Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1863-11-13
with the agricultural grant


Union OF THE CoLLEcrs.
The bill for founding q State University 1
and associate colleges came up as unfinished |
business The question was upon ordering .
the bill TO third reading.
Mr. Parker Of Middlebury, said be was .
opposed 10 the bill He did sot appear on .
tine floor Of the Assembly, ae the representa- /
tive Of a particular institution. BE was I
not sent 70 the Legislature as such q repre-
sentative. and did not come with any such .
view he was opposed 10 the bill on gene
raj grounGs, and did not believe the people /
were ready to take the step and adopt the
measures mere proposed Il was true that
II had long been felt that II was desirable 70
unite the collegiate institutions Of tine State.
This bill was proiessedly with the intention
Of accomplishing that object The question
with him was whether this bill was really
calculated by Its provisions 10 DO this. de
thought II was not On the other hasd he
was inclined 70 think 1t would shut the door
TO any such union hereafter. be was dis-
posed 10 give his reasons for holding such al
opinion. In lS47 there mad been an attempt
u unite these institutions. The College al
Middleburv had received an invitation 70
meet representatives Of Vermont University
for conference on this subject They met at
Vergennes. The first difficulty met with,
was in reference 10 the choice Of commission
ers To decide upon location, &c. Il was
found that this preliminary matter, even,
could not be got along with He Gppre-
hended there would be the same difficulty
now Ii would be found impossible now 10
get over this preliminary matter. Their
was again trouble with the provision IN re-
gard 10 the assumption OF the debts OF the
existing institutions. There were many IN
consistent and improbable provisions IN
reference 10 financial matters.
Then, again, j; was provided that the col
leges must Enite before tie 18th Of August
next If they dad not choose 10 do this then
they could not unite CT all Tins was not
/ the way 10 persuade the colleges 10 4 union.
1 Il was beginning al the wrong end 10 pre-
I scribe that theY must unite 10 lust such q
way. and have No choice upon the subject
: Ii would be better for the colleges 10 consult
I and negotiate and ind now they could unite,
and then enact something that would be Of
some use. and would have basis. This way
OF telling the colleges 70 come and JOIN the
University, il they saw II, ana If not u let II
alone, was not al all calculated 10 secure the
object IL view. Il was, IL every view that
could be taken Of l.. the wrong way 70 70 20
work
There was still another objection 10 the
bill. Il was proposed 10 unite an Agricul-
tura. College Win the other College IL
was still an open question whether TINS is the
best way. There mad Deen many experiments
tired, and II did not appear that II was Ger
taIniy the best plan 10 engraft an agrlcultur-
al department upon tine other institutions
Il was unwise 70 ix and settle TINS question
beyond any possibility OF recall after the 5th
VI August IL would not q Des, u settle
this matter until the choice OF the people
was known Tney might choose some other
plRn than the one proposed 10y the advocates
Of this measure
With reference 70 the danger OF losing the
land scrip which had been granted by act OF
Congress - iOund al Agricultural College
by delay, he would say that be could not SET
any ground for the assertion winch had been
made be saw no reason 70 suppose there
would De any los by such DELAY de believ-
ed the bill would defeat the object II mad
pToiessedlv N view.
Nj Wright Of Cornwall thought II the
people Of the State actually desired the con
soldEIion OF the colleges. the remarks OF the
4 gentleman Of Middleburv would come home
to them with peculiar force There were
provisions IN the bill that would defeat tn,
object when was 81 desirable !, WIS 10,
/ the way, u put the whip and spur into the
bill and tel the colleges unless they come VI
II time they must suffer for IT, This was
not the WAY 70 treat them. There are many II
the State who felt a deep interest IL rms mat
ter. Ii was not alone the wealthy. but TIE
/ poor, the laDorer, the plough boy. ieit an ID
terest II TINS question. Inev ought 70 nave
an opportunity 70 express their opinions upon
this subject before they acted upon Il
Mr.. Smith OF Hsrdwick did not perceive
that the bill was Of threatening chsras
ter. IL dlc not. as he underts0J1 Il, shut
the door against all union unless ]; should
/ be accomplished before August next This
was not the IDEA Of the bill ], allowed ana
/ encouraged the colleges - jim IN a. enter
/ prise If they choose - 90 So Il there were
/ objections 70 the provisions u the bill thev
might Be reufedied by mendment de wa
F IN favor Of fixing some definite pisn bv which
these institutions could b. united IL would
. be Of grtat oenent u Vermont 70 effect TINS
union.
MIR. King Of Benson, moved 70 dismiss the
+ bill
Nj Daniels Of Grafton, agreed with what
had already been said against the bill lie
would also say tnat there might be & Ques-
ton about the land scrip. The value Of the
land would depend upon lis location. Il
might De worthless. be having had expe-
rlence IN locating lands. would -av That ne
would not accept the grant g. q gift, u, as
ne supposed. the lands were 20 be located IN
BODY, and the taxes on them must be PAID
Mr.. Chandler Of Woodstock, was glad T.
near tina; the gentleman from Middleourv
was not al advocate OF particular ins.itu-
ton Il was relief 10 learn that such was
the case
With reference 70 the arguments that hsd
been urged against the bill be could not SCI
their force 1t had been said that II wac not
lest to hasten 50 much the adoption OF tins
measure. Il had been represented that il
was torestalling public opinion TO pass the
bill at this time The facts. however. were,
that Tor the last two years TINS mad been d
subject OF general interest and debate Ii
had not only been generally read OF and
talked about since the act Of Cong ess grant
ing the lands 10 found an Agricultural Col
iege, but there mad been special time aI-
poluItO lOI puOllc uiecueelOu. anu the cur
poratIons ana faculties OF the colleges had
been fully represented IL meetings Tor con-
terrlng upon the subject, and had teen pre-
sent. and some OF them mad taken part IN
the discussion Of the subject in the Repre-
sentatiyes Hall There was no ground Tor
the assertion or the assumution that the
pubic mind was not informed, OF the gene
ral desire known, in regard 10 the measure
contemplated In the biz
With reference 10 the matter OF locating
lands. there was not the difficulty OF uncer- I
tainty that mad osen represented BY tine gen /
tiemaD from Grafton (Daniels) The pian .
for locating them advantageousiv was plain .
enough, BY acting through the appropriate .
agents lie mao personal knowledge o. the .
matter, and knew what ne affirmed IN regard .
70 this matter.
The objection TO uniting an Agricultural
College with other institutions was not well
founded Vermont would BE- behind other
States, and behind the age, if she neglected
the OppOrtunitv T. found an Agricultural