The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-01-16


If these funds cannot be furnished OF
provision made in some other Wy 70 COM
ply with tie terms of the grant, the State
will lose the great benefits she may other
wise derive from the magnificent dona-
ton. recommend the subject to your
careful consideration.
TIE SUPREME COURT.
very earnestly recommend to you the
passage of law providing for the early
appointment and subsequent election Of
an additional Judge Of the Supreme
Court and also, that you make an appro-
priation of the sum of FIVE thousand dol
lars TO be expended, under the direction
of the Court, for the purchase Of law
books for the State Library.
The first of these measures | deem ne
cessary to enable the court 10 do its work
promptly, and the second, to enable it to
do it we'll. This tribunal is one of the
most important branches of our State gov
eminent. Upon its action more, perhaps,
than upon that of any other branch ofthe
government, must our people depend for
security for life, liberty and property.
Questions are continually brought before
it, from all parts Of the State. affecting
the most important interest of the parties
to those questions; and the rules and
principles established in deciding them,
become rules aod principles controlling
the interest of every resident fthe State.
1t is, therefore, of the first Importance
that the court shall have time to examine
all questions folly and carefully before
deciding, and that it should have the
means of making that examination intel
ligenty. The court now consists of only
three members, and the amount of bust
ness before il is such, that, either great
delay must ensue in disposing of it, or it
must be transacted in such haste as to
preclude proper examination and delibers.
ton. The addition of another Judge will
largely increase its working capacity, and
will afford more time for careful and in
telligent action.
The absolute necessity for a good law
library, to court of last resort, must be
apparent TO all. 1t is as unreasonable to
expect learned and correct decisions from
a court deprived of good library, as it is
TO expect a good and well finished work
from a mechanic without tools. The Re-
ports Of other States contain the well con.
sidered opinions of their most learned
Judges; the elementary works contain
the principles upon which our whole legal
system is based, and to require our
Judges to decide cases involving ques-
lions affecting the most vital rights and
interests of our people, without the op-
portunity to consult these fountains Of
law, is unreasonable in itself, and tends
to render doubtful and uncertain the
principles controlling and protecting
these rights and interests.
THE STATE UNIVERSITY.
This institution is now in very -four
ishiug condition. The number of stu
dents in attendance, at the present time,
is over three hundred and fifty, and they
come from all parts of the State. The
Faculty are devoted to the interest of the
institution, and it is rapidly becoming.
what it was intended to be, an honor to
the State and powerful aid in promoting
her highest interests.
| renew my former recommendation
that provision be made, by law, for q
Military Professorship in the University
Such professorship will not only popular
ize the institution, but will impart to our
young men kind of knowledge, the want
of which has cost us many men and much
treasure, since the commencement of the
rebellion and the necessity for which,
in the future, the history Of other nations
teaches, may come upon us at any time.
The Board of Education, at their last
session, directed the Trustees of the Uni.
versity to establish Military Professor
ship as soon as the General Assembly
should make the necessary appropriations
| have placed two hundred stand of arms,
with accoutrements, in the hands Of the
Faculty, and l earnestly commend the
matter to your favorable consideration.
The present number of students in at
tendance upon the University is greater
than the capacity of the University build
ings to accommodate and, with the pros
pective increase in numbers, these build
ings will soon be entirely inadequate to
the wants of the institution, and candi-
dates for admission must be turned away
for lack of room to receive them.
The former Hall of the FL ,use of Re
representatives., now used as chapel, is in
sufficient for the present numbers, and
many are thus excluded from chapel SER
vices. A larger hall is imperatively
needed for Chapel, Commencement, and
all other exercises requiring the assem-
bling of the whole number of students.
There are no suitable rooms for the
Chemical Laboratory. This, to our sgri-
cultural State, is, perhaps, the most i'm
portant department. of our University.
Chemistry is becoming daily more lib
eral contributor to agricultural knowledge
and success; and the advancement Of
chemical science in our State, through
the State University, should be especially
encouraged.
Our University will not be complete
until it shall have an Astronomical Oh
servatory connected with it. This has al
ready become prominent feature OF the
University of Michigan, and the demands
of our more Western location will soon
require it of US. A building may be
erected to answer all these purposes at