Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-05-07
MIR, MORRILL,s SPEECH.

On the Goth of April, Hon. Justin 5. Nor
rill, from Vermont, urged, in the House Of
Representatives, the Importance of the meas
ure provided for in the Bill introduced by
him for donating public lands to the several
States which may provide Colleges for the
benefit of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts.
Alter stating the importance to our people OF
the power to make their lands as productive
as possible, and to restore to fruitiulncss the
worn-out millions of acres which arc found
in some parts of the Union-thc liberal aid
given by Governments in Europe for such
objects and the advancement of the Mechan-
ic Arts, and the past neglect of our own to
act with equal wisdom-the profusion with
which lands have been given to Railroad
Corporations in the newer Statcs-and the
undoubted right of Congress, under the Con-
stitution to appropriate lands for the pur-
poses of the bill, Mr.. Morrill, summed up the
beneficial effects of so doing, AS follows:
While agriculture has been neglected
field of legislation, it docs not now call for
Congress has long asserted the right to dis
pose of the public lands to establish school
funds and universities, and no one now ques-
tions the soundncss of such a policy. This
measure is but an extension of same princi
pie over IL wider ficld-wider in its applica
tons, but not wider in its amount, for the
number of acres now proposed for all the
States is scarcely larger than have been dona
ted to individual States. 1t is general and
not local IN its reach. If we have the power
to make special grants, in particular and in
dividual cases, we certainly have the power,
and it would be far more Just and expedient
to exercise it, in its general application
Pass this measure and we shall have doue-
Something to enable the farmer to raise
two blades of grass instead of one
Something for every owner of land.
Something for all who desire to own land
Something for cheap scientific education
Something for every man who loves intel
ligence and ignorance;
Something to induce the father sons and
daughters to settle and cluster around the
| old homesteads
Something to remove the last vestige of
| pauperism from our land
Something for peace, good order, and the
better support of Christian churches and
common schools;
Something to enable sterile railroads to
pay dividends;
Something to enable the people to bear the
enormous expenditures of the national Gov
eminent;
Something to check the passion Of indivi-
| duals, and of the nation, for indefinite terri
torial expansion and ultimate decrcpitude;
Something to prevent the dispersion of our
population, and to concentrate it around the
best lands ofour country-places hallowed by
church spires, and mellowcd by all the
influences of time-whcre the consumer will
be placed at the door OF the producer; and
thereby
Something to obtain higher prices for all
sorts Of agricultural productions; and
Something to increase the loneliness of the
American landscape. Scientific culture is
the sure precursor of order and beauty Our
aesthetic Dledrich Knickerbockers, who have
no land, will have fairer opportunity to be-
come great admirers of land that belongs to
others
Many of our wisest statesmen have de-
nounced our general land system as prolific
source Of corruption: but what corruption
can flow from cndowing agricultural cole
ges? Here is neither proiligacy nor waste,
but II measure of justice and beneticcncc.-
Without meaning to express my opinion for
or against the homestead policy, | ask in all
candor, what man is there in the whole
| length and breadth of our country, who
would not prefer, if he could have his choice,
such an education as might be obtained at
one of these colleges to warrant for one
hundred and sixty acres of land?
The persuasive arguments Of prcccdcnts:
the example of our worthcst rivals in Eu-
rope; the rciuvcnation OF WORKOUT lands,
which bring forth taxes only the petitions
of farmers everywhere yearning for "a more
excellent way" philanthropy, supported by
our own highest intercsts-all these consider
atons impel us for once TO do something for
agriculture worthy ofits national Importance.
BY the recent statement of the Land Of
fce,we have ,OSS, 192 ,49S acres ofland to dis
pose of; and when this bill shall have passed
there will then remain about one thousand
and eighty-three millions Of acres. We shall
still be the largest land-holder in the world,
while confessedly we are not the best farmers,
Let it never be said we are " the greatest and
the meanest of mankind