Repository: UIHistories Project: Board of Trustees Minutes - 1871 [PAGE 355]

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your criticisms, and, if possible, your concurrence, and when we shall concur in a plan that shall suit us all, then your co-operation and assistance in securing the aid of your several members in Congress, to give us the means, as institutions, for this work that is imposed upon us. I should have been glad, if the time had permitted, but it has been better occupied, probably, to have detailed before the Convention the plan that has been devised. I only wished to night, before we separate, to express the conviction that I have come to, that the general interests of the nation, and of our States under the nation, demand military education in a more extended form, and equally complete type to that of West Point, through all the States, and it seems to me that by a very slight expenditure, comparatively, an expenditure of less than the cost of the annual maintenance of a single regiment of soldiers, that we may secure in every State of the Union an institution equal in its power as a place of instruction to "West Point, with great incidental advantages to the institutions concerned, sufficient to compensate them for whatever additional trouble may come to them. I say so much in explanation of it now, that I may get you interested in it, your curiosity at least provoked about it. Mr. Miles—I move that we now adjourn. Mr. Hamilton—There is one thing that I think we ought to attend to: that before the next meeting there should be some programme of business made out, so that gentlemen could understand some time beforehand what would probably be the order of business. Mr. Folwell—That matter is in charge of the committee, I suppose. Mr. Hamilton—Yes, sir. I merely call attention to the fact, so that it may not be forgotten. Mr. Plagg—There is one thing more that possibly the committee would like suggestions on, and that is in reference to the extent of time which will be occupied by another meeting. I don?t know but the committee will be willing to take the responsibility, but I think when we meet again—I will express my opinion, and would like to hear from others—that when we meet again, we ought to meet for a longer time. Mr. Parker—It appears to me, if we met one day at least, earlier in the week—many wish to get honre, that is, they have no place to stay over the Sabbath—and if we could meet Wednesday or Tuesday evening, it might bring almost any of us, perhaps, from our homes together at any place. Mr. Folwell—I think we should always quit before everybody is tired out. The Convention adjourned.