Finally he was set at liberty, for the purpose of
going to England to make a personal appeal to the
King, and his kindly reception there was not
lessened by the strain to which his loyalty at home
had been put. Oxford conferred on him the degree
of Doctor of Divinity. On his return home so
highly did his fellow-citizens rate his influence
abroad that, when in 1761 the Trustees were hard
beset, they sent him back to England to raise funds
for an endowment. It happened that King's
College (now Columbia) in New York was in sim-
ilar straits, and had resolved on similar efforts.
26



AMERICA'S FIRST UNIVERSITY

The two commissioners met in England and ami-
cably resolved to "divide the land between them**
and share the proceeds. Through the influence of
the Archbishop of Canterbury they received a
circular letter from the King to all the churches,
and succeeded in raising a very considerable en-
dowment for each College. David Garrick gave a
benefit in Drury Lane which netted a good sum,
and altogether Dr. Smith raised at home and
abroad £20,000 for his College, from 12,000 people.
The members of the first class became more
than usually distinguished. Francis Hopkinson
was one of the most prominent patriots of the
Revolutionary War, was a member of Congress
and Assembly, a Judge, and a signer of the Decla-
ration of Independence. He was a musician and
writer of ability, in fact the most prolific writer of
both prose and verse ever graduated from the
College. He became a trustee in 1778 and his
family has been prominently identified with the
institution to the present day. Jacob Duche be-
came Rector of Christ Church and St. Peter's and
was the first chaplain of the Continental Congress.
