The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1855-01-20
Editorial Correspondence.
SPRINGFIELD. Jan. l..

at the beginning of the session, or to give .
report Of its proceedings, It will be suili-
cent to say, however, that as the result of
their deliberations, they agreed upon plan
for State University, the first departments
of which should be-
\ Normal school department.
A department of practical and scientific
agriculture
4 department for practical and scientific
mechanics.
committee was appointed TO prepare
bill enbodying in detail the views and plan
of the convention as evolved during its set
ting, and to remain during the session and
urge its adoption in every suitable way, up
on the legislature.
have no hesitation in saying, however,
that the friends Of this scheme are doomed
to another disappointment. There are a
hundred reasons to justify the prediction.
In the first place. not one in twenty of the
members of the legislature has any definite
notion of the real character of the institution
proposed to be established 1t is amusing,
occasionally, to hear what crude ideas intel
ligcnt men can have of the subject To teach
the practical application of science to agri-
culture and mechanics seems to be most
incomprchcnsiblc matter. 1t is useless to
explain that to lmpart and Illustrate general
principles it is not Necessary to go into the
remote details of their practical application.
Is it proposed to have proicssorship on
blowing, proiessorship on manures, on
horse shocng, &C., &c, as to the amazed
members. Then the proposal to appropri-
ate the college and seminary fund to the
endowment Of the university is another great
stumbling block. What, Give that mag
nlicent fund to be squandered by faw
irresponsible individuals on their selfish or
utopian schemes 1t is forgotten that the
friends Of the measure ask but the interest
of that fund for few years to test the fact
whether the scheme is utopian or not, and
that as the fund IN question was given to
the State as q sacred trust for the establish
mcnt of a university, they have right to
demaad its application in accordance with
the object Of the trust In the rush of bust
ness here, the members have not time to con
slider, and they reject as bad what at glance
they cannot understand
The plan of Mr.. Edwards may be more
fortunate, but that too, will be shorn Of all
that looks like improvement The Normal
school is too great step in advance, and
to prescribe uniform series Of books is
such reflection on the Judgment of parents
and school masters that it will never go down.
Tothink ola State Superintendent setting up
his Judgment on the merits Of school book.
against that OF pcdogoguc
The Maine Law, or prohibition scheme
will be more fortunate. On this subject the
legislature seem TO be fully aroused and post
cd, and are ready to act at once. At least a
dozen Of different auti-liluor schemes have
been introduced, verifying in intensity Of
hostility from stringent license law to the
most memorable prohibition. The liccns.
committee Of the house, however, have Re,
ported substantially the Maine law, with q
clause to submit it to the people, and that
imagine will BE- substantially adopted.
The question Of senator Is still the al on.
crossing one, ana seems no nearer its solu
ton than it was two weeks ago. The Shield.
men stand firm in their determination t.
stick to him to the last, the Lincoln men ar,
equally obstinate, and the JciUecatis, tn,
lost tribe Of anti-Scbraska Democrats, a
present, bear lrumbul on their specklcl
orlaminc. The di!!crcnt parties stand abou
thus Shield 43 Lincoln 40; Trumhull -
Doubtful or Bsssll 4. The probability o
agreeing on either Of the present candidate.
Is very remote, and it is generally agreed
that there must be 4 new man or no election
But, in the former alternative, whom hav,
the dark fatcS dccrccd to bear the honoreC
mantle of the patriot Shields is question
ofprciound speculation. a day or two az,
the cry Of Eureka! was raised on the sudder
appearance Of a distinguished gentleman
from chicago, in the lobby, and for a Will,
Ogden stock rose like balloon in hurri
cane; but somehow the gas unexpected,
found vent, and the balloon came down a!
suddenly as it went up. On looking int
the antccedents of Mr. o., he was found t,
be as questionable fusionst as democrat
and believe all parties now are equally We
hcment in disown;ng him.
y mares nest" was discovered by som,
acute gentlemen the other day in the table
of the Auditors report, in n statement tina
some 5000, 600 Of the surplus revenue an,
: land fund had been drawn from the Troasu
~ by the Governor, and remained unac
counted for; and resolutions of inquiry wcr
promptly passed in both houses to ascertain
what had been done with this large amour
Of money, as well as what was the prcsen
condition ofthe interest fund. The answe
of the Governor was transmitted this after
noon, and from hearing it hastily read gath
CT the following to be its substance.
The Governor says it is difficult to ascer
tain the precise amount in the hands of Thu
State agent in New York to be paid on ac
count OF interest due on the lst of Januar,
and previously, from the fact that man,
holders ofbonds neglect to call for their in
tcrcst when due. The sum in his hands OF
the LIST inst, would vary little from $3.50, 900
of which $3.50, 900 were due for interest t.
be paid on the LIST inst, and the balance TO
arrears of former instalments. lie has sen
an agent to New York to ascertain the pre-
else situation Of the account The whole o
it however is amply secured by the bond o
the State agent, copy Of which accompan
les the communication, and the State can il
no case be loser.
In reference to the so0O,o of the sur
plus revenue and land fund drawn by tn