37 



Mr. Merrill's bill became a law July 2nd, 1862, and during the 

 Legislative session of 1863, there were presented the serious ques- 

 tions of the acceptance of the Act by Massachusetts, and of the 

 incorporation of the Massachusetts Agricultural College. Mr. Erastus 

 O. Haven was chairman of the joint committee to whom these questions 

 were submitted. The committee entered upon a most thorough and 

 candid inquiry, and it is due to that committee that it should be 

 stated that a more faithful, and fair investigation was never had. 

 Early in the session Gov: Andrew had assembled at his house a levee 

 of the leading men upon both sides of the question, and advocated 

 with all his power the association of the college with the Bussey insti- 

 tution which was or was to be a part of Harvard College, but had not 

 then been opened as a school. Prof. Agassiz was there urging the 

 annexation of the Agricultural College to Harvard, but no members 

 of the corporation were present, and there was no evidence that its 

 authorities took any interest in the question, except that its president, 

 Rev. Thomas Hill, who had acceded to the office in October, 1862, ex- 

 pressed a desjre to have the college so located in the act of incorpo- 

 ration. The disposition of a large majority of the gentlemen present 



may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the 

 industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life. 



SEC. 5. And be it further enacted: That the graut of land and land scrip hereby author- 

 ized shall be made on the following conditions, to which, as well as to the provisions here- 

 inbefore contained, the previous assent of the several States shall be signified by legislat- 

 ive acts : 



FIRST. If any portion of the fund invested, as provided by the foregoing section, or any 

 portion of the interest thereon, shall, by any action or contingency, be diminished or lost, it 

 shall be replaced by the State to tohich it belongs, so that the capital of the fund shall, remain 

 forever undiminished; and the annual interest shall be regularly applied without diminu- 

 tion to the purposes named in the fourth section of this act, except that a sum not 

 exceeding ten per centum upon the amount received by any State under the provisions 

 of this act, may be expended for the purchase of lands for sites or experimental farms, 

 whenever authorized by the respective legislatures of said States. 



SECOND. No portion of said fund, 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. 



THIKD. Any State which may take and claim the benefit of the provisions of this act 

 shall provide within five years, at least not less than one college, as described in the fourth 

 section of this act, or the grant to such State shall cease ; and said State shall be bound to 

 pay the United States the amount received of any lands previously sold, and that the title 

 to purchasers under the State shall be valid. 



FOURTH. An annual report is to be made regarding the progress of each college, record- 

 ing any improvements and experiments made, with their cost and results, and such other mat- 

 ters, including State industrial and economical statistics, as may be supposed useful; one 

 copy of which shall be transmitted by mail free, by each, to all th<- other colleges which may be 

 endowed under the provisions of this act, and also 4 one copy to the Secretary of the Interior. 



SIXTH. No State while in a condition of rebellion or insurrection against the govern- 

 ment of the United States shall be entitled to the benefit of this act. 



Approved July 2, 1862. 



