The Hampden Patriot February 25, 1824 issue which includes an article titled "Mr. Willard's Speech" in a "Miscellany" section. The article provides a description of the January 27, 1823 speech of Mr. Willard of Springfield given in the Massachusetts House of Representatives on the question of concurring with the Massachusetts Senate report on the petition requesting charter be granted to the Amherst Collegiate Institution. Willard argues in opposition of granting charter and references Williams College and Harvard several times during his speech. The identity of Mr. Willard could not be determined. Another article titled "Amherst College Question" and dated February 11, 1824 lists "the yays and nays on the acceptance in the House of the report of the committee non-concurring with the Senate in the grant of a College charter to the Amherst Institution."
Amherst College was conceived out of the previously existing Amherst Academy and was founded in 1821 as the Collegiate Institution. From 1821-1825 the College was known primarily as the Collegiate Institution or the Amherst Institution. In 1825 the institution was granted charter by the Massachusetts State Legislature and was thereafter known as Amherst College.