2. When, just previous to the outbreak of the Revolutionary war, the founders of the "Queen's Museum," at Charlotte, a school so named in honor of the queen of England, asked incorporation of the Colonial General Assembly, it was not granted, for the reason that this institution was Presbyterian, both as to trustees and faculty. Up to that period dissenting ministers had not been allowed any legal recognition, and it was considered a great concession that the Presbyterian clergy were allowed to officiate at marriages. 3. During the Revolution (in 1777) the useful seminary at Charlotte was first legally chartered as "Liberty Hall." It was in no way sustained by or connected with the State, but was to the Presbytery of Orange what Davidson College is now to the, Synod of North Carolina, and was sustained solely by the contributions and patronage of private citizens. Indeed, this had been the case all along with the chartered schools of New Bern and Edenton. 4. In 1776, when the convention at Halifax framed the first Constitution for the State, among the leading ordinances of that instrument was that for the State's active aid to the education of the people. With this clause in the Constitution which they all swore to uphold, the legislators had done nothing so far, except to provide, in 1790, for the establishment of the University at Chapel Hill. * *Section 41 of the Halifax Constitution declared "that a school or schools shall be established by the Legislature for the convenient instruction of youth, with such salaries to the masters, paid by the public, as may enable them to instruct at low prices. All useful learning shall be duly encouraged and promoted in one or more universities." 5. This disregard of their organic law, on the part of those constituting the State government, was deeply regretted by many wise and good men. But only a few dared to encounter the opposition to taxation for popular education. Governors Johnston and Davie in former days, and Judge Murphy and Bartlett Yancey of later times, had been strenuous for a larger compliance with the terms of the State Constitution, but the members of the several Legislatures, fearful of incurring popular displeasure, or for other reasons, had held back. 6. General Jackson and the Democratic party had opposed the distribution of the proceeds from the sale of national public lands as a fixed rule in the policy of the government, but in his last administration many millions of dollars had accumulated in the Federal treasury, for which the general government had no immediate use. In 1837 this fund was divided out to all the States except Virginia (that Commonwealth refusing her share). North Carolina's proportion amounted to one and a half million dollars.