The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-12-13


every class Of the ei,xsus most desire to learn
their own duty and business for life. This. and
this alone, is an University in the true original
sense Of the term. And IL an Institution which
teaches all that is needf1l oaly for the three pre-
fessions oflaw divinity. and medicine is therefore,
an University, surely one which teaches all that 10
needful for all the varied professions Of human
life. is faf more deserving Of the name and tho
endowEeRts of an university.
I But in whose hands shall the gnardianslip and
oversight OF this fund be placed IN order I. make
1t of any real use iof such purpose answer.
without hesitation and without iear that ih,s
whole interest should, from the hrst lie placed di.
rectly in the hands Of the people. aud the whole
/ people, without any meeiators or advi.ors lcg..
( latve or ecclesiastical save only the. own AZ.
pointed agents and their ewn Jurors and cuur,.
of justice 10 which, of course, all alike must .at.
nit Ii was given to the people. and is the pro-
pery Of the people, not OF legislator parties. or
sects, and they ought 10 have the whole cun,r,l
OF IT, 50 far as is possible consistently with u du.
security of the funds and needful stability II
/ plans Of action aud instruction. This control |
believe they will be found abundanty able 10 e1-
ercise aud more thgn this no wei. inform, nlau
would desire.
! The reasons for placing it at orce and forever
beyond all Legislative aud ecclesiastical control
are obvious to all. For if under tho former. it
will continually exist as the mere tool Of the do
minant party, and the object Of jealous fear and
hatred of their opponents; or else i, will become
the mere foot ball Of all parties, to b kicked
hither and thi,her as the party interests and pas.
sion Of the hour may dictate. We well know
how many millions Of money have been wos.s
than thrown away by placing professed semina
ries of learning under the Influence Of rarty pas.
sion through legislative control. And it is sure
ly "A matter of deyeut gratitude that our legisih
tors have had wisdom enough TO see and feel this
difficulty, aud that they have been led, from VA.
rous causes, to hold this fund ifee from all coin
mltment to the present hour, when .he peoplr
begin 10 be convinced that they need it, aud can
safely control it and no legislator but IN ar!stu.
crat or demagogue would d,s.ie tosec II IN otl.
er hands.
The same difficulty occurs as regards sec.s.--
Let the institution be managed ever 80 we'll ty
any party or sect, it is stll certain their op.
ponents will stand aloOf from it, il not oppose anl
malgu il for that very reason. Hence, all will
sec at once that the greatest possible care shoui
be taken to free it from not only the reality. but
even from the saspici0t Of any such inHuepce.--
Should the party IN power, when the chariyr
may be granted appoint majority of the board
OF trustees from the parties in the Tipuriy i.
would show proper splrit, and be in all coming
time, an example of true inngnsnimity wbicn
their opponents could not fail TO respec, aud t.,
initiate, and which tue people at large suuI
highly approve. 4 victorious hero can afford to
be generous as well rs bra,e--uone " orihy oi =,
triumph can afford to be otherwise. Ia all iular.
appointments, also, the candidates should lie e
lected with such an evident regard to merit, aud
Disregard Of all political and sectsrisn Relation.
rs to ever carry the convictun that the equsl
r. II -la1. II.
be no great difficulty in accomplishing all ihir il
it is well known in the ou.set, that the p.op'u
will keep their eye closely upon hat man, ehu.
ever he may be, who by any bargaining for yo,e..
or any direct indirect lucal, sinister or selii,.
action or influence or any evasion or postpone
ment, or by any desire 10 tamp-r and amend,
merely to shew himself of to advantage, shall IN
any way harrow or endunger this greatest Of oil
Interests ever committed 10 n free stats-.be in
terest Of properly and worthily educating al the
sons Of her soil. Let the people set on such a
man. if the miscresnt wretch lives, for all H..
tnre time, mark as much blacker thsn the
mark set Oh Clan, rs midnight is darker than Dson.
day. This is a9uestinn above pli others, thu. q
man who is man. will desire 10 meet openly
aud frankly, gke, ssdpap ..,EilI ar lssiSa,ats
believe the contrary till it is proved: and viii
even suggest, in general, mode by which the
great end may Le safely gained. Let other.
however, suggest better QUE, and will cheer.
fully accord with it.
Let the Governor Of the state nominate . hoard
Of trust for the funds Of the Institution Let thi.
board consls, of five Of the most able and discres.
men in the stste, aud let at least four of them bs
taken from each Of the extreme corners Of the
state, so remote from all proximity TO the posi-.
ole location Of the Institution both in person and
I n "a "A h, rpa mi all ~
pai itialliy. Let the senate confirm such non,ins
ton. Let this board be sworn to locate the H..
stiution from regard TO the interests and cob.
r venience of the people Of the whole state. AMI
when they have 50 done let them be empowered
; to elect twelve new members of their swu body
with perpetual power uf filling their own vGcan
crs, each choice requiring vote OF two.th!rds Of
the whole body aud upon any failure to e.sc. =
the appointed annual meeting the governor VI
the state to fill the vacancy for one year, i! re
, quested by any meu,ber of the board 80 to do -
, Let any member Of the board who shall bs ab.
sent from any part Of its annual meetings. thereby
forfel. his seat, unless detained BY s;csncss cert,
fed at the time and the board on ths, occasion
! the vacancy either by his re election. or BY tie
choice Of some other man. Let the funds then
, by the same act pass into the hands Of the ,rus
tees so organized as perpetual trust, they Civ
Ing proper bonds for the same, TO be used for the
, endowment and erection Of AZ Industrial! Cuivsr.
sty for the state uf Illinois.
This board SO constituted, would b.. and ough,
to be- responsible to no Legislature, sect. or part.
but directly To the people themselvss--to each
and every citizen in the courts o. law and justice
SO that should any trustee Of the institution neg
lcct, abuse, or peryert hs trust TO any selfish lu
cal political Or stctaraI end. u. show himself IN.
competent for its exercise, every other member oi
the board and every citizen at large shsuld have
, the right of impeaching him before the proper
/. court, and, iGguilty, the court should dschaig.
hun and order his place to be filled BY mors
suitable man. Due care should be taken, Of
course, to guard against malicious prosecutions
, Doubtless objections can be urged against this
: plan and all others that can be proposed. Mos,
. of them may be at once anticipated. but there ID
, not space TO notice item here Some. for exam
: pie, cherish an ardent and praitewor,hy desire
for the perfection Of our common schools, and De
: sire still longer to Use that fund for that purpose
!, But no one lmngines that it can long be KEEP, 10
: this use, and if it could think |, plain that the
= lower schools Of all sorts would be far more bsne
!. fitted by it here :han N any other place il could
be put
i Others may feel little alarm when for the fr.,
:, time in the history ofthe world they see the mi
lions throwing themselves aloos from oil poli,icAl
- and ecclesiastical control. and attempting to do
wise u system of liberal education for themselves
. but on mature reflection We ,rust they will mp
+ prove the plan: or ifthey are too old to change
i their children will
u shall enter upop no special p,eas in favor o