The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1867-02-21
9nbersplr yntsIliigeater,
AGRTCULTURAL DEPARTMENT.
Letter from Hon. VIM. H. Trescct.
PENDLEToN, February l, 1867.

To Maj. SEABoRNE, President Pend'c-
ton Agricultural Society.
DEAR SIR I'm reply to your inquiries
as to the appropriation by the Legislature
of the grant of certain public lands, for
educational purposes, l submit the fol-
lowing statement Of the action of the
Senate and House.
The words Of the act making the grant;
are as follows:
70 the endowment, supportand main
tenance of at least one college, where the
loading object shall be, without excluding
other scientific and classical studies, ana
including military tactics, to teach such
branches of learning as are related to
agriculture and the mechanic arts, in
such manner as the Legislatures OF the
the States may respectively prescribe, in
order to promote tho. liberal and practi-
cal education Of the industrial classes, in
tho several pursuits and professions in
life" And, it is further provided, that
no part of the fund arising from this
grant, shall be used for the purpose
of putting up buildings, buying land, &C.,
&c.
The General Assembly, at its extra
session, accepted the conditions of the
grant by a,joint resolution, but the Secrc-
tary of the Interior declined to deliver
the land scrip until the acceptance was
completed by an Act. AT the late regu-
lar session. the necessary Act was passed,
but the actual delivery of the scrip and
It's cunvesion into money in the hands of
the State, authorities, have not yet been
accomplished.
In the mean time, however, Special
Committee of the Senate and House, to
whom the matter had been referred at
the extra session, reported to the General
Assembly at the regular session, Bill
by which this fund, when realized, should
be. invested in the hands Of the Trustees
of the State University at Columbia, to
be by them used in the endowment of q
Gollegefor scientific and mechanical edu-
cation, which should form a part of the
University. There were before its pas
sage, one or two amendments, to which
it is unnecessary to refer, as they did not
affect the main purpose Of the Bill.
When the Bill, came before the House
for discussion, there were three PROPOSE
tions before that body, v
l. The Bill itself, appropriating this
fund tic. the University.
2. An Amendment, moved by General
Hagood, Inappropriate it to the Military
Schools.
8. IAN Amendment, moved by me, to
make no appropriation of the fund until
it was actually in our possession, but to
refer it to Commission OF, five members
of the House and three members of the
Senate, to report what was the best mode
In-which the fund could be appropriated,
to carry out the purposes Of the Act of
Congress.
This last amendment / urged upon the
House for the following reasons:
l. Because the appropriation to the
University. was not compliance with
the conditions of thc,grant, for the lead
ing object" of the University was not
&c to teach such branches of learning as
are related to, agriculture and the. me-
chanic arts"-it had no system of {" mill
iary tactics"-and it was neither designed
nor fitted for " the liberal and practical
educationsof the industrial classes"
2. That the same objections applied,
with almost c9ual force, to the Military
Schools, and that to attach the grant to
either of these institutions, would be to
authorized very unnecessary andsembar-
RAISING interference 7on the part of the
General Government, with their rules
and regulations, which, as they now stood
were entirely and absolutely within the
control of the State, and, for very obvi-
GUS reason, !oughtto be kept.
3. Because, I believed that a special
institution, for teaching the scientific ell
emcnts of agricultural and mechanical
education, was necessary to carry out the
purposes of the grant-that such aa in
stitution properly organized and judi
eiously situated, would be of incalculable
service in developing tho farming capa,
bilities Of the State, and placing the
means Of useful, practical instruction
within the reach of thousands who could