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Strafford, Vt. Oct. 4, 1875
Prst. M. H. Buckham,
Burlington, Vt.
My dear Sir: By this time I presume
the Bust of Charles Sumner, by Preston
Powers, son of the late Hiram Powers, will
have reached you for your Art Gallery.
Although this seems to be a very fair bit
of work, certainly a very correct represen-
tation of Senator Sumner--as he took
a cast of his face after death--it is due
to him to say that he was not satisfied,
and tried his hand again, as he thinks,
with more success, but he kindly pre-

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sented this copy to me.
Now it may be that you only pro-
pose to fill your gallery with works
of the highest and rarest merit--
that should of course be your aim--
but Mr. Phelps to whom I explained
this matter--advised me that the
bust of Sumner would be very
acceptable, therefore I had it painted
in Boston, the pedestal repaired,
and sent to you by Express. It will
cost you nothing and, when you
get filled up with anything of a
higher character in works of art, you
can crowd this out.
The Northfield business wears a

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better aspect than I expected. A temporary
arrangement as to a School there would
not be so very bad, but as a permanent
thing it might be very embarrassing.
Keeping two professors there for a time
would be better than
to
have them fixed upon
us at Burlington, though, if they had
anything exceptionally good, we might
crowd a little. All about degrees is
well enough. We could not however
alter facts as to degrees already con-
ferred, but we might promise to include
the old Norwich Alumni in a sep-
arte chapter of our catalogues and
this I should suppose would suit
them better.

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These suggestions you have for what
they are worth and whether they
hit the case or not.
Hoskins means mischief. So
far as I am concerned it may
be of little account. He and his
co-adjutors will, if strong enough
make a raid upon the College.
If the Farmers or the State had
ever made us a gift large enough
to cover a farm, it might be
different. But they have not.
Very truly yours
Justin S. Morrill