THE SOUTHERN PLANTER 



365 



by them of vital importance, and one identified 

 ■with the interests and glory of Virginia. Of 

 this proceeding on the part of the Board of Vis- 

 itors, your committee was fully apprised at the 

 time, and the Society afterwards, by its late 

 Rector, Mr. Cabell. 



At the late session of the Legislature, the 

 Board of Visitors were invested with full poAver 

 to increase the number of schools, in the man- 

 ner, and to the extent that they might deem 

 beneficial to the State and the University. Ac- 

 cordingly, at the last annual meeting of the 

 Board of Visitors in June, -the subject was 

 again taken up for consideration, and the Board 

 unanimously expressed a decision in favor of 

 the establishment of the school proposed by the 

 committee of your Society, and requested the 

 Rector to communicate with the society and to 

 inform it that the Board Avere prepared to co- 

 operate forthwith with the Society in the estab- 

 lishment of the proposed Professorship, upon a 

 scale commensurate with the views of the Soci- 

 ety, and the wants of the country. This will 

 appear by a copy of the resolution of the Board 

 that I now have the honor to submit, and which 

 you will be pleased to lay before the Society at 

 its next meeting, or those who may be authori- 

 zed to act upon the subject. 



It may be proper for me to apprize you that 

 in all the proceedings on the part of the Board 

 of Visitors, they acted under a persuasion (and 

 after full and free conference with your com- 

 mittee) that it was the intention of the agricul- 

 tural society, to endow and support the school 

 proposed out of the fund of the Society, with any 

 aid that the Legislature might give, and that 

 the object of the Society was to obtain the con- 

 sent of the Rector and Board of Visitors, in the 

 establishment of an agricultural school in the 

 University, and its co-operation in carrying it 

 into full and successful operation. 

 I have the honor to be, dear sir, 

 With highest respect and regard, 

 Your ob't servant, 



A. Stevenson, Rector of U. Va. 



To P. St. George Cocke, Esq. of Prest. Ag. So- 

 ciety of Va. 



At a regular meeting of the Board of Visitors 

 of the University of Virginia, held on the 24th 

 day of June, the following resolution v/as adop- 

 ted : 



Resolved, That the Rector communicate with 

 the Agricultural Society of Virginia upon the 

 subject of the propositiim heretofore made by 

 the Society to the Board, for the establishment 

 of a school of Agriculture in the University, and 

 that he inform them that the Board having been 

 invested by the Legislature witli the necessary 

 legal authority for that purpose are prepared now : 

 to co-operate with the Society in the establish- 

 ment of such a school, upon a scale commensu- 

 rate with the views of the Society and wants of ' 

 the country. A copy — Teste, ; 



R. T. W. Duke, S. V. B. 



Whereupon (after the reading of the above s 



communication and enclosures) on the motion of 

 Mr, Macfarland, of Richmond city, the follow- 

 ing resolution was unanimously adopted : 



Resolved, That for his munificent donation to 

 agricultural education, and for the wise and pa- 

 triotic dedication of it, Philip St. George Cocke, 

 Esq., is entitled to the enduring gratitude of 

 this Assembly, and of all good citizens, and 

 that the Speaker communicate tc*) Mr. Cocke the 

 grateful acceptance by this Assembly of his no- 

 ble benefaction, and the high esteem and re- 

 spect entertained for him. 



On motion of Wm. H. Macfarland, of Rich- 

 mond, 



Resolved, That the munificent donation of 

 Philip St. George Cocke towards the foundation 

 of an agricultural school in the University of 

 Virginia be, and is hereby accepted. 



Mr, Edmunds, of Halifax, offered the follow- 

 ing resolution which was unanimously adopted: 

 Resolved, That a committee of five, composed 

 in part of the Speaker, and of Mr. Cocke, and 

 such others as the Speaker may select, be ap- 

 pointed to confer with the Visitors of the Uni- 

 versity, and to make arrangements for the estab- 

 lishment of a professorship of agriculture in 

 that Institution. 



Onthemotionof W3^ndham Robertson, ofRich- 

 mond, the following was adopted as an amend- 

 ment, and to be added to the above resolution, 

 viz : 



" And that said committee be instructed in 

 making arrangements for the establishment of 

 said professorship to express the unanimous 

 AA'ish of the Farmers' xissefnbly that the name 

 of its noble donor be connected with the chair 

 endowed by him. 



The Speaker then proceeded to appoint the 

 remainder of the committee. The committee 

 consists of the folloAving gentlemen: 

 Hon. Wm. C. Rives, 

 Philip St. George Cocke, 

 Wm. H. Macfarland, 

 Willoughby Newton, and 

 Franklin Minor. 

 On motion of Wm. H. Macfarland, it was 

 Resolved, That the executive committee cause 

 to be made a marble bust and a portrait of Phil- 

 ip St. George Cocke, Esq., to be bestovred as 

 this body shall hereafter determine. 

 On motion of Mr. Macfarland, 

 Resolved, That the thanks of this Assembly 

 be presented to the distinguished presiding offi- 

 cer, for the courtesy and ability with which he 

 has performed his official duties. 



The foregoing resolution being unanimously 

 p.dopted, Avas reported to the Speaker, Avho there- 

 upon returned his acknowledgments in graceful 

 and impressive terms, and complimenting the 

 Assembly on the good feeling and order which 

 had characterized their proceedings, he express- 

 ed his confidence in the high destiny which 

 awaited the Society, and the hope that their gar- 

 ners would be full, affording all manner of 

 store, and thattheir cattle and sheep would bring 



