8

Thirdly. Economical Considerations. The common-
wealth has expended upon the permanent structures of the
University a sum little less than $500,000, and perhaps ex-
ceding it. It cannot be [?] to learn these expensive
buildings, with the [?] library and costly apparatus, to fall into decay and [?], but to [?] them,
especially when unoccupied, or only partially occupi-
ed, will [?] of least $5,000, & probably $7,000. Eight
thousand [?] will maintain the institution in a high
State of efficiency! Shall it be abandoned, and the fruit of
so much labors, anxiety & expense be loot, (as it probably
will be, if the annuity be witheld even for a year or two), for
$8000? Surely nobody could imagine such a cause to be
dictated by economy!

Again, the debt of the University, [?] past
of it with the assent, and all of it, it is believed, with the [?] of the
Legislature, {it is believed} amounts to about $38,500, requiring
an annual interest of some $2,300, and its payment depends
wholly upon the continuance of the annuity. It is submit-
ted therefore, that to withold the annuity, & thereby to annul
the debt [virtually?], would [?] of a [?] of the public
faith, of which Virginia has never yet been guilty.

And yet again, the annuity is a [charge?] whome each
individual in the Commonwealth, of about 1 1/2 cents, but the Uni-
versity brings into the State, with the youth from [?] who [?]-
[?] thither, (at least it did before the war), not less than $250,000,
and it retains in the State, with our own young men who could
go elsewhere for a finished education, a still greater sum.
Rev D [?] [?]. Rice, is an article published in 1819, to recom-
mend the erection & endowment of the University [surges?] {this}
with great force, as a [?] argument, "the pecuni-
ary [lones?]" sustained by what he styles "the most culpable neg-
ligence" of not having created in Virginia, an institution of learn-
ing, of the first rank. "Ten years ago", says he "I made exten-
sion enquiries on the subject, and ascertained to my [?]-