National University Law School

National University School of Law was an American law school founded in Washington, D.C. in 1869. Originally intended as part of a larger design for a national university in the United States, the school was the principal component of National University during its existence. It merged into George Washington University School of Law in 1954 to create National Law Center at The George Washington University.

Advocates for National in the mid-19th century favored the "grand idea" of a flagship American university in the style of prominent European institutions, as promoted by presidents George Washington, James Madison, and John Quincy Adams. These advocates quoted Washington in his State of the Union address: "I have heretofore proposed to the consideration of Congress the expediency of establishing a national university and also a military academy. The desirableness of both these institutions has so constantly increased with every new view I have taken of the subject that I can not omit the opportunity of once for all recalling your attention to them."

Washington had given the U.S. $25,000 from his personal estate for the purpose of establishing such an institution and a "popular subscription fund" of $30,000 was also established in 1795. In the early days of the republic, however, both Congress and Thomas Jefferson opposed the idea. An 1811 Congressional report recommended against a national university, calling it unconstitutional.

In pursuit of Washington's goal, the school's founders in the 1860s cited his statement that "a primary object of such a national institution should be the education of our youth in the science of government" and made the school of law the university's first institution.

National University was founded in 1869. An 1870 law passed by Congress (16 Stat. 98) allowed for the creation of corporations (including institutions of higher learning) in the District of Columbia, which allowed for the school's formal incorporation on Sept. 19, 1870. The founder and first dean of the law school was William B. Wedgewood.

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