Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-01-14
CONGRESSIONAL.
Senate Debate on Agricultural Col
Ieges.
House Debate On Louisiana Affairs.
Durell's Usurpation to be Investigated
And He fmpeaehed If Found Guilty.
SENATE.

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 13.-Mr. Logan
made a personal explanation. concerning
the charges in the Chicago Tribune on the
18th of July last, that his sudden conyer-
sion to the administration was due to the
appointment of relative and namesake as
agent to disburse the appropria ion of five
hundred thousand dollars for the Teton
Sioux Indians. ...
Mr.. Ramsey gave notics that on Monday
next he would move 20 pfSceed with the
postal telegraph bill.
agricultural Colleges.
Mr.. Eot-ill, of Vermont, called up bill
to provide for further encCwrnent and sup
port of agricultural colleges. He offered
substitute for the bill providing that the
proceeds of sales of 100000 acres of public
land at $1.25 per acre, shall be appropriated
to each State and Territory having such
college ss Contemplated Ia the bill.
Mr.. Window offered an Amendment pro-
viding that the bill shall not be construed
to change or limit the operation Of the
homestead pre-emption laws.
Mr.. Sherman said the, bill would give
away over $34,G00,000. He also expressed
a doubt as to the constitutionalty Of the
bill. The distribution was not to be in
proportion to population but upon plan
which would give Arizona, for instance with
only 1900 inhabitants, as much as would
be gieen to Ohio or New, York. The orig
insl act establishing agrieulthral colleges had
been g great disadvantage to the Western
States. The financial condition of the ma
ton at this time was not such that it could
afford to give away for chimerical purposes
the whole proceeds of public lands for the
next ten years.
Mr.. hlOrrill said Mr.. Sherman was mista-
ken in his statements, and that the greatest
interest was felt in this bill by mechanics
and farmers throughout the country.
Mr.. Thurman said there was no consLi-
tutional power in Congress to distribute
public money in manner so unequal as TO
give 100000 people in a sparsely settled
State the same amount as to 4,500, 900 peo-
pie in the State Of New York, but even if it
were constitutional and just, it would be
imPoiitic to maize such distribution. The
bounty of the nation should be distributed
either according to population or to those
localities in which it Is most needed. Mas
sachusetts; forinstanee, could more easily es-
taoiish and maintain an agricultural depart
ment in connection with one Of her exist
ing colleges without dollar Of public aid,
than Texas could do 1t with the aid Of S3,-
000,000.
Mr.. Thurman said, also, that he had little
confidence in these agricultural colleges,
and did not believe they had been so sue
cessiul as their friends rerresented:
Mr.. Patterson denied it was necessarily
just to distribute aid for educational insti
tutions in proportion to population. The
benefits of the colleges OF New England
were open to and employed by the peo-
pie Of the whole country.
Mr.. Thurman said it was true that youths
from other States had come to be educated
at Yale and Harvard in the past, and did
yet to less extent, bnt this bill contem-
plated the expenses Of a college 10 each
Safe foT the ecucatiOn of its people.
Mr. Sherman said if The proceeds of the
public lands were 10 be appropriated for
education, they ought not 10 be confined to
agricultural and mechanical schools. a
better use of the money would be to apply |
it to the support Of common schools, especi- |
ally in the Southern States.
Mr.. Morrill,, of Vermont, having remark |
ed in the course of debate that Mr.. Sher-
man could not conceal his contempt for |
the remark was absurd and that he repre-
ssnted more farmers then were to be found |
in all New England.
Mr.. Sherman moved 10 amend the bill so |
as to appropriate the proceeds to the public |
lands to support common schools.
Mr. Buckingham said there had been |
nothing done IN Connecticut during thirty |
years which contributed sc much to elevate |
the standard Of education in common |
schools as the high school or college estab-
lished under the act Of 1862.
MIR. Sherman's amendment was lost, |
yeas 8, nays 50.
Mr.. Stewart offered an amendment per
hitting Nevada TO establish
Mining Company
instead of an Agricultural College.
Mr.. Thurman moved a reference Of the |
bill to the Committee on Public Lands. |
Lost II to 90,
Pending further action the Senate went
into executive session and soon after ad- |
ourned.
HOUSE.
Under the call of States a large number |
Of bills were introduced and referred, In
Guiding the following:
By Mr.. H0oper-to reorgsnize the Treas
ury Department, FIX the salaries of its Off
GERS and establish a system of appoint
ments in the civil service in Washington. |
The bill was prepared BY J. II. Savills. Of |