Year: 1864




l invite your special attention to that
portion Of the Report of the Register re-
latiug to the decision Of the Secretary
of the Interior, changing the form and
substance Of the proof required, Of the
swampy character of the lands sold by the
United States, after the date of the Swamp
Land Grant, for which the United States
are to indemnify tho State, and the deci.
sion Of that officer, cutting off all claims
for indemnity in counties where the
Swamp Land selections were made after
the Sd Of March, 1857; aud recommend
that you take the action suggested by the
Register on these points. There can be
no good reason why the claims of Iowa,
under this Grant, shall not be settled
upon as liberal terms as the claims of
other States; and if, by want of county
organizations in portion of our State,
the proper steps were not taken to Sc
cure these lands, in those counties, with
in the time limited by law, have no
coubt that Congress will, upon proper
presentation Of the facts, extend the time
so that it may yet be done


AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE GRANT.


Under the Act Of Congress, approved
July I'd, 1862, granting lands to the
States and Territories which may provide
Colleges for the benefit of agriculture and
the mechanic arts, this State is entitled
to receive 100000 acres of land, upon
the conditions contained is said Act
These lands have been selected, and the
selections are now being examined at
Washington.


Among the conditions contained in the
Act making the grant, are the following:
that ono portion of said fund.-" (meaning
the proceeds of tho sales of the land
granted, "nor the interest thereon shall
be applied, directly or indirectly, under
any pretence whatever, to the purchase,
erection, preservation or repair Of any
building or buildings" and that "any
State which may take and claim the benc.
fit Of this Act, shall provide, within fve
years, at least, not less than one College,
as described 10 the fourth section of this
Act, or the grant to such State shall
cease, and said State shall be bound to
pay to the United States the amount re-
ceived for any lands previously sold, and
that the title to purchasers under the
State, shall be valid"


The fourth section Of the Act provides,
that all the proceeds of the lands granted,
Except oue-tenth Of the amount, which
may be expended for the purchase Of
lands for sites, or experimental farms,
shall be invested in stocks of the United
States, or of the States, or some other
safe stocks" sand the interest
shall be inviolably appropriated, by each
State which may take and claim the ben.
eft of this Act, to the endowment, sup
port and maintenance of, at least, one
College, where the leading object shall
be, without excluding other scientific
and classical studies, and including mill
tary tactics; to teach such branches of
learning as are related to agriculture, the
mechanic arts, &c"


The grant, thus made to the State, is a
magnificent one, being about FIVE times
as large as that made for the support of
the State University, and will, if proper
ly husbanded and cared for, make 1ich
endowment. But, to secure the grant,
sufficient funds must be provided, out
side the grant, to erect the necessary
buildings; and then funds must be pro.
vided to meet the current yearly e4pens-
es, until quantity Of the lands can be
sold, the interest of the proceeds of which
invested as required by the law making
the grant, will support the institution.


If these funds cannot be furnished or
provision made in some other way to
comply with the terms Of the Grnnt, the
State will lose the great benefits she
may otherwise derive from this magnifi-
cent donation. recommend the subject
to your careful consideration.


THE SUPREME COURT.


| very earnestly recommend to you the
passage Of law providing for the early
appointment and subsequent election Of
an additional Judge Of the Supreme
Court; and also, that you make an appro-
priation of the sum of FIVE thousand dol
lars to be expended, under the direction
Of the Court, for the purchase of law
books for the State Library.


The first of these measures I deem
necessary to enable the Court to do its
WORK promptly, ana the second, to enable
it to do it we'll. This tribunal is one of
the most important branches Of our State
Government. Upon its action more,
perhaps, than upon that of any other
branch of the Government, must our peo-
pie depend for security for life, liberty
and property. Questions are continually
brought before it, from all parts of the
State, affecting the most important inte-
rest of the parties to those questions; and
the rules and principles established in
deciding them, become rules and princi.
ples controlling the interests of every
resident of the State. 1t is, therefore,
of the first importance that the Court
shall have time to examine all questions
fully and carefully before deciding, aud
that il should have the means Of makinc