A Bill for
An act to incorporate the Canton College of Illinois.

Section 1. Be it enacted by the people of the state of Illinois represented in ^the^ General Assembly, ThatJoel Wright[,] Isaiah Stillman[,] Thomas D. Lord, Samuel G. Wright[,] Lathrop W. Curtis[,] Nathan Jones[,] Peter Westerfield, Joseph Cone[,] James P. Stewart, ^&^ N G. Berryman & [...?] be and hereby created a body corporate, to be styled and known by the name of the Trustees of the Canton College of Illinois, and by that nam[e] remain, and have perpetual succession, with full power to accquire, hold[,] and transfer property real and personal, make contracts, sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, and in their corporate capacity to make, have[,] and use a common seal, and the same to break alter or destroy [?] pleasure.

Sec.[Section] 2 The number of said Trustees shall not exceed twenty five, seven of whom shall reside in the County of Fulton.

The President, or presiding Officer of the College shall

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ex-officio, be a member of the board of Trustees, no other Instructor shall be a member.

Sec. 3. The powers hereby given said Trustees shall not be used, or construed to extend to the contracting for, or acquiring of any property real[,] personal[,] or mixed, that shall not be necessary and proper for the purposes of an Institution of learning, and the whole property of said Corporation shall be applied solely to that end. Said Trustees shall faithfully apply funds by them owned or h[ere]after owned according to their best judgement in erecting buildings, in supporting the necessary officers and agents of the College, in procuring books, maps, charts, globes, chemical, philosophical[,] and other apparatuses required to promote sound learning. They shall prescribe and regulate the course of studies to be pursued in said Institution and in its preparatory department, fix the rate of tuition and regulate all Colleg expenses, appoint such Officers and Agents as in their judgement may be requisite to conduct

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said College, define their duties and powers and fix their compensations, remove any or all of them when the interest of the College may justly demand it, establish a system of manual labour, make rules for the regulation of the students, and bye laws for the general management of the College, provided nothing therein contained shall be in opposition to the ^cons constitution or^ laws of this State, or inconsistant with the constitution and laws of the United States.

Sec. 4. As the ability of the said Corporation shall increase, and they deem proper, they shall have authority to establish Departments for the study of any or all of the liberal professions, ^ provided however that nothing herein contained shall authorize the establishment of a theologickal Department[...?] College^ and said Trustees shall have power to institute and confer the Degrees of Doctor in Science, and in the learned Arts and Belles lettres and to confer such academical and honourary Degrees as [are] usually conferred by similar Institutions.

Sec. 5. Said [Tru]stees shall have authority to institute a Board of competent persons, always including the Colleg Faculty, who shall have power to examine such individuals as may apply, and if such applicants are found worthy, or are found to possess learning equal to what is required of the regular graduates, then the said applicant shall be considered honorary graduates, and shall be entitled to a Diploma accordingly on paying the sum required by the Trustees. Said examining Boar[d] shall not exceed seven in number, three shall be allowed to transact business, provided two are of the College Faculty.

Sec. 6. Any donations, devise[,] or bequest made for specific purposes accordant with the objects of the College, if the Trustees shall accept the same, shall be applied in conformity, with the express condition of the donor or divisor. The lands, tenements[,] and hereditaments to be held perpetually in virtue of this Act by said Corporation, shall not exceed one thousand acres, provided however, that if donations, grants[,] or devises in land shall from time

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to time be made to said corporation over and above one thousand acres which may be held in perpetuity as aforesaid; the same may be recieved and held by said Corporation for the term of seven years from the date of every such donation, grant[,] or devise, at the end of which time, if the said lands over and above the aforesaid one thousand acres, shall not have been sold by said Corporation, then in that case, said lands so donated, granted[,] or divised shall revert to the donor, grantor[,] or the heirs of the divisor of the same. ^as the case may be^

Sec. 7. The Treasurer of said College and all other Agents to whom funds are committed, when required by the Trustees, shall give bonds for the security of the Corporation in such penal sum, and with such securities, and at such time, as the Board shall approve; and all process against said corporation shall be by summons, and service of the same shall be by leaving an attested copy with the Treasurer of the College at least thirty days before the return day thereof.

Sec 8. Said Institution shall at all times be conducted upon free, liberal[,] and enlightened principles, and no student shall be excluded or prohibited from entering in consequence of his or his parents or guardians religious opinions; but all students whose habits are idle [of whose] morals are vicious and bad may be suspended or expelled at the discretion of the Trustees.

Sec. 9. The Trustees shall have power to supply any vacancies which may accrue ^occur^ in their body, and remove any member from the same for dishonorable or criminal conduct, provided the member thus implicated shall have opportunity to defend himself before the Board & two thirds of the whole number of the Trustees concur in the removal.

Sec. 10 Said College for the present shall be located at or near Canton in the County of Fulton. The Trustees shall hold at least one meeting for business annually. The by laws shall regulate the time and manner of electing the Officers, Professors[,]

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or agents of the Board and Faculty. The above and afore named Trustees shall have power to call the first meeting of the Trustees. Special meetings may at any time ^be^ held by the order of the President or principal of the College and Board of Trustees. Seven shall form a quorum to do business, or five in case the President or Principal of the College or President of the Board be one.

Sec^t[Section] 11 This act shall be a Public act & shall be construed liberally in all courts for the pu[r]poses herein before expressed