Committees"
was finally reached and when the weary crowds heard that glad
announcement issue from the Speaker's lips they ceased to fret at the
dragging delay, and plucked up spirit. The Chairman of the Committee on
Benevolent Appropriations rose and made his report, and just then a
blue-uniformed brass-mounted little page put a note into his hand.

It was from Senator Dilworthy, who had appeared upon the floor of the
House for a moment and flitted away again:

"Everybody expects a grand assault in force; no doubt you believe,
as I certainly do, that it is the thing to do; we are strong, and
everything is hot for the contest. Trollop's espousal of our cause
has immensely helped us and we grow in power constantly. Ten of the
opposition were called away from town about noon,(but--so it is
said--only for one day). Six others are sick, but expect to be
about again tomorrow or next day, a friend tells me. A bold
onslaught is worth trying. Go for a suspension of the rules! You
will find we can swing a two-thirds vote--I am perfectly satisfied
of it. The Lord's truth will prevail.
"DILWORTHY."

Mr. Buckstone had reported the bills from his committee, one by one,
leaving the bill to the last. When the House had voted upon the
acceptance or rejection of the report upon all but it, and the question
now being upon its disposal--Mr. Buckstone begged that the House would
give its attention to a few remarks which he desired to make. His
committee had instructed him to report the bill favorably; he wished to
explain the nature of the measure, and thus justify the committee's
action; the hostility roused by the press would then disappear, and the
bill would shine forth in its true and noble character. He said that its
provisions were simple. It incorporated the Knobs Industrial University,
locating it in East Tennessee, declaring it open to all persons without
distinction of sex, color or religion, and committing its management to a
board of perpetual trustees, with power to fill vacancies in their own
number. It provided for the erection of certain buildings for the
University, dormitories, lecture-halls, museums, libraries, laboratories,
work-shops, furnaces, and mills. It provided also for the purchase of
sixty-five thousand acres of land, (fully described) for the purposes of
the University, in the Knobs of East Tenne