Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1873-05-22
EZRA CORNELL.

Ezra COfnell, the founder OF COrnell
University, is undergoing the fate of all
men who have made their names especi-
ally prominent by good deeds or great
beneficence. We ought to say, perhaps,
"alleged" or reported good deeds
and great benefcence, that we may es-
cape the charge of whitewashing 1t
is, unfortunately, the fate of every one
be be editor or in some of the other call
ings of life-in these latter days of self
righteousness, when the tendency is for
an individual to believe himself saint
immaculate and all others sinners unpar-
dOnable, to be accused of =" whitewash-
ing" if, perchance, he retains small
remnant of faith in human nature, and
is not disposed to receive, as an accepted
fact, the idle breath of rumor and. what
may be, mere scandal, against the record
of a whole life, covered all over with
noble action, unblemished character,
spotless integrity and unselfish charity
Ezra Cornells name has become a syno-
nym for benevolence, as also, to express,
in a few words, the meaning of the term
ga friend and benefactor of mankind. ="
He has led an eventful life, has amassed
a handsome fortune, and is now standing
on the verge of time. His private life
has been biameless, his riches have been
gathered by honorable means, and the
breath of SANDER, has not, hitherto, as
sailed him. Although more or less
known throughout the country, by rea-
son of his connection with the constluc-
ton of extended lines of telegraph, and
the organization of companies connected
Herewith, it is only within few years
that his name has become familiar to the
masses in both hemispheres. He had
been, to some extent, in politics, having
represented the district of his residence
in the Assembly and Senate of New
York for six consecutive years, but
had escaped the breath of suspicion.
because he enjoyed no extraordinary
prominence, save what he had before
attained by his wealth and connection
with the telegraphic enterprises of the
country. In October, 1865, however,
all unmindful of the fatal plunge he was
making, and forgetful that he was living
amid a carping, invidious and envious
people, by munificent gift of five hun
dred thousand dollars, Cornell University
sprang into existence and Ezra Cornell
into prominence. Henceforth he was to
be an object, at whom could be aimed
the shaft of envy or malice. To further
carry out his plans of affording an insti-
tuition where complete and practical
education could be obtained, without
money aud without price, he undertook,
without charge, to locate the land scrip,
granted by the general government to his
State, and hold the land thereby secured,
so that the funds of the University
might be appreciably increased, instead of
disposing of the same at its then market
value, which was much below par The
Legislature of New York, at his sugges-
ton, fixed minimum price at which
the lands could be sold, being the same
at which similar land could be bought.
lie OulJ ICqu6Sttti, III ISluIu LOT Ills per
sonal supervision and services. that at
ter paying into the Treasury the mini
mum price thus established, the
sum over and above such minimum price
should, also, be paid into the treasury,
but should be known as part of the
f.Cornell Fund" In order, as it is
claimed to prevent an immediate sale
of these lands, and to reserve them for
an increased price, for they are constant
ly increasing in value, bill has been in
troduced into the Legislature of the
State of New York, s'to facilitate set
tlemeEt with Ezra Cornell" Some of
these lands have already been sold, but
only a very small proportion thereof, in
order to pay the actual expenses of To-
cation-not including any services on
the part of Mr.. Councillor four dollars
and half per acre, an advance on their
original cost or value of three dollars
and twenty-five cents an acre within
seyen years. This proposed act, and this
sale, is made the ground of the charges