, 1859-02-11
PRESS AND TRIBUNE.
Fg1pAY MORNING, FEBRUARY Il, 1sss
The Agricultural College Bill.

The Agricultural College Bill.
This benefcent measure bss now passed
both branches Of Congress and only awaits
the concurrence Of the House Of Represents
tives in few amendments, and the signature
Of the President to become Law. The lat-
ter requirement, rs is already foreshadowed
BY the eighth member Of the Cabinet, {James
Gordon Bennett poet 1aureate,) will not be
forthcoming. We supposed not The South
roted almost bodily against the bill, and the
North, with the exception Of Mr. Douglas and
few other Democrats who lodged OF before
their names were called, in favor Of it. Why
slou1d not Mf. Buchanan veto it It is de-
signed to benefit the farmers Of the nation,
and Of course it will strengthen the produc-
tire power OF the Free States, enabling the
tillcr Of the soil to labor intclligeutly with
ont making costly experiments at his own
charge, and to educate his sons aud daugh-
tiers, free Of expense, in the useful and practi-
cal arts life. Mr. Buchanan was committed
to reto such bill. At his time Of life it was
not to be expected that he would belle all his
own precelents, any more than that the
Ethiopian should change his skin, or The
leopard bis spots.
The Agricultural College bill WAS reported
by Mr.. Morrill, OF Vermont, from the Com
mittee on Agriculture in april, 1857. Itap-
propriated to each State 20 900 acres Of land
for each Of her Senators and Representatives
in Congress, and 10000 acres to each Terri
tory, 10 be applied under the direction It
their respective Legislatures to the enaow-
mcnt and maintenance Of Colleges for The
Agricultural and Mechanic Arts. While de.
voted mainly to thcss branches Of education,
it did not exclude classical or scientific
studies, but LETT each State to prescribe its
Own range Of instruction, making agriculture
aud tue practical arts tic "leading object"
AL moneys arising from the. sales OF the lands
were required to be Invested by The States ia
the stocks Of the United States or other safe
public securities yielding not less than five
per cent. per aunum. These were the esser-
1ial provisions OF the bill as originally drawn
and passed by the HouEe Of Representatives in
ls57-aycs l04, noes l0l, the slaveocracy all
in The negative.
We trust this measure may not be allowed
to rest. It is a tardy tribute to the farmers
Of the North, and will, if uuderstandingly
applied, add millions to the national wealth.
In these colleges for tue people, and On the
farms proposed 10 he carried on in connec-
ton Herewith. the tedious and costly expert
ments which every person is now required to
undertake for himself, to determine tue com.
p2ratiye values Of scils and manures, the
most profitable systems Of alienation of
crops, the best and cheapest kinds Of farm
machinery, the surcst aud most productive
seeds for particular 1atltude:, the most ad-
vantageous plans tor farm tuildinge, and the
num1erless problems Of agricultural ccono-
my-w'iil be prosecuted on scientific princi-
pies and the results communicated to the peo.
pie. Nor this only; but landscape garden.
ing and architecture, the science Of
groves, the arts which transform the
prairie, the heath, aud the tangled wood, into
scenes which please the eye and clerate the
taste, will be made an essential part Of the
new contributions to rural knowledge. To
the profits OF educated labor will be added
tue attractions Of higher life, in the refine
ment ol the taste and the comforts OF the
homestead. II nothing was sought TO be &C.
comp .ishcd by this measure but to render at
tractiye the three Or four millions Of farmers
homes in tue United States, The cost would
be Insignificant. The improvement Of our
national character by makiug country life q
pleasure with those who now regard it mar
tyrdom, would be worth more than all The
West 1udia Islands, il Europe would make us
prescl.t Of them tomorrow.
But Whit can be done with government
wnoEc sole aiul is to make mark cts for ne.
gEocs? There is no interest 10 deserving, no
measure 50 needfu1 or 60 just, but they must
90 to the wall if they conflict with the re-
n1orseless purposes Of slavery.