US Presidency
1859

To the House of Representatives of the United States: I return with my objections to the House of Representatives, in which it originated, the bill entitled An act donating public lands to the several States and Territories which may provide colleges for the benefit of agriculture and the mechanic arts, presented to me on the 18th instant. This bill makes a donation to the several States of 20,000 acres of the public lands for each Senator and Representative in the present Congress, and also an additional donation of 20,000 acres for each additional Representative to which any State may be entitled under the census of 1860. According to a report from the Interior Department, based upon the present number of Senators and Representatives, the lands given to the States amount to 6,060,000 acres, and their value, at the minimum Government price of $ 1.25 per acre, to $ 7,575,000.