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country for settlement by others. One of the privations thus endured by the pioneers of the country, is the want of schools. But shall the early settlers have this privation continued till their children have grown up in ignorance or been educated in other states, merely to give future emigrants a greater fund to educate theirs with? Ten years hence the present population will be better able to educate their families than they now are, and those who may immigrate to the country will not be under the necessity of enduring the privations their predecessors have done.

There are now in the Territory youth enough to make a large school of the higher class, and who must go abroad for their education, and that, too, at an expense of several thousand dollars, which is taken from and expended out of the Territory, or remain in ignorance; and it is believed that the amount of money which must be sent abroad for the education of our youth, would be greater than the rise in the value of the land will be, so that the territory as a whole, would not only be the loser in a pecuniary point of view, but also in the amount of education obtained, because but few would be sent abroad for that purpose, compared with the numbers who would be educated at home, if the institution was immediately put in oper

ation.

Again, it is a truth too well known to need proof, that an educated people are the greatest friends and best patrons of institutions of learning; and therefore to create facilities to educate the present generation, is a better and more certain means of securing support to the university in coming years, than to keep the lands lying unoccupied and a portion of the people without the means of education. And it is no small detriment to the settlement of the country, to have these lands, the best that can be selected, lie in a state of nature; and one great reason for locating but two-thirds of the land up to this time, was, because it would keep so many valuable tracts of land from settlement and occupation. But if the lands are subjected to sale and settlement, this objection to their immediate location will be removed.

It is proposed that the Auditor of the Territory be authorized to take the general oversight and superintendence of these lands, and

offer them for sale, and once in six months inform the Governor of the tracts, not exceeding one quarter section to one man, at any one time that have been applied for: that the Governor issue his proclamation, describing the tracts, and fixing a time for their sale: that no tract be offered for sale at less than two dollars per acre, and to be sold to the highest bidder; that the purchaser receive a certificate of the sale and amount, payable in ten years, with interest semi-annually, at the rate of seven per centum per annum, the title to remain in the Territory till payment is made; and when made, and a deed given, the proceeds to be funded in some profitable stock, so that the land or its avails shall constitute the fund, and the interest only to be expended in the erection and support of the institution.

Many sections of the University lands, will, no doubt, sell for more than two dollars per acre; while possibly some few sections may eventually be sold for less. But assuming two and one-half dollars as the average price, 46,080 acres would sell for $115,200, which at seven per cent. interest, would yield annually $8,064.—This sum in two years would erect a building and purchase a library and apparatus equal to our present wants:-it would then pay annually, four professors or teachers $1,000 each, and leave $4,064 to be expended annually in erecting additional buildings, or high schools in different parts of the Territory, as branches of the University.

It is not, however, supposed that the present grant of lands for a University, is the utmost limit of the munificence of Congress for this noble object. It is believed that so soon as the extensive public domains north of the Wiskonsan river and south of lake Superior is surveyed and brought into market, and settlements are extended over that vast and fertile district, that Congress, in view of the geographical extent of the state-one of the largest in the Union-will make other grants for the purposes of education.-But we cannot reasonably expect such additional grants until we make use of what we now have at command. This, in addition to the arguments already offered, in favor of immediate action in the premises, should not be lost sight of.

In every view, therefore, your committee have been able to take of the subject, it is for the interest of the Territory, to facilitate pre

sent settlement, the education of the present generation, and to obtain extended grants, with a view to greater and more extended facilities for education, to place the University lands now granted to the Territory, in a situation to be productive, and to commence therewith such operations as the means afforded will justify and authorize.

But as the entire fund cannot be made available in one, two, or even five years, your committee are aware that operations in the premises must for some years be limited. But, at the same time, they are aware that the wants of the present population are limited; and probably the limit of the one will be about equal to that of the other. But because the number of youth to be educated is small to what it will be twenty years hence, shall we, therefore, leave the present number to be raised in ignorance, or subjected so the expense of foreign education; for the sake of aiding immigrants not yet in the Territory, or children yet unborn, to enjoy facilities of which we the pioneers of the country, are deprived of? Shall we adopt the antirepublican policy of oppressing the few and the poor, in order to benefit the many and more wealthy who may follow us? We protest against such a policy.

But what evidence have we that the delay of this matter will give any greater relative or proportionate benefits to a future generation, than the present use of the fund would to the present number to be educated? If we say that the number to be educated at present, is but small, so we say that the lands cannot all be sold at once, and of course the proportion of the avails thereof will be but small. But as the sales of lands, and the consequent increase of available funds advance, so that the number of youth to be educated will advance. The limit of the one now meets the limit of the other, and the increase of the one will meet and equalize the increase of the other. This is conceived to be more in accordance with our Republican Institutions -with the wants of a newly settled country, and with the designs of Congress in granting those lands, with a view to encourage the settlement and sale of the public domain, than to hoard up the treasure like a miser, with a view to make a princely fortune for a person or persons yet unborn.

Furthermore, in the disposition and management of public affairs,

the public, and not individual benefits merely, should be had in view. And as it is a matter of public policy to encourage the settlement of the country, and to effect this object, previous legislation has borne heavily upon the holders of unsettled and unoccupied lands, with a view to compel their sale to actual settlers; can it be said to be good policy to leave our own lands waste and unoccupied? Shall we oppress the speculator who withholds his lands from sale and settlement, for the purpose of enhancing their value, and at the same time withhold our own lands from the market with the same view? Shall we, as a body politic, pursue the same course we condemn in others?— Consistency is a jewel worthy of every man's pursuit, whether in public or private life.

It is believed that the settlement of the country, which the sale of these lands would encourage, would be a greater public benefit than the enhanced value of the lands, which delay might afford, would be to future immigrants, or to a generation yet unborn. We need the strength of a present population to share in the burdens of the government, of schools, of roads, and of the public defence in case of war.

In view of these things, and to carry out the measures herein recommended, your committee herewith submit a bil! for the consideration of the House. All which is respectfully submitted.

A. BRUNSON, Chairman.

And also reported bill No. 5, entitled "A bill to establish the Wisconsin University and to provide for the sale, investment, and use of the proceeds of the University lands."

Mr. Whiton moved that the reading of the report be dispensed with, and that 200 copies thereof be printed.

Which motion being put, was disagreed to.

The said report was then read and two hundred copies thereof ordered to be printed.

The said bill No. 5, was then read the first and second times. Mr. Brunson, by leave, introduced a bill No. 6, entitled “A bill to provide for the reception and disposition of the proceeds of the public land sales."

Which was read the first and second times, and referred to the committee on Territorial Affairs.

Mr. Rockwell, from the committee on Engrossed bills, reported bill No. 1, to be correctly engrossed, entitled "A bill to incorporate the Fond du Lac Company."

Mr. Brown gave notice that he should on a future day, by leave, introduce a "memorial to Congress for the survey of a road from Fort Howard to Fort Snelling," and "a resolution relative to the survey of the public lands."

And then the House adjourned until half past 2 o'clock, P. M.

HALF PAST 2 O'CLOCK, P. M.

A message from the Council by their Secretary:

"Mr. Speaker,-The Council have passed bill No. 8, entitled "A bill concerning the partition of lands," in which I am directed to request the concurrence of this House:

And have refused to approve the resolution, entitled "Resolution authorizing the Secretary of the Territory to borrow money," which had been presented to the Governor on the 24th ult., and by him returned to the Council on the succeeding day with his objections thereto."

The undermentioned bill was read the third time, passed, and the title thereof agreed to, to wit:

No. 1, "A bill to incorporate the Fond du Lac Company." Ordered, That the clerk request the Council to concur therein. On motion of Mr. Whiton,

The House resolved itself into the committee of the whole House, Mr. Ellis in the chair, for the consideration of bill No. 2, entitled "A bill to incorporate the Janesville Bridge Company;" and after some time spent therein, the committee rose and by their chairman reported the bill with amendments.

Mr. Whiton moved to amend the report of the committee, by adding the following amendment to the bill:

Amend the 4th section by inserting after the word "cents" in the fourth line, the words "for each man and horse twelve and a half cents."

Mr. Barber moved to amend the amendment by striking out the word "man" and inserting the word "person ;" which was agreed to, and the amendment adopted.

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