St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1865-01-12

la"o' anu OF all the swamp lands be
longing to the State within the limit,
OF Mcleod county. BY the terms o
the Congressional grant Of one hun
dred and twenty thousand acres o.
land to the State, on the I'd of July
1862 an Agricultural College must b,
established and in tull operation withir
five years from the passage of the act
l recommend that these donations b,
consolidated, and that provision b,
made for organizing and opening tn,
institution within the current year.
BY an act of the last legislature, O
G. Merriman, John s. Pillsbury, ane
John Nicols we're appointed sole Re
gents Of the University of alinuesot.
with authority to sell and convey Ger
tain lands, and settle and liquidatc the
claims against the institution, and a,
their discretion to open school in the
University buildings.
Owing to the refusal of several ol
the creditors to accept an equitable
sum for the bonds held by them, the
Regents have been unable to make
such progress as they desired. The
trust, however, can be committed to No
better hands, and have no doubt that
everything possible will be accomplish.
ed by the Regents in cxtricating the
University from the e,nbarrassments
which have thus far impeded its move
ments. Such legislation as will cna.
bic the Regents to devote the edifice
to the purposes for which it was de.
signed, should receive your prompt at.
tention.
A small amount Of the State funds
may be needed for this object unless
some judicious arrans ement can be
concluded with competent aud reliable
teachers on another basis. 1t is So evi.
dently the duty Of the State authorities
to rescue these Halls dedicated to learn.
'"g from their present solitude, and to
Gil them with students as soon as prac.
ticabIe. that it is only necessary to d.
rect your attention to the subject, to
secure such action as will cnure to the
benefit Of the rising generation. and be
creditahle to the State.
In order to test the validity Of our
claim under tile 5th section Of the ena.
bling act Of Congress, passed February
10Th, 1857, to scventy-two sections Of
land from the public domain, to be Sc,
apart for the use and support ct State
University, fled a notice Of the Sc.
lection Of portion Of sail lands III the
proper Office at Taylor's Falls In Feb.
ruary last, and am now awaiting de.
cision from the Department at Wash
ington.
1t is my firm conviction that what.
ever cid may be extended to the Uni
versity and other kindred institutions
by the Legislature, should be rendered
upon the express condition that the
children Of Minnesota soldiers who
shall have died or been disabled in the
service at the close of the war, shall BE-
entitled to- admission free Of charge,
with all the rights and privileges Of
other scholars or students. So much
at least should be guaranteed to the
families Of the noble band from GU,
State, who have gained for her so bril-.
liant a reputation on many a bloody
field, at such great sacrifice to them
selves OF lite and limo.
In this connection I respectfully
submit the propriety Of associating with
our Agricultural College an Orphan
Home for the gratuitous support and
education OF the INDECENT children o'
the deceased soldiers of Minnesota
Several of our sister States have already
made preparations to carry out simi
lar just aud humane policy.
SWAMP LANDS.
In December 1863, the lists O.
swamp lands claimed by the State o
Minnesota under tho Act Of Congress
approved September 2sd, 1850, withir
the entire surveyed portion Of our ter
r;tory, and am 'unting to about 727 ,OO(
acres, we're placed in the hands Of tn,
General Land Office for examination
and revision. But in consequence o
the pressure of business in that depart
ment, I have been unable to secure tn,
certificate and patent, vesting the gran
in the State, and it Is quite possibl,
that under the ruling Of the Commits
sioner the number of acres claimee
may suffer q slight reduction.