American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1872-03-16
The Land Scrip Donation for an fgri-
cultural and Mechanical College.
The Misappropriation and Mis-
management of the Fund by the
State Authorities.

The Misrepresentation and Mis-
management of the Fund by the
State Authorities.
From the C'd' ion.
1t is no part of our present in
tention to dwell upon the violation
of the State law in the management
of this fund amounting to 21S9,0 0O.
That part OF the subject has been
amply explained. The public have
seen that the agent authorized to
collect and invest the scrip has de-
parted from his instructions as set
forth in the law which he himself
as Governor approved. They have
seen that the law required him to
sell the scrip '..for cash" and i'm
mediotciy' invest the procee,Is in U.
/ S. bonds or some other ''>aie" Sc
curities. They have seen that the
sale was not made "!Or CASH but
on time, and that the invest ment in
! bonds has not been made at all!
They have seen that tor the pur-
poses of safe keeping, the law re-
quired that the State Treasurer
should he custodian of the bonds,
but hat neither bonds nor proceeds,
after the lapse of five months, have
been deposited with him! They
have also seen that the late Govern
or has confessed that he violated
the letter OF his Instructions con
tanned in the law, on the ground.
that some additional legislation was
neetlful. And they have also seen
that this was an alter-thOught, II
mere pretence, inasmuch as the
way directed in the legislation al
ready provided for his guidance was
as plain as the road to market. 1t
required him to invest ''immediate
~" in United States or other bonds;
and this would have been the work
! of few hours or days ut most. As
/ it is. the funds are lying about loose
here, there and where; but not
in the State Treasury. wi ere their
proceeds ought to have been placed
months ago.
But these are not the matters we
are now considering. 1t is palpable
and we wish 10 call the attention
of the Legislature to the fact so
that the misstep may be retraced-
that the law of Congress making
the grant was violated by the act of
the Legislature itself as well as by
the agent charged with itsexecutiOn.
What was the intention of Con
gresss 1t is expressed in the title of
the donation act. 'An act donating
spublic lands to the several States
':and Territories which may provide
colleges for the benefit of AgrI-
couture and the Mechanic Arts"
In order to eniltle the Safe to
the benefits of the act, it was clear
~ the duty Of the Legislature to
establish an Agricultural and Me-
cEanical College or Colleges. This
preliminary step was not taken by
the Legislature, which set apart the
fund for the benefit of institutions
established for entirely different
purposes from the ''leading objects
Expressed in the act OF Congress"
To remove all doubt as to the in
tentiOn of Congress in making the
grant and in prescribing the mode
of it's disposition, we will quote in
full the 4tt section Of the act of
February, 1872.
SEC. 4. That all monies derived
from the sale of the lands aforesaid
by the States to which the lands
are apportiOned and from the sales
of land scrip hereinbefOre provided
for, shall be invested in stocks OF
the United States, or some other
safe stocks, yielding not less than
D per cent. on the par value OF said
stocks, and that the mOnies So in
vested shall constitute a perpetual
fund, the capital of which shall re-
main .forecer undiminished Except
sl far us may he provided in section
five of this acD, and the interest Of
which shall be inviOlably appOrtiOn-
eel by each State which may take
and claim the benefit of this act, to
the endowment, support and main-
tenance of at least one college where
The leading objects shall be, without
excluding other scientific and clas-
steal studies, and including mi 'itary
tactics, to teach such branches OF
learning as are related to agriculture
and the mechanic arts in such manner
as the Legislature of the States may
respectively prescribe, in order to
promote the liberal and practical
education of the industrial classes
il the several pursuits and profess
ions of life.
Now compare the leading objects
of the institutions to which this
fund has been dedicated by the act
OF the Legislature, with the objects
sci. forth in the foregoing section,
d and resist, If it be possible, the con
clusiOn that the intention of the
grantor has been entirely disre-
garde1l.
To throw still more light on the
subject, we will copy the 9th section
of the act:
SEC. ). y he grant Of land and
land scrip hereby authorized shall
he made OH the following lions,
to which, as well as to the provisions
hrreinbefore contained, the previous
report of the several States shall be
signified by Legislative acts.
First-If anv portion of the fund
invested as provided by the forego-
ing section. or any portion of the
interest thereon, shall by any
action or contingency he dimin isheG
or lost, it shall be replaced by the
State to which it belongs, SD that