LEADING UTTERANCES OF TWENTY YEARS AGO. 517 



enterprising people; and a provision for such educational 

 facilities, being in manifest concurrence with the intimations 

 of the popular will, it urgently demands the united efforts 

 of our national strength. 



Resolved, That the Governor is hereby authorized to for 

 ward a copy of the foregoing resolutions to our Senators 

 and Representatives in Congress, and to the Executive and 

 Legislature of each of our sister States, inviting them to 

 co-operate with us in this meritorious enterprise. 



This resolution was signed by the Speaker of the House 

 of Representatives, John Reynolds, and the Speaker of the 

 Senate, G. Koerner ; and, on the eighth of February, 1853, 

 was approved by the Governor, J. A. Matteson, and attested 

 by Alexander Starne, Secretary of State. It was then duly 

 forwarded to Washington. 



LEADING UTTERANCES OF TWENTY YEARS AGO. 



To show the animus of the press and the people of twenty 

 years ago, upon this subject, the following extracts, relating 

 to the movement in various States, will prove interesting, 

 as historical records at least. 



The New York Tribune, of February 26, 1853, said: 

 &quot; Here is the principle contended for by the friends of prac 

 tical education abundantly confirmed, with a plan for its 

 immediate realization. And it is worthy of note, that one 

 of the most extensive of public-land (or new) States pro 

 poses a magnificent donation of public lands to each of the 

 States, in furtherance of this idea. Whether that precise 

 form of aid to the project is most judicious, and likely to be 

 effective, we will not here consider. Suffice it that the Leg 

 islature of Illinois has taken a noble step forward, in a most 

 liberal and patriotic spirit, for which its members will be 

 heartily thanked by thousands throughout the Union. We 



