The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1872-02-26
The Agricultural College EndOw-
ment.

The Convention recently called upon
Gov. JACOB for such information as
might be in possession OF tho Executive
relating to the Aale Of United States land.
scrip donated to this State some years
ago for the endowment ofan Agricultural
College. The Governor, in response,
sent to the Convention copy'ot the re-
port made to Governor BoRRMAN by Mr.
SAMUEL p. HnDRETH, Cashier Of the
National Savings Bank, Of this city,
through whom the sale was made.
What particular object the Conven.
ton had in view does not appear, but tho
Register Saturday copying the report
makes these remarks:
"The Constitutional Convention, If II
does no other good, will have accomplish.
ed something Commendable in bringing
10 light various matters Of information
concerning the past management Of State
affairs. We have heard q good deal OF
inquiry during several yearspast concern.
ing the disposition that was made OF the
land warrants issued by the National
Government TO this State In aid OF the
establishment OF an Agricultural College,
but If any report OF the sale Of these war.
, rants has ever been published heretofore,
1t has escaped our notice"
There is faint though sufficient sug-
gestion here Of concealment and mystery
us attaching to this transaction. There
certainly never was anything Of the kind.
The business was all open and public,
and We believe statements concerning the
sales were published in the city papers at
the time they were made. If not, it was
the fault Of the papers themselves.
The main facts Of this business may be
briefly recalled. An act OF Congress ap.
proved in July, 1862, granted to such
States as would accept its conditions an
amount Of public lands equal to 10000
acres for each Senator and Representative
in Congress, and scrip was issued TO
States which had not public lands within
their limits. Among theconditions Of the
grant were its acceptance within two
years and the provision Of colleges within
five years. The act of Congress was &C
ccpted by West Virginia in October, 1868
But as West Virginia had no State exist
ence when the act of Congress was passed,
the authorities at Washington doubted
her right TO be grantee under the act
and her scrip was not forthcoming
Finally some time in 1864, we believe,
Congress by special act extended the
grant to West Virginia. The scrip, how.
ever, was not forwarded to the Governor
till late in the fall Of 1865. He had been
instructed by the Legislature to advertise
it for sale, and sell it at such times and in
such parcels as he might find the interest
OF the trust to require. As the five years
within which the college had TO be provi.
ded by the State lacked only some twenty
months of expiration, and the Morgan
town folks who proposed to donate their
academy building for the purpose were
somewhat urgent to have the matter
definitely settled, the Governor decided to
put the scrip on the market at once. lie
accordingly on the 9Th of November, 1855,
began advertising in all the papers of the
State for sealed proposals to be addressed
to Mr.. HTLDRETlE, agent, and to be opened
on the 1st of the following month. Bids
were received and opened in due course,
and the highest, sufficient to cover the
whole OF the scrip, were accepted. We
copy here Mr.. HlLDRETH's report TO the
Governor Of bids accepted and rejected !;
and the manner in which the proceeds of
the sale were invested:
REPORT.
8. T. HlLDRETH, agent,
IN account ,Cim " Ia. agricultural ColIsgs
Scrip Fund, Dr.
1866.
April 10, amount received Of
A. N pFirhaFd anHna ~ A,n- a.