vote for Mr.. Wirt's
election to the professorship, were those
named above. The last resolution in the
series was:
"Resolved THAT William Writ, at pres
ent Attorney General of the United
States, be appointed president of the unit
vcrsity and professor of law; and that II
he decline the appointment the resolu-
ton establishing the office of president
be null and void.
Mr.. Writ did decline in a reply written
from Washington, April 8, 1926. In which
he said:
with very strong prepossessions to-
wards the course of employment proposed
to me, my situation compels me to de-
cline It and to resign myself perhaps for
life, to the more profitable labors Of my
profession"
A few days later Mr.. Jeffeiso wrote
to Mr.. Joseph c. Cabell. one Of the visi-
tor.>th Mr.. Writ had declined the Of
fees proposed to him. and that Mr.. Lo-
max had accepted the professorship OF
law.
From that date until seventy years
later there was no effort made to change
the old order, although 1t has been stated
that Immediately after the close of the
War of Secession, in the rectdrship OF
Colonel Thomas Jefferson Randolph. the
visitors discussed informally suggestion
to create the office of president and to
elect General Robert E. Lee to the po-
sition.
In June, 1896. the plan of establishing
the presidency of the university first took
definite shape and impetus. and with
varying degrees of repression and of ex-
preston 1t eliminated at length, in the
Legislation of 1908 and In the election OF
DR.. Alderman. AT a meeting of the Board
Of Visitors of the University, June 16,
1896, which then consisted of DR.. W.. G.
N. Randolph. rector; Judge LeGh r.
Watts, Mr.. Joseph Bryan, Mr.. r. Tate
Irvine, Mr.. VIM. B. Mcllwaine, DR.. Raw
| lev w Martin, Mr.. Marshall Mccormick.
| Mr.. Daniel Harmon and Mr.. Armistcad
! c. Gordon Mr.. Gordon offered the follow
| ing resolution.
| 'Resolyed, That a committee of three
shall be appointed by the rector who
shall consider and report to this board
| at a meeting to be called by the rector.
I at the request Of said committee rs to
the expedlency Of electing chairman OF
1 the faculty, who shall not only preside
over the faculty meetings, but shall be
tho executive officer in charge of and