Page:The formative period in Colby's history.djvu/21

Rh The report of that committee, filed with the petition, is as follows :

Here again we find the purpose of the petitioners stated in the words "to establish a College in the district of Maine," showing plainly how the matter was viewed at the time. Why further consideration was postponed to the winter session of the General Court, is a question the documents do not answer. The second endorsement upon the petition shows the action taken by the Senate at that later session:

This is the same committee to which it had been committed in the previous June, and that they were favorably disposed is shown by their report, which follows:

One significant change in phraseology is to be noted in this report. The word "college" is no longer used : in its place we find "Literary Seminary." That this change was made with a view to lessening opposition we may be allowed to assume in view of what came later. In accordance with the report of the commitee, a draft of the desired charter was submitted in this form: