Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-03-31
The Veto of the Agricultural College Bill

paper can emanate from a President 1t would
not merit notice, or deserve any serious ans
wer, did it not come from the President of a
party, and of course get praised by all who de-
sire to stand we'll at Washington, and get fod-
der at the public CRIB. Its convincing logic.
having been commended by a few of these fa-
vorites even in Vermont, where every body is
supposed to have at least a common-school edu-
cation, we propose to vcntilate little this Pres
idential reasoning.
The purpose of Mr. Morrill, bill, was:
The endowment, support, and maintenance
of at least one college in each State where the
leading object shall be, without excluding other
scientific or classical studies, to teach such
branches of learning as are related to agricul-
ture and the mechanic arts, as the Legislatures
of the States may respectively prescribe, in or
der to promote the liberal and practical educa-
ton of the industrial classes in the several pur-
suits and professional life.
This is certainly benifcent and far reaching
purpose, comprohending the whole country in
its scope, and distributing its benefits equally
to the entire people of the United States. No
act of legislation can be well imagined which
would be more impartial and equal in its
operations, pouring its substantial good into
the hands that were open to receive it. And
the advancement of agriculture and the me-
chanic arts Mr. Buchanan himself is COM
PEELED to say, is an object g the dignity and
value of which cannot be too highly appre-
ciated;" and this too when he is crushing under
his despotic veto the bill that would have con-
trbuted, more than any other scheme yet de-
vised to that much desired progress.
Agriculture and the mechanic arts are the
foundation of all our solid prosperity. Our
wealth and national fame rest upon them as
basis. Our defence in war, and our progress
in the arts of peace, alike depend for support
Lpon the farmers and mechanics Of the land
upon those who supply our food BY their labor,
and those by whose inventive genius, our
railroads and telegraphs have been woven into
q living network of arteries and nerves, along
which pulse the tides of business, and flash the
lishtnings of thought. When agriculture and
the mechanic arts are crippled or destroyed,
our decay or dissolution will be at hand Ban
ish farmers and mechanics from our country,
and we should soon be in q more hopeless con-
dition than Sodom when ten righteous men
could not be found in that doomed CITY,
Mr. Buchanan has enumerated his objections,
and we shall speak of them in the order in
which he set them down. Objection number l,
is as follows
al. This bill has been passed at period
when we can with great difficulty raise sufficient
revenue to sustain the expenses of the govern
ment Should it become u law, the treasury
will be deprived of the whole, or nearly the
whole of our income from the sale of public
lands, which, for the next fiscal year. has been
estimated at five millions of dollars
The reason given for anticipating such a re-
suit, is that the States would put their scrip
into the market at q price so much below the
government minimum as to entirely prevent
any sales of government lands for the next
year. Both branches of the proposition are
incorrect In the first place it assumes that
the States are not as provident and saga
finances, as Mr.. Buchanan and Mr.. Cobb-an
assumption grossly wide of the fact When
this Democratic Administration becomes as
frugal and careful in the management OF gov
eminent property, as the State of Vermont is
of her public expenditures and property, we
may be able to see the force of that Presidential
objection, but not till then. And we imagine
that time will not hasten, while the party is
an power which took such infinite pains to cover
up and screen from the condemnation of an
honest public opinion, the instruments of the
government who so extensively robbed the Uni
ted States treasury, in the matter of the sale of
the Fort Smelling reservation.
But if this scrip should be put into the mar
ket at this reduced price, it is not true that it
would lessen the revenue from the sale of pub
lie lands to any considerable extent. The i'm
mense issue and sale of negotiable land warrants
for the past few years has not 50 resulted, and
such an actual trial is full as good foun-
dation for an opinion, as any mere supposition
OF Mr. Buchanan, who is only hunting for
some plausible pretext for doing an act which
he is determined to do, right or wrong.
Furthermore, this scrip could not, by any
possibility come into the market the next fiscal
year, as the necessary action of the State legis-
latures could not be had under year at least.
But suppose the bill, if it had become a law
would have lessened the revenue of the govern
ment for the next year five millions of dollars,
is that an adequate reason for vetoing the bill l.?
Is it to be reckoned in comparison with the rich
advantages to be attained through the law.
advantages increasing in multiplying ratio
forever?
The second objection to the bill its " effect {"
on the relations established between the federal
and State governments. We give below the
reasoning of the message, in full, under this
objection
4" The Constitution is grant to Congress of
few enumerated but most important powers.
relating chiefly to war, peace, foreign and do
nestle commerce, negotiation, and other SUBJ
jects which can be best or alone exercised bene-
fcially by the.common government. All other
powers are reserved to the States and to the peo-
pie. For the efficient and harmonious working
of both, it isnecessary that their several spheres
of action should be kept distinct from each
other. This alone can prevent conflict and mu-
tual injury. Should the time ever arrive when
the State governments shall look to the federal
treasury for the means of supporting themselves
and maintaining their systems of education and
internal policy, the character of both govern
ments will be greatly deteriorated. The