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the charter of the Trustees of the Massachusetts School of Agriculture. 

 That charter had passed into other hands. Mr. Mori-ill's bill was dead. 

 In the winter of 1861 a renewed effort was made by Mr. Wilder, 

 supported by petitions from all parts of the Commonwealth for a 

 State Agricultural College. Hearings were had before the commit- 

 tee of education, and great pressure was brought to bear upon both 

 sides. The committee hesitated, and finally " let I dare not wait 

 upon I would" by delaying the question. This was accomplished by 

 reporting a resolve, Chap. 98, of the Resolves of 1861, authorizing 

 Gov. Andrew to appoint a commission of three persons to serve 

 without pay, to report a plan for an Agricultural College. The title 

 of the Resolve was misleading, " Resolve in favor of the establish- 

 ment of an Agricultural School or College." It was generally 

 understood that this course was taken to get rid of the question 

 without a decision on its merits. We had light enough. All these 

 reports were before the people. With this knowledge the only way 

 to organize a college was to organize, as Mr. Greeley said of specie 

 payments, that the best way was to resume. No detailed plan of a 

 college could be rmide beforehand, especially if there were no indica- 

 tions what scale of a college was desired. Plans enough were already 

 before the public. Mr. Thomas Pluukett of Berkshire, Increase 

 Newton of Worcester, two elderly gentleman, and your historian 

 heiv were appointed on the commission. The minds of neither of 

 my seniors had ever been directed to the -subject, and they met with 

 a feeling that the action of the Legislature was a feint, and that 

 nothing was expected of them. We were advised not to report at 

 once. Mr. Morrill's bill would be again offered under Mr. Lincoln, 

 and if it passed, the mind of the Legislature would be forced to enter- 

 tain the subject, and make full inquiry. We met once, when from 

 the fact that I was at thai time an Overseer of Harvard College, I 

 was delegated to confer with Mr. Felton its president, and inquire 

 officially whether any arrangement could be made or suggested for 

 an Agricultural College, aided by the Bussey fund. Mr. Felton took 

 a few days to reply, and finally answered very courteously that Har- 

 vard College took no interest in the subject. We met a second time, 

 when I reported concerning Harvard College, and upon some ques- 

 tions as to the Smith fund at Northampton. I have never again had 

 the pleasure of seeing either of these gentlemen before their death. 

 Meanwhile as I have stated, on Dec. 14. 1857 Hon. Justin S. 

 Merrill, then a National Representative from Vermont, introduced a 



