At a meeting of the Visitors of the University of Virginia at the said University on Monday the 7th. of Oct 1822.

    Present Thomas Jefferson Rector, James Breckenridge, Joseph C Cabell, John H. Cocke and James Madison.

    Resolved that the Proctor be instructed to enter into conferences with such skillful and responsible undertakers as he would approve, for the building of the Library, on the plan heretofore proposed, and now in his possession, and to procure from them declarations of the smallest sums for which they will undertake the different portions of the work of the said building, each portion to be done as well, in materials, manner and sufficiency, as the best of the same Kind of work already done in the preceding buildings, or as well and sufficiently as shall now be agreed on; that (omitting the capitels of the columns, which would be procured elsewhere) the several other portions be specified under such general heads and details as may be convenient to shew the cost of each, and by whom undertaken, fixing the time also within which each portion shall be completed; and that his agreements be provisional only, and subject to the future acceptance or refusal of the Visitors.

    Resolved that the committee of Superintendence be authorised to employ a collector to proceed to the collection of the monies still due on subscriptions, under such instructions and agreement as they shall approve

    Resolved that the examination and report of the accounts of the Bursar of the University of Virginia, from the 1st day of Oct. 1820. to the 31st March 1821. and from the 31st March 1821. to the 27th November 1821. made by John H. Cocke, at the re quest of the Rector by his letter of the 1st December 1821. be hereby ratified as done under the authority of this Board; & that the said John H Cocke be, and he is hereby appointed to examine and verify the accounts of the said Bursar, from the 27 of November 1821. to this date and make report thereof to this board.

    Resolved that George Loyal esqr now a member of this board appointed on the resignation of Robert B Taylor be added to the committee of settlement of the Bursars Accounts, with authority to the committee to act Singly or togeather, as convenience may admit.

    The following Report was then agreed to.

    To the President and Directors of the Litterary fund.

    In obedience to the Act of the General Assembly of Virginia requiring that the Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia should made report annually to the President and Directors of the Litterary fund (to be laid before the Legislature a t there next succeeding Session) embracing a full account of the disbursments, the funds on hand, and a general statement of the condition of the Sd University the Said Rector and Visitors make the following Report.

    The Visitors considering as the law of there duty the report of the commissioners of 1818. which was made to the Legislature, and acted on by them, from time to time subsequently, have completed all the buildings proposed by that Report, except o ne; that is to say, ten distinct houses or Pavilions containing each a lecturing room, with generally four other apartments for the accommodation of a Professor and his family, and with a garden and the requisite family offices; Six Hotels for dieting the Students, with a single room in each for a Refectory, and two rooms a garden and offices for the tenant; and an hundred and nine dormitories, sufficient each for the accommodation of two Students, arranged in four distinct rows between the Pavilions and hotels, and united with them by covered ways, which buildings are all in readiness for occupation except there is still some plaistering to be done, now on hand, which will be finished early in the present season, the garden grounds and Garden walls to be completed, and some Columns awaiting there Capitels not yet received from Italy. These buildings are mostly paid for by the monies which have been received, and it is still expected they would be completely so, by the subscriptions due, were they in han d; but the slowness of there collection will render it necessary to make good their deficiencies, in the first instance, out of the annuity of the ensuing years, to be replaced to that fund again by the subscriptions as they come in.

    The remaining building necessary to complete the whole establishment and called for by the Report of 1818. which was to contain rooms for religious worship, for public examinations, for a library, and for other associated purposes, is not yet beg un for the want of funds. It was estimated heretofore by the Proctor, according to the prices which the other buildings have actually cost, at the sum of 46,847 Dollars. The Visitors, from the begining, have considered it as indispensable to complete al l the buildings before opening the institution; because from the moment that shall be opened, the whole income of the University will be absorbed by the Salaries of the Professors, and other incidental and current expenses, and nothing will remain to erec t any building still wanting to complete the System. They are still of opinion therefore, that it is better to postpone, for a while the commencement of the institution, and then to open it in full and complete System, than to begin prematurely in an unf inished state, and go on perhaps forever, on the contracted Scale of local accademies, utterly inadequate to the great purposes which the Report of 1818. and the Legislature have hitherto had in contemplation. They believe that, in that imperfect state, it will offer little allurement to other than neighboring Students, and that Professors of the first eminence in there respective lines of Science, will not be induced to attach their reputations to an institution, defective in its outset, and offering no pledge of rising to future distinction. Yet the Visitors consider the procuring such characters (and it will certainly be there Aim) as the peculiar feature which is to give reputation and value to the institution, and to constitute its desirable and im portant attractions. But the present state of the funds renders the prospect of finishing this last building indefinitely distant. The interest of the sums advanced to the institution now absorbs nearly half its income, a suspension of interest, indeed, for three or four years would give time for erecting the building with the established authority: but the subsequent repayment of the principal from that annuity would remove the opening of the institution to a very remote period.

    On this view of the condition of the University, the visitors think it there duty to state that, if the legislature shall be of opinion that the sums advanced to the University, in the name of loans, from the general fund for education, have been applied to there legitimate object, and shall think proper to liberate the annuity from there reimbursment, it will suffice in three or four years to complete the last building, and the institution may be opened at the end of that term. And further that if the requisite sum can be supplied from the same or any other fund, then the University may be put into as full opperation as its income will admit, in the course of the year ensuing the present date, and while the remaining building will be proceeding on such Supplementary fund. This however, or what else there wisdom may devise, is subject to there direction, to which the visitors will in willing duty conform.

    In the same report of the commissioners of 1818. it was stated by them `that in conformity with the principles of our constitution, which place all Sects of religion on an equal footing, with the jealousies of the different Sects in guarding that equality from encroachment or surprise, and with the sentiments of the Legislature in favor of freedom of religion, manifested on former occasions, they had not proposed that any Professorship of Divinity should be established in the University; that pro vision however was made for giving instruction in the Hebrew, Greek, and Latin Languages, the depositories of the originals and of the earliest and most respected authorities of the faith of every Sect, and for courses of Ethical lectures, developing thos e moral obligations in which all sects agree. That proceeding thus far, without offence to the constitution, they had left, at this point, to every sect to take into there own hands, the office of further instruction in the peculiar tenets of each.[']

    It was not however to be understood that instruction in religious opinions and duties was meant to be precluded by the public authorities, as indifferent to the interests of Society. On the contrary, the relations which exist between man and his maker, and the duties resulting from those relations are the most interesting and important to every human being, and the most incumbent on his study and investigation. The want of instruction in the various creeds of religious faith existing among our citizens presents therefore a chasm in the general institution of useful Sciences. But it was thought that this want, and the entrustment to each Society of instruction in its own doctrines were evils of less danger than a permission to the public author ities to dictate modes or principles of religious instruction, or than opportunities furnished them of giving countenance or ascendancy to any one Sect over another. A remedy however has been suggested of promising aspect, which while it excludes the pub lic authorities from the domain of religious freedom, would give to the Sectarian Schools of Divinity the full benefit of the public provisions, made for instruction, in the other branches of Science. These branches are equally necessary to the divine as to the other professional or civil characters, to enable them to fulfil the duties of there calling with understanding and usefulness. It has therefore been in contemplation, and suggested by some pious individuals who perceive the advantages of associa ting other studies with those of religion, to establish there religious schools on the confines of the University, so as to give to their students ready and convenient access and attendance on the Scientific lectures of the University; and to maintain by that means, those destined for the religious professions on as high a standing of Science, and of personal weight and respectability as may be obtained by others from the benefits of the University. Such establishments would offer the further and great a dvantage of enabling the Students of the University to attend religious exercises with the Professor of there particular Sect, either in the rooms of the building still to be erected, and Destined to that purpose under impartial regulations, as proposed i n the same report of the Commissioners, or in the Lecturing room of Such Professor. To such propositions the Visitors are prepared to lend a willing ear, and would think it there duty to give every encouragement, by assuring to those who might choose suc h a location for their Schools, that the regulations of the University should be so modified and accommodated as to give every facility of access and attendance to there Students, with such regulated use also as may be permitted to the other Students, of the Library which may hereafter be acquired either by public or private munificence. But always understanding that these Schools shall be independent of the University and of each other. Such an arrangement would complete the circle of useful Sciences embraced by this institution, and would fill up the chasm now existing on principles which would leave inviolate the constitutional freedom of religion, the most unalienable and Sacred of all human rights, over which the people and authorities of this Stat e, individually and publicly, have ever manifested the most watchful jealousy: and could this jealousy be now alarmed, in the opinion of the legislature, by what is here suggested the idea will be relinquished on any surmise of disapprobation which they might think proper to express.

    A committee of the board was duly appointed to settle finally the accounts of all receipts and disbursments, from the commencement of the Central College to the entire completion of the 4 ranges of buildings of the University. They found it nece ssary to employ a skillful accountant to make up a complete Set of books, in regular form, wherein all the accounts, general and particular, should be Stated, so as that every dollar might be traced from its receipt to its ultimate expenditure, and the cl earest view be thus exhibited of the faithful application of the monies placed under the direction of the board. This work has taken more time than expected; and altho' considerably advanced is not entirely compleated, until its completion however, the committee cannot proceed on the final Settlement with which they are charged. The bursars accounts for the year preceding this date are rendered herewith: as are also the Proctors for the first Six months: but his books and papers being necessarily in t he hands of the accountant his account for the last half year could not as yet be prepared. The Settlement by the Committee, when made will be transmitted, or a supplementary document, to the Litterary board, as well for its regular audit by there accoun tant, as to be laid before the legislature.

    And the Board adjourned without day.