88 THE PORTRAIT GALLERY 



duced the Land-Grant college bill, providing for the setting aside 

 of public lands to found agricultural, industrial and scientific 

 institutions in the newly settled districts. Although this 

 passed both branches of Congress it was vetoed by PRESIDENT 

 BUCHANAN, and it did not become a law until re-passed in 1862 

 and signed by PRESIDENT LINCOLN. Under the provisions of 

 this law more than fifty institutions were established over the 

 country with facilities for 500 or more students and instructors 

 in each. A later act fathered by MR. MORRILL supplemented 

 the college support. 



In the troublous times just before the War of Secession MR. 

 MORRILL was a most prominent figure on the floor of the house. 

 He delivered the speech credited with defeating the admission 

 of Kansas as a state under a pro-slavery constitution. He was 

 placed in charge of all tariff, tax and revenue bills throughout 

 the war and in 1861 devised the MORRILL Tariff Act that 

 remained in force until replaced by the McKiNLEY bill of the 

 51st Congress. His bill was the first to change the ad valorem 

 basis to that of specific duties. 



His election to the Senate occurred in 1867, as a successor to 

 LUKE P. POLAND of Vermont. Here he was five times elected 

 to succeed himself and served a total of over forty years in both 

 houses. As chairman of the committees on finance and public 

 buildings and grounds, he was a highly important figure, while 

 his counsel as a member of the committees on education and 

 labor, census, revolutionary claims and additional accommoda- 

 tions to the Congressional Library was eagerly sought. 



He was an author of no mean repute, contributing copiously 

 to the magazines and journals of the day. In 1886 a book by 



