The Trustees of Randolph-Macon College met, pursuant to adjournment, at the Washington-street M. E. Church, Petersburg, Va., on Wednesday, January 20, 1864. There were present seventeen members. The chairman, President Smith, presented the resolution of the Conference, given above.
After considerable discussion, the following was agreed upon as the sense of the Board:
"Resolved unanimously, That while the Board of Trustees of Randolph-Macon College are not prepared to take decisive action on the resolution of the Virginia Conference in relation to the change of location of said College, yet this Board so far concurs in the spirit of their resolution as to appoint five members as a committee of the Board to take immediate steps to ascertain the comparative advantages offered by other localities with a view to its removal; and that the committee be requested to perform their duty with dispatch, and report to an adjourned meeting to be held in Petersburg, Va., on Wednesday, March 9, 1864."
The following were appointed said committee: Rev. W. A. Smith, chairman, Rev. L. M. Lee, Rev. J. C. Blackwell, E. R. Chambers, and R. M. Smith; and, on motion, Captain Richard Irby was added to the committee.
The Trustees met, pursuant to adjournment, in Washington-street M. E.
Church, Petersburg, Va., March 9, 1864.
The committee appointed at the meeting January 20 last made report, as follows:
"The committee to whom were referred the comparative claims of the different localities which have been spoken of as offering the most encouraging prospects of success beg leave to submit, that such is the unsettled state of public opinion as to the financial condition of the country at this time, and for some time to come, that no enlightened judgment can be reached by your committee as to the advantages offered by other localities compared with the present location of the College, we beg, therefore, to be relieved from the further consideration of the subject.
"(Signed) WM. A. SMITH, Chairman."
The following order was adopted in regard to the report, viz.:
"Resolved, That the report of the committee be referred back to the same committee, with instructions to take into consideration all the subjects committed to them at the meeting held in Petersburg on the 20th January last, and report to a subsequent meeting to be held in Petersburg at the call of the President, or when he may be requested to call a meeting by any five members of the Board of Trustees."