Year: 1859




tional difficulty would thus be avoided,
confess, is to me incompthensble. The
wisdom Of the suggestion and its feasibility
clearly belongs to the President alone. If
the object be to excite the jealousy of exist
ing colleges, is unworthy Of notice. know
that the friends of such institutions, men of
thorough education, are, in all sections of the
country, the cordial and devoted friends of
this bill. do not understand this hint in
any other sense than this that the President
was not consulted in regard to the principles
of this bill. Had he been thus consulted, or
had the details, even, been prepared by some
Democratic member, then it might have re-
cciycd his assent. That, sir, is a misfortune
to the country, but not its only misfortune.
The President wholly mistakes the object of
the bill, which was to offer free tuition to the
boys of farmers and mechanics-not TO en-
rich corporations and endow professorships-
and to enable them by their own industry, to
acquire what might not otherwise be within
their reach-a liberal education. If it be a
satisfaction to the President to have thwartcd
such an object, hardly think it will be high
ly appreciated and especially not by those
whose hopes arc thus destroyed. The tele-
graphic news of this veto will start tear
from the eye of more than one manly boy
whose ambition will now be nipped in the
bud One great object was to arrest the de-
generate and downward system of agricul-
ture by which American soil is rapidly OBJ
tanning the rank of the poorest and least pro-
ductive on the globe, and to give to farmers
and mechanics that prestige and standing in
life which liberal culture and the recognition
of the Government might afford To all this
the President turns deaf ear.


Mr. Speaker, the Constitution gives to Con
gress the unrescrved and unrestricted power
to dispose Of the public lands; but the
President says this does not grant the power
to gige them away Sir, contend that this
provision does give to Congress the power to
dispose of them in any way not prohibited by
the Constitution. 1t is absolute and upqual-
flied. If there is any limitation in the'deods
Of cession, which provide that they shall be
disposed of for the common benefit Of all the
States, this bill is in strict conformity there
to. Nor does this bill propose to g'ue them
away at all. Like prudent proprietor, we
adopt policy to increase the value of the
whole landed property Of the country. The
bill expressly demands a full and proper con-
sideration. That consideration is, that the
several States shall establish these colleges,
"where the leading object shall be. without
excluding other scientific or classical studies,
to teach such branches of learning as are re-
lated to agriculture and the mechanic arts.
If this were done, there can be no doubt the
interests of the country the benefits to accrue
would be ffty-fold greater than any sun
which would be abstracted from the Treasu-
ry. If we cannot give away the lands we al
ready possess, under what clause Of the Con
stitution are we to pour out millions for the
purchase of Cuba, only for the purpose oi
giving il back again to the Spanish slave
holders:


We have heretofore very properly in ouI
legislation pertaining to new States and Ter
ritorics. granted one or two sections of land
in each township for the especial purpose O
establishing schools. This bill is nothing
more than a pursuance of the same policy
and was a fit complement of the SYSTEM
Many literary universities had already been
established with the approval of James Blu
chanan, who, with many other distinguished
Democrats, voted for the deaf and dumt
school, endowed by Congress, in Kentucky
in 1927. If we can legislate for the deaf anC
dumb, may we not legislate for those who car
hear and speak If we can legislate for Tho
insane, may we not legislate for the sane =
We have granted lands for railroad purposes
for military services, and we have granted
lands to the several States for the promotion
of health that is, we have granted to the
States the swamp and oyerfowed lands with
in their limits Now, sir, if we can grant
lands for the promotion of physical health
can VIC not grant them for the purpose of pro
noting the moral health and education of the
people We granted seven hundred and tf
ty thousand acres of land for the benefit o
the Saut Ste Marie canal, and also Other
large grants for canals. Well sir, if we car
grant lands for the benefit of commerce, trade
military service, and health, cannot we gram
them for other purposes Cannot we gran
them for education, and for the education o
the great mass Of the country; and class
too, which has received no special benef
from any act OF Congress


Mr.. Speaker, we sometimes see men wht
drive horses rather hardly, seeking to fine
some new spot where they can touch then
on the raw While this is not in any sens'
party question, the President has en-
deavorcd to make it one and whether h'
has succeeded in that or not, and | hope hi
has not, he has succeeded in uncovering
new spot, as numerous as are his scars-anC
in that respect he is a veteran-to which tc
apply the whip. do not, however, propose
at this time, to enter into any long argumen
in relation to this matter, and am quite read,
that the vote should be taken which the Con
stitution prescrbes.


The President has established higher Law
over that of Congress and we have nothing
else to do but to appeal to that higher law
of the people-which will override the EXecu
tive veto. | call for the previous question.


Mr. ConB. l ask the gentleman to with
draw the call for the previous question.


Several MEMBERS Oh, no.


Mr. MORRILL,. / must insist on my cal
for the previous question.


The previous question was seconded, AM
the main question ordered.


The SPEAKER. The question now is =
Will the House, on reconsideration, pas
the bill


The question was taken and it was dc
cided in the negative--yeas l05, nays 90.
SO the House refused to pass the bill
(two-thirds not voting in favor thereof)
, 10 We observe Of late unusual brisknes
in the horse trade, both for the Southern an
r. Western markets. We saw one day las
= week several extremely fine animals whic