The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-01-11
sac AErieuIturaI CoIIeges

state Agricultural COIIeges
On the ID day OF July. 1862, the Presi-
dent approved an act passed by Con-
,-ress q donating public lands to the
seyeraI States and. Territories which
NAV provide Colleges for the benefit OF
Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts"
That act required formal aeceptanee by
the States, before entitling them to Its
benefits, and within two years from date
ofapprovaI. On the Sd day OF october,
1868. the Legislature OF this State passed
an act accepting the benefits and eondi-
tons OF thsact of Congress referred to-
INT In view of the fact that when the
actof Congress was passed, there was
no such State as West Virginia, 1t was
thought doubtful whether we would be
entitled to the benefits Of the act, and,
accordingly, Congress, by an act APP
proved April 10, 1864, specially extended
to: this State the provisions of the net
first referred to. The act already passed
by our Legislature was held to be a pro-
per and sufficient acceptance, SO that
West Virginia was entitled to receive
the donation. ~. ~ lss..s5s !.
This promised, we propose to state
briefly how this Agricultural College
business now stands in and with refer
ence to this State.
The act of Congress referred to grants
TO each State quantity Of public lands
not surveyed as mineral, and subject 70
sale, at private entry, at one dollar and
twenty-five cents per acre, equal to
$4,000 acres for each Senator and Rep
resentative in Congress. This enti-
ties West Virginia to 10000 acres.
II State does not embrace public
lands within its limits, scrip for its dis
tributive share is furnished, emitting
the assignees of the State to locate IN
any State or territory on such lands as
are described in this paragraph, but not
more than million acres in any one
State. This state having no such lands
within its limits, its share of scrip was
forwarded to Gov. foreman about the
close OF 1864. Finding it impossible to
obtain for it such price as he deemed
the State ought TO realize, he thought 1t
iudicious not to sell Immediately, but
reported the matter to the Legislature
in his message in January 1866, and
asked instructions. None having been
given, the Governor held the scrip un-
til last fall, in hope Of an improvement
in the market; but the time approach
ing when something must be done with
it, and the price tending downward rath-
er than up, he advertised it for sale, and
II WAS sold on the first of December TO
the highest bidders. The amount real
lied will be, we learn, in the neighbor-
hood OF $4,000. The cost of disposing
OF the scrip is to be incurred by the
State SO that the entire proceeds shall
be undiminished. They are to be in
vested in State or United States stocks
bearing not less than 6per cent. inter
est, the fund TO be perpetual, and the
interest only appropriated to the main
tenance Of the College, except that ten
per cent. OF the fund may be used for the
purchase OF land forsites or experimen=
TAI farms. II investment is made in
Emitted States 8 per cents, the annual
interest will be near 5000.
One of the conditions OF the act OF
Congress, accepted by this State with
the donation, is that within five years
from the approval of that act, the State
shall provide Mt least one College, where
the leading object shall be, without eH-
Guiding other scientific and classical
studies, and including military tactics
to teach such branches OF learning as
ure related to agriculture and tht
mechanic arts, under regulations to b
prescribed by the Legislature; to be On
dowed and supported by the interest OF
the donation, If sufficient, and IL moi
the deficiency 10 be supplied by STATE
appropriation. .,,o ..f-,r....7fr
This college must therefore be "Pro.
vided" before July End, 1867, or the
grant will cease, and the State will BIZ
bound to refund the $4,000 to this
United States. II suitable building
and grounds could he purchased by th'
State all ready. for occupancy, pro
vision for them might be deferred unit
the session of 1867; otherwise, 1t woult
be judIcious for the Legislatureto maxi
provision this winter. gilEfGaY