UIHistories Project: A History of the University of Illinois by Kalev Leetaru
N A V I G A T I O N D I G I T A L L I B R A R Y
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Repository: UIHistories Project: Book - History of the University (Nevins) [PAGE 47]

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36

THE FOUNDING OP THE UNIVERSITY

Champaign County because of its infamous bargain with Chicago in the preceding session. Gen. Hurlbut represented Bloomington, while Lincoln, with one McGalliard for spokesman, was felt from the beginning to have little chance. The fact that Qov. Oglesby and Lieut.-Gov. Bross, both skillful politicians, men of wide interests, and of affable personality, early came out in Griggs's favor, greatly helped the latter. He was assisted even more by Robert G. Ingersoll, then Attorney General, and later famous as lecturer, orator, and agnostic*—a burly, brilliant man who liked Griggs's energy and intelligence. The other element in the contest was the material inducements held out by each aspirant, and the arguments each put forward on the ground of State policy. With the aid of his committee, Griggs blocked all action on the location till he was quite ready. Cook County, with Chicago, contained in 1865 less than 220,000 people, Sangamon County, with Springfield, less than 50,000, and the counties in which Jacksonville, Bloomington, Lincoln, and Urbana-Champaign lay from 18,000 to 39,000 each. But Chicago and Springfield failed to make any material offer, and the other four centers, with the population surrounding each, were about equal in financial ability. A bill had been passed early in the session allowing any community to make a bid, and giving it power to vote bonds and make any other financial arrangements necessary. The hope of many legislators was that the competing localities would raise the bids so high that at the start a sufficient endowment would be procured to make a minimum of State help necessary.1 The bids were brought forward in such

Under the Morrill Act, Illinois received scrip for 480,000 acres of land. % The Act made an inequitable distribution of benefits, New York, for example, being entitled to 090,000 acres, Kansas to but 90,000.

1