The Daily clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1866-1888, 1867-01-25
For the Daily Clarion
No. A.
'Ahe Means o. Orasaniziu g.
school Of Science.

School OF science.
To the Members Of the Legislature Of Missis-
sippi in Session, January, 1867
GENTLEMEN: l am now brought to the
point where | may present to your consider
alton the main object of this communion
ton, and that is respectfully to suggest to
You that by an act of Congress in 1862 a do
nation of public lands was made to all the
States and Territories for Scientific purposes
which, if properly managed, would place
within the power of Mississippi to found just
such an Institution as | have attempted to
describe in the foregoing pages of this com
municatiou The history of the Act referred
to is as follows: On the 2d of July, 1862, an
Act was approved donating to the several
States and Territories public Lands that
they might provide Colleges for the benefit
of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts The
amount that was granted to each State was
30 600 acres for each Senator and RepreSen-
tative in Congress, to which they were en-
titled This number of acres is to he Sc
lected from the public Lands within the
limits of the State if there are such lands in
the State otherwise land scrip is to be issued
nv the Secretary of the Interior for the
amount elsewhere Without going into-sl mi
mute detail of the various conditions of this
act il will be sufficient for my purpoSeto state
that the moneys arising from the sale of this
land are required to be safely invested so as
to yield an interest, the capital to remain
4 forever undiminlShed, the interest TO be ap-
I propriated to the endowment, support and
/ maintenance of. at least, one College, where
/ the leading object shall be, without exclu-
ding other Scientific and Classical studies
/ and including military tactics, to teach such
/ branches of learning as are related to Auri-
culture and the Mechanic Arts. in such man
ner as the Legislatures of the several States
may respectively prescribe, in order
+ to promote the liberal and practical
education of the industrial classes
+ in the several pursuits and practices
/ in Life. Another condition is that
"uo part of the fund, either principal, or in
I terest shall be applied directly, or indirectly,
/ under any practice whatever, TO the pur-
/ chase. erection. preservation or repair of
/ any building or buildings All that seems
/ necessary to obtain the donation is that the
/ Legislature should make application for it
/ and agree to carry out the provisions of the
( Act BY the terms OF the Act il was deelar-
ed at first that application must be made by
I the Legislature within two years after its
I approval in July, 1862. but by a subsequent
Act approved April II, 1864, the time was
/ extended two years longer, and then n IT, ID
/ Act was passed and approved July %, 1850,
extending the time three years longer. SO
/ that the whole Is now placed within our
I reach. To be sure a resolution is reported
/ to have passed the lower House of the Con
greSs of the United States Withholding these
/ t'tAlu> from mississippi, and other States late
~ IN rebellion until they shall have been re
stored TO their position rs States in the
/ mon But this need not prevent the Leg
/ lSIature from dealing with this subject in
advance as II Is TO be supposed that we shall
I come INTO possession of these lands at some
future time. Should the State of Mississip-
/ pl obtaIn this donation il viii give Us accord
/ ing 70 our present Representation some 2I0.-
/ uuV acres OF land for this object Some of
/ tue states have accepted the donation. Con.
/ neeucut received 10000 acres as her share.
I South Carolina at a recent session of the
/ Legislature accepted her share and it is sta
/ ted to be worth size, GOO and by some even
/ S~Oo'UVV- Virginia is said to have agreed To
/ accept her share, This being the case there
/ + no reason Why Mississippi should not APP
/ ply for her share. Now if She should Obtain
! It and the funds arising from il sbonld
amount to $4,000 or S20O.0O0 this wonIG
constitute very respectable beginning
! NW .1l to found an Institution of the
( kind we advocate
JOHN y. WADDEI