Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1859-03-25
Speech of Hon. j. s. Morrill,.
On the Presidents oeto Of the agricultural
College bill

College bill
Mr.. MoRRILL.-I move TO print the mes
sage of the President just read and upor
that motion propose to submit few very
brief remarks. AT this late stage of ih.
session, | shall not detan the House long
/ however provocative the occasions but dc
not propose that the communication we
have heard from the Clerks desk, touching
a measure so important in its scope anC
bearing, shall pass entirely without com
ment.
The President of the United States has
! certainly the right to express his opinion
upon the subject of the bill, as to whether
it is constitutional and expedient or not
but we have also the same privilege.
The measure was not introduced here as
party measure, nor was it advocated as a
party measure. Ii has received the cordial
| support of members of both sides Of this
House 1t fought its way on its own mer-
its. II has been pressed here by petitions
and resolution from the Legislatures of at
least thirteen States, and by an indefinite
number of memorials from private citizens
OF the highest character. 1t is measure
which has been endorsed by agricultural So
cietes and agricultural men throughout the
whole country, with unprecedented unanim-
ity. il is measure dear to the hearts of
all farmers, young and old 1t would have
been approved by all the earlier Presidents,
and was especially dear to the heart of
Washington, and occupied his last thought.
will again quote from his last messages:
"lt will not be doubted that, with refer
eLce either to individual or national well
fare, agriculture is Of primary Importance.
In proportion as nations advance in popula-
ton and oher circumstances of maturity,
this task becomes more apparent, and rem
ders the cultivation of the soil more and
more an object of public patronage. In
stitutions for promoting it grow up, sup
ported by the public purse and to what
object can it be dedicated with greater pro-
priety y
Yet, while the President assumes to be
the representative, par erceilence, of the
farmers, taxpayers, and consumers Of the
country, he comes here to strike down the
only measure, perhaps, which was proposed
especially for their benefit. In my iudg-
ment, the President has committed, if not
a crime, at least blunder. 1t may be that
In btatnderS the Executive has
"stept in far, that, should he wade no more,
Returning were as tedious as go oer."
If understand the reading, the Presi-
dent asserts that if this bill passes il will
deprive the Treasury of all revenue from
the public lands for the next fiscal year.
This is great error, as it would have been
impossible for the several States to have
the necessary State legislation to enable
them to make the grant available in less
than one or two years. II Is not probable
a dollar less would have found its way into
the Treasury. At no time could it be ex-
pected to operate in this direction to any,
thing like the extent of the military bounty
land warrants and these. so much larger
in amount, were scarcely felt at all. But,
if the position of the President were cor
rect, it comes with an i'll grace from the
Magistrate who wasted more than ten mil
lion dollars in the grand march of the army
to Utah, who is wasting larger sum by
the grander naval demonstration against
Paraguay and who would waste $50 100000
more in the grandest of all propositions
for snaichIng Cuba. With all respect, this i
can only be regarded as pretext.
The President objects to this bin because |
he wants to keep the State governments
and the General Government separate.
Well, sir, this measure by no means COM !
bines the State governments and the Gen |
eral Government. Ii especially leaves the |
whole matter to the entire control of the !
several States to arrange, manage. and con-
troll, as they may see fit. The States were
to be trustees merely for certain and spe- !
cific object. This is, indeed, admitted in /
another place, and objected 10. The Pres
ident wants to endow agricultural profess /
orship, IL order that the General Govern-i