 | Catalogue of the officers and students of the University of Virginia |  |
IX.—LAW.
Professor Davis.—This school is arranged into two classes. The
subjects studied by the Junior class are the Law of Nature and Nations,
the Science of Government, Constitutional Law, and the elementary principles
of Jurisprudence. The text-books used by this class, are Vattel's
Law of Nature and Nations, the Federalist, the Virginia Report of '99,
and Blackstone's Commentaries; in addition to which, lectures are delivered
on Government, and on various topics of National and Constitutional
Law, not discussed in the text-books.
The subjects studied by the Senior class are the Common and Statute
Law, Equity and Maritime and Commercial Law. And the text-books
on Pleading, Starkie on Evidence, (the first vol.) Toller on Executors,
Chitty on Contracts, Bayley on Bills, Fonblanque's Equity, and Mitford's
Pleadings; in addition to which, lectures are delivered on Maritime and
Commercial Law, and on several important topics included in the other
branches of the course.
The design of this arrangement is to embrace in the junior course,
those studies which not only form an essential part of a liberal professional
education; but which, from their universal interest and importance,
also constitute a highly useful branch of general education; whilst the
senior course is exclusively occupied with the study of the theory and
practice of the Law, as a profession.
Students can attend either or both the classes; and those not wishing to
study Municipal Law at all, can enter for that portion of the junior course
which includes National Law, Government and Constitutional Law;
which portion, those wishing to study Municipal Law only, can, if they
choose, omit.
On the text-books of both classes, prelections are delivered by the Professor,
in which it is his object to supply what is deficient, and explain what
is obscure in the text, and to offer such comments as he deems necessary
to the thorough understanding of the subject under consideration. In the
prelections on Municipal Law, he refers to the leading cases and authorities,
American and English, illustrative of the topic treated by the author,
and particularly explains, in its appropriate connection, the Statute Law
of Virginia and the United States, and its effects on the pre existing law.
Each prelection is preceded by an examination on the last together with
its text. On the lectures delivered, the class are also examined.
To assist them in their regular studies, and to accustom them to legal
investigations, and forensic discussions, the Students of this School have
instituted a Law Society, at the meetings of which the Professor presides.
In it, questions connected with the studies of the school are discussed,
fictitious cases litigated in the form of regular pleadings, and the issues
produced decided in the appropriate mode, and the members exercised in
conveyancing, &c.
The Students of Law, in common with the Students of the other schools,
have the use of the extensive Library of the institution; the Law department
of which is large and valuable.
Religious exercises are performed at the University every Sunday, by
a Minister of the Gospel, residing there, whose services are rendered on
the private invitation of the Professors, Officers and Students.
A course of lectures on Military science and of instruction in Military
tactics, was given last Session, and will be repeated this, by Capt. A.
Partridge, of Vermont.
There are in the University teachers of Gymnastics, Music and Dancing,
authorised to give instruction in those accomplishments to such Students
as wish to acquire them.
| Catalogue of the officers and students of the University of Virginia | |