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Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
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IUinois Plan Before Congress 97 with Turner for the following letter in Turner's correspondence shows that Morrill during the time his bills were before congress knew of Turner and of his work: "House of Representatives Washington, D. C. December 30, 1861 Dear Sir: I am delighted to find your fire, by the letter of the 15th inst. had not all burned out, I presume I recognize Prof. Turner, an old pioneer in the cause of agricultural education. I have only to say that amid the fire and smoke and embers, I have faith that I shall get my bill into law at this session. I thank you for your continued interest, and am Very sincerely yours JUSTIN S. MORRILL. J. B. Turner, Esq., Jacksonville, 111." To explain the above situation one need not believe Mr. Morrill insincere but it must be concluded that his memory, after the lapse of many years, was unreliable. Amid the "fire and smoke and embers" of civil war, of reconstruction, and other exciting and distressing events his mind had lost beyond recall the circumstances or even the leading individuals connected with a movement with which he had, in fact, but little to do outside the halls of congress. The land grant bill was introduced in the house of representatives on December 14, 1857, by Justin S. Morrill of Vermont and after some discussion referred, on December 16, to the committee on public lands. 10 It remained in the hands of the committee for several months. Meantime the news of this bill in the interests of the industrial classes went out across the entire country. Senator Lyman Trumbull immediately sent a copy of the bill to Turner which the latter acknowledged as follows: " I thank you much ^Congressional Globe, 35 congress, 1 session, 82, 36-37*
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