The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-01-11

Guiding military tactics, to teAch such
branches of learning as are related &c
agriculture and the mechanic arts, in
such manner as the Legislature mey
prescribe in order to promote the lib
eral and practical education of the in
dustrial classes, in the several pusuits
and professions of life
By subsequent section of the act
of Congress an exception is made
which allows a sum, not exceeding
ten per centum of the fund, to be eX-
pended in the purchase of land Tor
sites or experimental farms whenever
authorized by the Legislature of The
State; but this is coupled with an ~
hibitiOn against the appropriation of
any part of the fund to the purchase,
erection or repair of any building or
buildings
To establish a college, such as is
described 10 the Act of Congress,
would involve such a'drafc upon the
State Treasury as l could not recon-
mend at this time if it can be avoided.
Agricultural colleges are as yet but
experiments in this country, and it
would be of great advantage to us if
some arrangement could be made
whereby action ca,A be delayed until
va can avail ourselves of the expert
enee of other Stfltes now engaged in
the establishment of such in
situations. My own opinion is.
that Congress should be memori-
allied to pasgs an act or joint resolu-
ton, permitting the State to apply
the annual income Of this fund to the
support OF Common Schools, until
such time as the State is prepared, In
justice TO other claims upon her re-
sources, to provide the College con-
templased by the grant. Or if this
is not deemed advisable, to permit the
State to add the annual income of the
fund to the principal, by investing III in
Government stocks until such time as
the required College may be establish
ed. At former sessions of the General
Assembly, three distinct plans of exc
cutting the trust were discussed. The
first Of this proposed making the Col
lege Branch or Department of the
State University. The second contem-
plated the establishment of seperate
and independent institution. The
third suggested the division of the
annual income of the fund equally
among the State University aud two,
three or more UNCONVENTIONAL Col
leges and Universities in the State,
upon the condition that each of the
Institutions so favored should provide
one or more professorships devoted to
instruction In such branches as the
act of Congress requires.
The proposition last named would,
In my mind, be so plain a departure
Frnrn hn e al
grant, and would, on other grounds,
be of such doubtful expediency that
l could not recommend its adoption.
Should the General Assembly be of
the same opinion, aud also be averse
to applying to Congress for permits
sion to apply the income to the sup
port of common schools, or to add it
to the principal until such time as
the State might be prepared to estab-
hsh the College, the remaining choice
would be between establishing a new
institution and providing College in
connection with and as a branch of
the State University.
The establishment of new College,
creditable to the State, would, / sup
pose, involve draft upon the Treas
ury OF the State to an amount nearly |
if not quite equal to the amount of the !
fund received from the general Gov |
eminent. But for this severe draft |
upon the Treasury, and the doubt
which exists whether such institu-
tions can be made useful to any CON
siderable extent, | should prefer the |
establishment of new institution to
the plan of attaching the College to |
the University.
In view, however, of the fact that |
we are now engaged in the payment
OF the State debt, and in view of the |
large and urgent demands of institu-
tions already established, and remem-
bering that, under existing circum-
stances, and In anticipation of possible |
contingencies, The public burthens
ought to be diminished rather than |
increased. my own opinion is that it |
would be unwise at this time to make /
such appropriations as the establish
ment of a new college would in
volve. l suppose that an agri-
cultural and mechanical depart |
ment of instruction, such as would |
save the grant from forfeiture,
might be established in connection |
with the State University at COM
paratiyely small expense to the Treas
ury. Ii this il done the legislation !
should, In my judgment, be so shaped |
as to exclude the idea that the Gen /
eral Assembly might not, at some
future time, If it should think proper
to do so, make different disposition |
OF the fund. In other words, to pre-
vent any pretext for a charge of bad
faith, the right should be expressly
reserved, to provide new and indie
pendent Agricultural College, and to
apply the income of the fund to its
support, If experience should, in the |
opinion of the General Assembly, ren-
der such action expedient or proper.
can, however, see no reason to fear
the success of an application to Con- !
gress for permission to apply the in
come of the fund to the support of
the common schools; and experience
has not yet proved that such an ap-
preparation of the trust would not
better tend to promote the liberal
and practical education of the indus
trial classes in the several pursuits
and professions of life, than the estab.
llshment of an Agricultural and Me-
chanical College.
CONCLUSION.
Having thus performed what I con-
ceived to be my duty in presenting to
you information touching the condi-
ton of the State, and in recommend
ing such measures as would, In my
opinion, be promotive of its welfare,
allow me to assure you of my sincere
desire cordially to co operate with you
in all your efforts to advance the pros
perity of the State and the happiness
of its people, and to express the hope
that your counsels may be harmonious,
aud that your labors may result in