Thomas Jefferson to Joseph C. Cabell, 19 February 1819
To Joseph C. Cabell
Monticello Feb. 19. 19.
Dear Sir
Your favor of the 15th was recd yesterday. the appointment of Visitors of the University is entirely unexceptionable; the only fear is that the distance of Genl Breckenridge & mr Taylor will render their attendances uncertain. I should have been sorry indeed if either yourself or Genl Cocke had been left out: the lateness of the day (Mar. 29) appointed for their 1st meeting renders that of the present set immediately necessary, as we should otherwise lose the chance of employing workmen, & consequently lose a year in our preparation. I think with you that we must apply all our funds to building, for the present year, and not open the institution until we can do it with that degree of splendor necessary to give it a prominent character; consequently that we must defer the mission for professors to another year. I never mentioned that subject but to General Cocke, and that with a view only of his mentioning it to you. I have requested a meeting of the Visitors at mr Madison’s on Friday next, where I wish it were possible for you to meet us, altho’ not if it will jeopardise your health. it is necessarily to determine at once what buildings we can undertake this season & to engage undertakers. I believe the extent to which our funds will permit us to go will be to two pavilions in addition to the two we have, one boarding house & 20. or 30 more dormitories. our engagements with Dr Cooper oblige us to recieve him, & I shall propose to let an Usher of our nomination & under our patronage open a grammar school for the junior classes in Charlottesville, on his own account altogether, recieving nothing from the College. in that case Cooper may take the highest or the higher classes only, and may open his law school. so far I think we can begin in May.
Th: Jefferson
RC (ViU: TJP); addressed: “Joseph C. Cabell esquire of the Senate of Virginia now in Richmond”; franked; postmarked Charlottesville, 20 Feb.; endorsed by Cabell, in part, as “Ansd same day” it was received, 22 Feb. 1819. PoC (DLC); on verso of a reused address cover from John Wayles Eppes to TJ; endorsed by TJ.
The two we have already under way later became known as Pavilions III and VII, while the boarding house was one of the University of Virginia’s six hotels. The usher chosen was Gerard E. Stack.
Index Entries
- Breckinridge (Breckenridge), James; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Cabell, Joseph Carrington; appointment of to University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Cabell, Joseph Carrington; as member of Central College Board of Visitors search
- Cabell, Joseph Carrington; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Cabell, Joseph Carrington; health of search
- Cabell, Joseph Carrington; letters to search
- Central College Board of Visitors; meetings of search
- Charlottesville Academy; and G. E. Stack search
- Cocke, John Hartwell (1780–1866); appointment of to University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Cocke, John Hartwell (1780–1866); as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Cooper, Thomas (1759–1839); University of Virginia professorship proposed for search
- Montpellier (Montpelier; J. Madison’s Orange Co. estate); visitors to search
- Stack, Gerard E.; and Charlottesville Academy search
- Taylor, Robert Barraud; as member of University of Virginia Board of Visitors search
- Virginia, University of; Board of Visitors; meetings of search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; builders for search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; dormitory rooms search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; hotels search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Pavilion III search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; pavilions search
- Virginia, University of; Construction and Grounds; Pavilion VII search
- Virginia, University of; Establishment; opening of search
- Virginia, University of; Faculty and Curriculum; recruitment of faculty from Europe search
- Virginia, University of; Faculty and Curriculum; T. Cooper as proposed professor search