ions, and raise it from its
humble state to an eminence among its associates which it has never yet
known; no, not in its brightest days. That institution is now qualified
to raise its youth to an order of science unequalled in any other State;
and this superiority will be the greater from the free range of mind
encouraged there, and the restraint imposed at other seminaries by the
shackles of a domineering hierarchy, and a bigoted adhesion to ancient
habits. Those now on the theatre of affairs will enjoy the ineffable
happiness of seeing themselves succeeded by sons of a grade of science
beyond their own ken. Our sister States will also be repairing to the
same fountains of instruction, will bring hither their genius to be
kindled at our fire, and will carry back the fraternal affections
which, nourished by the same alma mater, will knit us to them by the
indissoluble bonds of early personal friendships. The good Old Dominion,
the blessed mother of us all, will then raise her head with pride among
the nations, will present to them that splendor of genius which she
has ever possessed, but has too long suffered to rest uncultivated
and unknown, and will become a centre of ralliance to the States whose
youths she has instructed, and, as it were, adopted.

I claim some share in the merits of this great work of regeneration. My
whole labors, now for many years, have been devoted to it, and I stand
pledged to follow it up through the remnant of life remaining to me. And
what remuneration do I ask? Money from the treasury? Not a cent. I ask
nothing from the earnings or labors of my fellow-citizens. I wish no
man's comforts to be abridged for the enlargement of mine. For the
services rendered on all occasions, I have been always paid to my full
satisfaction. I never wished a dollar more than what the law had fixed
on. My request is, only to be permitted to sell my own property freely
to pay my own debts. To sell it, I say, and not to sacrifice it, not
to have it gobbled up by speculators to make fortunes for themselves,
leaving unpaid those who have trusted to my good faith, and myself
without resource in the last and most helpless stage of life. If
permitted to sell it in a way which will bring me a fair price, all will
be honestly and honorably paid, and a competence left for myself, and
for those who look to me for subsistence. To sell it in a way which will
offend no moral principle, and expose none to risk but the willing,