Papers of the American Historical Association (Volume 1, Nos. 1-6) (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1886. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... ship for a seminary in lieu of the one mentioned in the contract with Symmes, which, for some reason, had never been set apart.1 When this decision was made known to Congress, the committee appointed to consider the demands, ignoring all questions of indemnity and contracts, took its stand on the broad principle that the reservation of one thirty-sixth of the lands for the use of schools, as established by the ordinance of 1785, was equally liberal and wise; that to this principle it was " a sound policy to adhere and to extend it wherever practicable." * The views of Congress agreed with those of the committee, and the desired appropriations were made from public lands in the State.' In the discussion of this measure the right to appropriate lands for educational purposes in the States was called in question for the first time in Congressional debates. Those who denied the right called attention to the fact that, by the terms of the Virginia cession, the public domain must be disposed of for the common benefit of the States. They asserted that to donate to one State a portion of the lands was to benefit the people in one part of the country at the ex 1 State Papers, I Miscellaneous, 343. 21 Ohio Laws, 44. * The following is from the report of the committee: "The ordinance passed by Congress on the 20th day of May, 1785, established the principle of reserving one thirty-sixth part of the lands sold for the use of schools. To this principle, equally liberal and wise, your committee believe it a sound policy to adhere and to extend it wherever practicable. They are aware of the objection that the right of soil in the tract of country commonly called the Connecticut Reserve, having been ceded by Congress without any valuable consideration, and no reservation having...