, 1879-05-01
GENERAL PROCEEDINGS.
BEN4TE.

4rtt1di Htspd!rh to 77s Tribune
SFntSoFIELp, April 80.-Senator Hamilton
called tho Senate to or,aer this tnorutng, ANIL
when thu hum OF conversation died away nnd
the members took their seats, and tho attorneys
ot the cxpcctans candidates for Juaticcahtps In
Chicago Withdrew, the usuul lasge attendance Of
members incident to dny in tho middle Of the
week WAS found present.
Senator Hamilton Immediately yielded tho
chnf 10 Senator Hunt, as the Senator from AIc.
Lean had business on hand this morning, the
same being tic consideration Of Senator lIord.
mans resolution submitting to the voters Of tho
State the question Of the further continuance OF
the Normal schools. It was special order for
this morning, md when It was read
Senator Hamilton took the floor, and said ho
was not hero to ask Senators to vote against
their convictions. 1fe only wished to show
some facts bearing on the matter nadcr constd-
GRAFTON, which he believed had not yct hcen pre-
scented, nntl, they having heard these, he would
be satisfied With the net!on Of tho Legislature.
lie inquired II the Legislature had been In re-
ccipt Of petitions asking for the abolition OF the
Normal Schools. It had not, but, on the con-
trary, lad defeated BY largo vote two bills
proposing to accomplish this purpose. He thcn
read from the fifth section Of nn net Of Congress
Of Aprll Is, 1918, tho third provision Of which
says TINT onc.fftccntt Of & per cent OF the net
proceeds Of tho lands lying within this State,
Sao Sns my iso ":a :Ha e esssssy 'ss
slowed on . college OF, university" The
i!eld ind Used by tic State, uuas p1opriatci as
directed, until 1851, when this fund reached the
sum Of 0,o00 without sccr.ifnE fnteEcst. At
that time the mntter Of estabftshlnE the Normal
Tim lima flh4R Aff63FnF tG3
In which this was done. Tho Act OF The Lccisia-
tutc then passed submitted the question u It's
location to every suction thnt desired to secure
Il, the section Offering ils largest subssElptior
County presented a subscription Of $l1, ,515,
md donated l58 acres OF land, and tic school
was tlicreupon located there.
The buildings OF the institution were erected
out Of the funds subscribed, n,,l It Was not till
in 1861 thAt the Legislature took nuy. action to-
ward giving the school NM. part OF tho fund II
sttll held. Ilc then read from the net Of 1bU1,
which rccites as the rasls Of the law tho act Of
the sum held by the stasc, 80 received from
Government lant1s, reckoning intcrost ut uer
cent, amounted to about soe1 ,5jt4. 50, OF which
SOY, ,600 was Interest. Tho Legislature then gavc
interest thereon ut the rate OF
per, cent, which Is all Of that fund now
paid out by tho State. Ho took
tlC HlVAAA ttalt HH4E* k!LGeE 4AH1t tl!C bkulp
had received trust from the General Qoyprn-
mcnt, md had n,ado contract With the cltfzons
Of Mclean County for tlle purpose Of executing
II, and he claimed that It would bc equally III
| bad faith and In violation Of law to now recedc
| from 1t.
| SENATOR nERpMAN
spoke tn favor Of tho resolution. Flo could not
| understand why tho Senator from Mclean
| should SO strongly oppose the submission Of
ihts question to the people. Certainly, II these
schools wero not, . source ot cxpcnsc to the
State, thc Taxpayers could make mud would
make no objection to their continuance.
Senator Hamilton then sent up substitute re-
citing the methods BY which these schools were
established md advocating their continuance.
! This was lost without debate BY vote Of 12 to
~. THE roll was then called on tho original
| resolution. ..
When Senator uanna's name was reached he
said In explanation tliat hu would vote mo y
for the reason he did not bo1ioYo IN shirkng bis
responsibility rs Legislator IN this question. II
these schools should be abandoned, let the Leg.
islaturo refuse them appropriations, or pass q
| law doing awny With them.
The resolution WIS adopted by vote Of 81 to
| 1E