A successful struggle on the part of the State governments with the General Government for the public lands would deprive the latter of the means of performing its high duties, especially at critical and dangerous periods.  Besides, it would operate with equal detriment to the best interests of the States.  It would remove the most wholesome of all restraints on legislative bodies—­that of being obliged to raise money by taxation from their constituents—­and would lead to extravagance, if not to corruption.  What is obtained easily and without responsibility will be lavishly expended.

3.  This bill, should it become a law, will operate greatly to the injury of the new States.  The progress of settlements and the increase of an industrious population owning an interest in the soil they cultivate are the causes which will build them up into great and flourishing commonwealths.  Nothing could be more prejudicial to their interests than for wealthy individuals to acquire large tracts of the public land and hold them for speculative purposes.  The low price to which this land scrip will probably be reduced will tempt speculators to buy it in large amounts and locate it on the best lands belonging to the Government.  The eventual consequence must be that the men who desire to cultivate the soil will be compelled to purchase these very lands at rates much higher than the price at which they could be obtained from the Government.

4.  It is extremely doubtful, to say the least, whether this bill would contribute to the advancement of agriculture and the mechanic arts—­objects the dignity and value of which can not be too highly appreciated.

The Federal Government, which makes the donation, has confessedly no constitutional power to follow it into the States and enforce the application of the fund to the intended objects.  As donors we shall possess no control over our own gift after it shall have passed from our hands.  It is true that the State legislatures are required to stipulate that they will faithfully execute the trust in the manner prescribed by the bill.  But should they fail to do this, what would be the consequence?  The Federal Government has no power, and ought to have no power, to compel the execution of the trust.  It would be in as helpless a condition as if, even in this, the time of great need, we were to demand any portion of the many millions of surplus revenue deposited with the States for safekeeping under the act of 1836.

5.  This bill will injuriously interfere with existing colleges in the different States, in many of which agriculture is taught as a science and in all of which it ought to be so taught.  These institutions of learning have grown up with the growth of the country, under the fostering care of the States and the munificence of individuals, to meet the advancing demands for education.  They have proved great blessings to the people.  Many, indeed most, of them are poor and sustain themselves with difficulty.  What the effect will be on these institutions of creating an indefinite number of rival colleges sustained by the endowment of the Federal Government it is not difficult to determine.