The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1872-02-22

: dustry.
(Section provides that the fund itself
shall be perpetual and "undiminished,
and that only the Interest of the in
vestment shall be drawn for the purposes
stated.
Now let us turn to the act of Congress
E making the donation, and see if the dis
position of the grant as above described
in section ), corresponds with its objects
and the directions specified in the said act.
In the first place, the "objeet" of the
Congressional act is specifically an
nounced by the title, which is as follows:
"An act donating public lands to the
several States and Territories which
"may provide colleges for the benefit of
"Agricult,ere and the Mechanic Arts. F."
Section provides:
That the monies
so invested lin stocks yielding not less than
) per cent? shall constitute perpetual
fund, the capital OF which shall remain for
ever undlIninished; Except so far as may
be provided in Section of this act.) and
the interest of which shall be inyioldbly APP
propriated by each State which may take
and claim the benefit of this act TO the en-
! dowment, support and maintenance of at
least one College, where the LEADING
OBJECT shall be without excluding other
scientific and classical studies and includ
| ing military tactics-to teach such branch
es of learning as are related to agriculture
| and the mechanic arts in such manner the
| Legislatures of the States may prescribe.
| in order to promote the liberal and practical
| education OF the Industrial classes in the
several pursuits and professions of life.
Here, then, it is expressly set forth
as condition of the grant, that the
''interest" arising from the investment
shall be applied to the maintenance of a
College (Or Colleges where the leading
object" shall be to teach agriculture and
the mechanic arts" 1t will not be as
sumed that instruction in these pursuits
are the ''leading" is CHIEF-PRIN-
CIPAL, objects in the State University at
Oxford, nor the Institution Incorporated
as Alcorn University. The facts in con-
nection with the former have been too
clearly matter of history for more than
generation to need recital. As TO AL
corn University, the act of May 18th
1871, establishing it does not even allude
to agriculture and the mechanic arts !"
Section 4 declares that the ''O6jects and
"duties of the corporate body hereby
"created. are the establishment of a Sen1ii,a-
E'ry," of learning, etc. Section authorizes |
the President and Board of Trustees "to I
secure a collection of specimens in min
eralogy, geology, botany, etc.-but we
have examined in vain to find the re-
motest reference to the Heading object"
set forth in the act of Congress. True
the act Of May 18th, 1871, accepting the
grant conditions that the said Universe
ties shall provide means of instruction
Sin agriculture and mechanic arts, in
Guiding machine shop, model farm, ETC.,
but these SO far from being the leading
objects" of the Institutions named, are
mere appendages tackled on to the bill
authorizing the Governor to receive and
sell the scrip.
To leave nothing to inference as to the
distinct purposes ofsthe grant, sec. of
the act of Congress, provides among
other things-that 1.-THE annual interest
mot principaD shall be regularly APP
piled without diminution to the purposes
mentioned in the 4th sec. (viz to the .
maintenance of school or schools for
whose leading object is instruction in ,
: agriculture and the mechanic arts y
except that sum not exceeding ten
per cent. of the amount received may
be expended for the purchase of lands
for sites or experimental farms" But I
t further provides that ''no portion of
said fund shall be applied directly or !.
indirectly UNDER ANY PRETENsE WHAT
EVER to the purchase, erection, preserUa-
'tion, or repair Of any building or
buildings" fl
And still further to secure a faithful e
ompliance with the "objects" of the $:
rant, and to guard against its perversion q .,
the act of Congress additionally pro- 5
ides : "That an annual report shall be e
made regarding the progress of each W
college, recording any Improvements and II
experiments made, with their costs and a.
results and such other matters including n
State, industrial and economical statis- G
cs as may be supposed useful. RI
And again
The Governor OF the several States to q
hich land scrip may be issued under this III
{ shall be required to report annually To th
Ongress all sales made OF such scrip until 40
e whole shall be disposed Of-the amount Il,
ceived for the same-and what appropri-
ion has been made of the proceeds.
The language of the act specifies as
ain as words can express, the "object"
the grant, and the last quoted provis- n,
rs exhibit the jealousy with which its err
Ithors designed to secure its rigid OBJ W. W.
rvance. sai
That the act of the Legislature is a po
oss infraction of the conditions of the tol
ant, no intelligent mind can fail to per- &c
i've. The question arises, shall the
ror be persisted in? 1t is not too late
revise the matter and make such an Dl
of the investment and APP off
cation Of the interest arising therefrom ths
win be in conformity to the intention str
Congress as declared in the grant. Or ins
Ill application be made 10 Congress on
= modification Of the Law so that it cal
y correspond with the act Of the Leg afs
lture2 Something Of the sort should rar
done, and done speedily. ef