300 ECONOMIC ESSAYS IN HONOR OF JOHN BATES CLARK 
The next collection of statutes dates from 1817, and now for 
the first time we find the term political economy. Among the 
subjects taught are “Law of Nature and Nations, Metaphysics, 
Politics, and Political Oeconomy.” a 
With reference to the quotation from Bishop Meade on which 
stress is laid by Dr. Tyler, President Chandler writes: “I have 
examined Bishop Meade’s Old Churches, in which he refers many 
times to Bishop Madison, but he does not use the words Dr. 
Tyler quotes in volume VI, p. 182, of the Quarterly. 1 do not 
know where this quotation is from.” Furthermore, with reference 
to the statement of Judge Tucker, President Chandler writes: 
“I have examined volume VI, p. 186, of the Quarterly where 
Judge Tucker is quoted as saying that in Moral Philosophy the 
students are examined in Logic, Belles Lettres, Ethics, Natural 
Law, and Politics. As you observe, no mention is made of 
Political Economy. This omission seems significant.” President 
Chandler goes on to state: “I do not know what authority Dr. 
Tyler has for the statement in volume IX, page 61 (referring to 
the letter of Mr. Brock).” : 
Finally, President Chandler adds: “The statement in volume 
XXV, p. 240 of the Quarterly, (referring to the courses given 
in 1815) is quoted correctly. So far as I can find, this is the first 
time the phrase political economy occurs in the College publica- 
tions and records. I agree with you that we can say that political 
economy was certainly taught at William and Mary in 1815. 
The probability of an earlier date seems to be lacking, unless the 
book of Robert Stanard shows unmistakable use as a textbook.” 
This conservative conclusion of Professor Chandler was justi- 
fied by the facts then at our disposal. Since that time, however, 
we have run across some material which affords evidence of the 
fact that political economy was indeed taught at the College 
of William and Mary in the opening years of the nineteenth 
century. This evidence is found in contemporaneous letters from 
students. 
J. S. Watson, who was a student at the College in 1801, writes 
in a letter to a relative as follows: “In the Political Course we are 
advanced as far as Smith. The Bishop has introduced Locke 
on Government, which we have read also. I have also read 
Paine’s Rights of Man. . . . These three are authors, I believe the 
most celebrated, and perhaps the most excellent that have written