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bill, to grant land scrip to the several States and Territories at the 

 rate of 20,000 acres for each Seuntor aild Representative in Congress, 

 for the endowment of a college in each, to teach such branches of 

 kerning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts. His 

 idea was to bring as cheaply as possible to the farmer and mechanic, 

 such education as is necessary to their several pursuits in life, to 

 recognize agriculture as at least a leading, if not the chief interest of 

 a state. 



As the Spaniards when they took possession of new countries 

 always raised the standard of the Cross, an emblem to die by, so did 

 Mr. Morrill with enlarged foresight resolve to plant a standard of 

 agricultural education on the hilltop of every state like a beacon light 

 to direct men how to live. His bill was referred to the Committee 

 on Public Lands, who delayed their report four months to April 15, 

 1858, and then reported against it. Mr. Morrill enforced his views 

 with elaborate and eloquent arguments, from which if there were 

 time I should be pleased to quote to-day. After many delays the 

 bill passed fourteen months after it was offered, but was vetoed by 

 President Buchanan on the 29th of Feb. (according to the Congres- 

 sional Record), 1859, for various reasons : 1st because it was uncon- 

 stitutional ; 2nd because the government could not afford the outlay ; 

 ord because it would injure the new States by preventing settlements ; 

 4th because the law would be of doubtful benefit; 5th because it 

 would weaken existing colleges ; 6th because this vast gift from the 

 government would tend to alienate the states from the national gov- 

 ernment. Mr. Morrill made a full and triumphant reply to this veto, 

 but the veto was sustained. Mr. Morrill persevered. In December, 

 1861 he again offered his bill, providing for 30.000 acres for each 

 Senator and Representative, which was also referred to the Commit- 

 tee on Public Lands, which held it until the 29th of May, 1862, 

 when Mr. Potter of Wisconsin reported against it, and it was refer- 

 red to the committee of the whole. Meanwhile before the committee 

 of the House had reported adversely, on the 2nd of May, Hon. Ben- 

 jamin Wade of Ohio offered a bill of the same purport, which was 

 referred to the Senate committee on Public Lands, of which Senator 

 Harlan of Iowa was chairman. Promptly on the 14th of May, before 

 the House committee had reported, he reported the bill with slight 

 amendments, and- on the 10th of June it passed the Senate without 

 strong opposition. The next day the bill was sent to the House, and 

 against the opposition of the Committee on Public Lands passed on 



