2

Montgomery Ala
Jany 8, 1860

My beloved daughter,

I have been for several days thinking a good deal of
you and intending to write you. This is Sunday night. The work of the day
is over and I feel as if I should like to talk a little with you before
going to bed. You will be curious to know something of my movements. Since
you left us in Pha I have wandered over New England and New York, and
come by Pha to Savannah where I met the Committee on the Constitution and
plan of organization of the University. I was there three weeks. The guest
of Bp Elliott is very busily employed all the time. But we completed our
work entirely to my satisfaction, and I think posterity will say we have
drawn up one of the most complete systems of University education that
has ever been produced. It is in all respects just what I desired and I
feel as if another and most material point had been gained in the general
movement. The Committee was unanimous, which fixes the acceptance of our
report by the Board at its contemplated meeting in New Orleans on the
15th Feb. next. After completing our work in Savh Bp Elliott and I went to
Sewanee to meet Bp Hopkins who in my rambles in the North I had induced
to go out to the mountain to lay out the grounds for our future purposes.
We met him there and remained with him for ten days. It was during Christ-
mas, before and after; we had an opportunity to test the cold and were
agreeably disappointed in finding it far less cold and uncomfortable than
we imagined. Indeed the cold was so dry we were very much pleased, and Bp
Hopkins perfectly delighted. He is especially pleased with the location
and thinks it could not be bettered. He has Col Burney to help him and is
making a delightful plan of it. We shall yet have a grand community there.
He will fix on the high ground near Rowes, now Polks Spring for the Univer-
sity buildings. He then runs a grand Corso or drive around the edge of
the whole plateau, then a grand avenue right through the center of the
grounds equidistant from the Corso. This will be five miles in length
called University Avenue, then he will run cross avenues from one side
to the other, across the grand avenue and from one cove to the other, the
ends of these avenues resting on the opposite sides of the Corso. These
will be called after our Dioceses Louisiana Avenue, Alabama Avenue, Miss-
issippi etc. The lands will then be cut up on lots fronting on the
Corso and the avenues, for the purpose of being let to such families as
may make their residences there. All these roads we shall have well made,
and fine for driving and riding and we shall have on the ground landscape
gardeners for their tasteful arrangement and improvement. At some central
place we shall have a Central Park as a place of special improvement and
resort. We shall have a large Hotel for the reception of visitors on the
point that overlooks Winchester and the Rroad, and a town laid off on
either side of the RR on top of the mountain.

Such are our plans and they are in the way of accomplishment. If possi-
ble we want to lay the corner stone next summer, and when that occurs I
shall hope to meet you all once more together.

We came from the mountains here, where we have been a few days. We have
been preparing to canvas Alabama, Bp E and I. We have as yet only asked
two gentlemen and each gave us $5,000. Bp Cobbs is perfectly reconciled
to the sight and indeed delighted with the whole movement. He says he
thinks Alabama will give $400,000. and I should not wonder if it did.

So you see we are working steadily at our task. Our dependence is on
God whose honor and glory we are seeking to advance and upon our own
firm purpose to leave no stone unturned…...(catera desunt)