35

Univ. of Virginia Sept 18th 1860.

Dear Sir,

I have had the honor to receive
from you an invitation to be present at the
ceremony of laying the corner stone of the
main building of the University of the South, on
the 10th day of October next. I sincerely regret
that my duties here at that time will compel
me to deny myself this gratification. Our session
begins Oct. 1st and the formation & arrangement of
our classes require the presence, during that month,
of those Professors especially, who, like myself,
are without assistants. Under other circumstances,
I should be delighted to attend the first ceremony
connected with an Institution which has, I trust, as
it certainly deserves to have, the good-wishes of all
Southern people.

I am very respectfully

Yr obt servant,

Francis H. Smith

Rt. Rev. Bishop Otey