“Headquarters First Military District
“RICHMOND, VA., July 29, 1868.
“Gentlemen: I am directed by the commanding General to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of this date in relation to the subject of the removal of Randolph-Macon College, and in reply thereto, to inform you that authority is hereby given to the Trustees of that College to remove that institution, with all the appurtenances and fixtures thereunto belonging, to such place and at such time as the majority of the Trustees may think proper, this removal to be subject to the conditions set forth in a former letter from these headquarters, dated the 8th instant.*
“I am, gentlemen, very respectfully,
(Signed) “S. F. CHALFIN,
“Assistant Adjutant-General”
“To Messrs. John Early, D. S. Doggett, Richard Irby, R. M. Smith, and others, Committee of the Trustees of Randolph-Macon College.”
The owners of the property at Ashland, who had purchased the same for the Trustees, submitted the conditions on which they proposed to turn it over to the Trustees, and the same were, on motion, accepted. This property embraced all the buildings then standing on the thirteen acres, now constituting the campus of the College at Ashland, with some other lots adjacent. Thus the location was provided for the College with accommodations for professors and students, and the way was cleared for the removal of the College to it.
At this juncture President Johnson submitted the following communication:
“RICHMOND, VA., July 30, 1868.
“Gentlemen of the Board of Trustees of Randolph-Macon College:
“The experiment upon which you are about to enter, with my aid and approbation, seems to me to demand that you should have the widest field for the choice of a man to fill the position I now hold. The general troubled condition of the country, excluding many distinguished men from the arena of politics, in which the talent of Virginia and the South has heretofore been employed, and also the returning to this State of many unemployed scholars and literary men, affords you a wide field of selection for this purpose. I feel that in your straitened condition, having to make a new appeal for students and for friends to re-endow your College, you are entitled to every possible advantage in your arduous undertaking. A son of the College, I love her too well, and the church which has founded and supported her in the past, to stand in the way of any possible effort that may give prestige to your labors to put her once more on the high road to prosperity.
“With this view and the kindest wishes to every member of the Board, I hereby resign the presidency of the College.
“Very truly, your obedient servant,
(Signed) “THOMAS C. JOHNSON.”
On motion of Rev. J. C. Granbery, the following resolution was unanimously adopted:
“Resolved, That in accepting the resignation of President Johnson it is due to ourselves as well as to him that we express the high esteem which we feel for him as a Christian gentleman and our admiration of the great zeal and fidelity with which he has discharged the duties of his oflice at a most critical and embarrassing juncture in the history of the College, also our warm appreciation of the disinterested and generous motives which have prompted him to tender his resignation.”
On motion of Dr. N. Head—
“Resolved, That in the absence of a Legislature having obtained authority from General Stoneman to do so, the College be removed from Mecklenburg county to Ashland, in Hanover county, Va., and that a session of the College be opened at that place on the first day of October next.
“Resolved, That in deciding to change the site of Randolph-Macon College this Board has been actuated only by the solemn conviction that it was imperatively demanded by the educational interests of the church and community at large, and that the opposition which has been offered to this action by a minority of the Trustees is deeply deplored by their colleagues of the Board, who here now and hereby respectfully request that those members will withdraw that opposition, as injurious to the interests dear alike to all, this earnest and fraternal appeal being prompted and encouraged by the very high esteem and respect entertained for the gentlemen to whom it is addressed by their associates of the Board.”
On motion of Richard Irby—
“Resolved, That this Board holds itself in readiness to make such arrangements as will secure to the county of Mecklenburg a High School at the present site of Randolph-Macon College on terms such as may be desired, said school to be a preparatory school to the College.”
Preparatory steps were taken to have the College furniture, libraries, etc., removed at once to Ashland.
The Board then proceeded to fill the place of President, vacated by the resignation of President Johnson.
Dr. Landon C. Garland, of the University of Mississippi, was unanimously elected President.
A committee of nine members was appointed, who were authorized, in conjunction with Dr. Garland, to elect the professors of the College; and in the event that Dr. Garland declines to accept the presidency, then said committee shall be authorized to elect another man to be President.
The following were then, on nomination, elected to constitute said committee, viz.: Bishop John Early, Bishop D. S. Doggett, Drs. N. Head, L. M. Lee, J. E. Edwards, L. Rosser, Rev. H. B. Cowles, Rev. J. C. Granbery, and Richard Irby.
Professors Corprew, Jones, Blackwell, and La Garde severally submitted their resignations.
The duty of removing the College and preparing the buildings and premises at Ashland, and making other necessary arrangements, was devolved on the “Executive Committee, which consisted of Richard Irby, Dr. N. Head, D’Arcy Paul, Thomas Branch, and Rev. T. S. Campbell.
Notes
* This letter is not found in the record.