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Caption: Book - History of the University (Powell)
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122 History University of Illinois "Resolved, That this convention hereby request the executive committees of our State Agricultural and Horticultural Societies to appoint a committee, whose duty it shall be—1st, to memorialize Congress to grant to each of the States of the Union such aid as was contemplated in the bill called the 'Morrill Bill,' which passed the House and Senate at a recent session; 2d, to memorialize and urge upon our State Legislature, to renew their petition to Congress, for the same substantial aid; 3d, to urge the establishment by the State Legislature of a school or department of agriculture, under the general direction of a board appointed conjointly by the same State Agricultural and Horticultural Societies for this purpose; 4th, to provide courses of lectures on agriculture and horticulture, similar to the course at the last session in Yale College, to be delivered at such times and places as they shall deem, most fit, and to take measures needful to secure these results." 6 Thus the Illinois men kept their hands to the plow.7 The news of their action was published widely in newspapers, in the agricultural press in Illinois and adjoining states. Experience had taught them the value of agitation. Turner was laying plans looking to the re-introduction of the land grant bill into congress. I t is related by one who had the best opportunities for knowing that before the campaign of 1860, Turner, talking with Mr. Lincoln at Decatur, told him that he would be nominated for president at the coming convention and afterward elected. " I f I am," replied Lincoln, " I will sign your bill for state universities." A little later, Stephen A. Douglas met Turner on a train as he was going to Peoria, and assured him: " I f I am elected I will sign your Mil." Thus Turner had assurances that whether the election went for the republicans or the Douglas democrats, the land grant bill if it again passed congress would not be vetoed. A s has been previously noted, Senator Douglas had sent for •Illinois State Agricultural Society, Transactions, 5:985. r 'In this convention a letter was read, written by some gentlemen in Urbana, who had not been able to be present, that that section would contribute for the purpose, a building erected at a cost of $100,000.'• Chicago Weekly Times, June 28, 1860. The building mentioned was the one actually given to the state in 1867 for the university.
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