Chap. 13.—An ACT modifying the Charter of Washington and Lee
University.

Approved January 26, 1876.

1. Be it enacted by the general assembly, That the first
section of the act, approved February fourth, eighteen hun-
dred and seventy-one, amendatory of the act passed February
twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and sixty-six, which was
amendatory of the act passed anno domini seventeen hun-
dred and eighty-two, entitled an act for incorporating the
rector and trustees of Liberty hall academy, be amended and
re-enacted so as to read henceforth as follows:

§ 1. That Alfred Leyburn, Horatio Thompson, Benjamin
M. Smith, William Brown, Francis T. Anderson, William M.
Tate, Bolivar Christian, James D. Davidson, John McD.
Alexander, Thomas J. Kirkpatrick, William McLaughlin,
William T. Poague, William A. Glasgow, William Henry
Ruffner, Cyrus H. McCormick, John Echols, James K. Kd-
mondson, William Allen, and William W. Corcoran, and their
successors in office, and such persons as they may associate
with them, as hereinafter authorized, for the better govern-
ment of the Washington and Lee university, now located in
Rockbridge county, Virginia, are hereby continued and con-
stituted a body politic and corporate by the name of The
Washington and Lee University, and by that name shall
have perpetual succession and a common seal; may contract
and be contracted with; sue and be sued; may acquire, re-
ceive, hold, possess, and enjoy, and may manage, rent, sell,
grant, convey, invest, convert, or otherwise dispose of, as
may seem to them most conducive to the interests of said
university, all lands, tenements, goods, moneys, and chattels
of any kind, which may have been or may be given to, or
otherwise acquired by, and for the use of said university.
The persons hereinbefore named, and their successors in
Office, shall constitute the permanent trustees of the univers-
ity, and may fill vacancies in their own body when their
number shall be reduced below fifteen, so that their number
shall not exceed fifteen. They may associate with them-
selves such other persons as associate trustees, not exceeding
nine in number, as they may deem advisable, who shall be
elected in such manner and for such term, and shall have
such qualifications as they may prescribe. The permanent
trustees and the associate trustees, if the latter shall be
established,’shall constitute the board of trustees, and shall
have power to select a presiding officer from the permanent
trustees with the title of rector, and to elect a secretary and
treasurer of the corporation, who shall hold their offices for
such term as they may prescribe. They shall elect, and for
good cause may also remove from office, a president, profes-
sors, tutors, and other officers requisite to conduct the in-
struction in the university course; and shall annually grant
to such students as, in their opinion, merit the same, diplomas
or testimonials, under the common seal, signed by the presi-
dent, rector, and at least three trustees, reciting the lite-
rary degree granted. They shall prescribe a code of by-
laws for the organization and detailed duties of the board of
trustees, and shall adopt and maintain a code of laws for the
guidance and government of the faculty and students; and
the said code of laws sball be binding and lawful, if in pur-
suance of this charter, and not inconsistent with the laws of
this commonwealth. The trustees shall, through proper by-
laws, require of the treasurer elect bond and security, under
penalty conditioned for the faithful discharge of his office,
and the safety. of the university funds; and it shall be law-
ful for the corporation to obtain a judgment for the amount
thereof, or for any special delinquences or default incurred
by said treasurer, on motion upon ten days’ notive in any
court of record in this commonwealth, against the treasurer
and his sureties. The by-laws shall also prescribe proper
oaths or affirmation, to be taken by each trustee, officer,
president, professor, and tutor, for the faithful performance
of his appropriate duty; and it shall be lawful for the rector,
as well as any other person legally competent, to administer
such oath or affirmation. Seven members of the board shall
be requisite to constitute a quorum for the transaction of
business, but it shall require a majority of the permanent
trustees in office, with such of the associate trustees as may
be present, to constitute a quorum for any disposition of the
real estate, for the election of the president, a professor, or
trustee; for the appropriation of a greater sum than two
hundred dollars, or to suspend, amend, adopt, or abolish any
by-law of the Code herein authorized. When the permanent
trustees are setting as a separate body for supplying vacan-
cies in their own body, a majority of all the permanent trus-
tees in office shall constitute a quorum, and the rector, or in
his absence, the senior trustee shall preside.

2. This act shall be in force from and after its acceptance
by a majority of said trustees in general meeting assembled.

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