Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1852-01-15


The report of the Board of commission
ers, of the condition Of the School fund,
when presented, will merit your special at
tention, as showing the management and
investment of this highest and most sacred
trust of the State.
Complaints have been made,whether with
or without truth [ have no means Of ascer-
tanning, that loans of the School fund have in
some instances, been made upon insufficient
securities. Too much care and watchful-
ness cannot be exercised 10y the Legislature,
by the adoption of every practicable precau-
ton, to protect it from loss or even hazard ;
and if any danger may be reasonably APP
pretended, that this fund, or amy portion Of
it, may be lost to the State, an examination
into the matter should not be delayed
Neither the Legislature or the Executive
has at present any legal means Of knowing
what is the character Of these Securities
| would therefore suggest to the Legislature
the propriety Of providing for the appoint
ment Of a suitable commission to make per
sonal and rigid examination Of the titles to
the lands mortgaged to secure these loans III
the different Counties where they have been
made and report at such time, and in such
manner as it may be deemed expedient.-
1t may be, that further Legislation is neces-
sary to require the Board to be more Ger
tainly assured Of the goodness and validity
Of titles to the lands offered in security,
than is now required, before making loans
upon them. Ii so, such Legislation should
at once be supplied.
The Board Of Regents Of the State Uni
versity, herewith present to the legislature,
their fourth annual report, exhibiting in a
clear and concise manner, the progress.
condition and wants Of the institution I'M
der their charge To this report, and to
the well advised suggestions therein con
tanned, relative to the administration OF its
affairs your attention is particularly in
vited
To carry out the clear intent and mean
ing q. that clause Of the Constitution relat-
ing to this subject, and the beneficent OBJ
jects Of this department, l hope the Legis-
lature viii see proper to favor their request
for aid for the completion Of the building
and the perfection Of the organization Of
the Normal department Of the University.
1t seems to be the manifest design Of the
law under which the University Is organic
ed, and the purposes and objects Of the Nor
NAL department clearly indicate, that this
department is not SO much a necessary part
OF the University organization as 1t Is an
adjunct and auxiliary to the common
school system, the charge Of which is gen
erously assumed by the authorities OF the
University-its design and object being
schools. Their request for aid, therefore, to
perfect and support this department from
the common school fund, seems to be rea-
sonable and just.
In receiving the generous grant Of the
Government Of a large and ample fund for
the support Of common schools, and by the
express terms Of our Constitution, we
have committed ourselves 10 the policy Of
Free Schools. Our system, then, IS a
system OF Free Schools and we have but
one system, into however many different
departments it may be divided for con
venience and efficiency, and this Is made an
institution Of the whole State, without refer
ence to sections or localities, and intended
to benefit All classes-the poor as we'll as
the rich, and that too, without respect to
religious distin .tions.
In these raspects, this object presents
itself L. US essentially different, from an APP
plication for aid from the State to benefit
institutions of learning, or Of any thing
else, local in their character, and under
the control Of private persons or corpo-
rations. The loaning of the school fund to
individuals upon landed securities, under