Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-07-19

Il SMITHSONIAN I.rGACY.--lt is known TO or
readers, that the Smithsonian Legacy, to tho
amount Of S5O0,OO0, has been received by the
| Government Of the United States. This
munlticcnt legacy wns bcqneathed TO the
United States, MS residuary legatce, by an
English gentleman, by the name Of Smithson
The claim OF the United States depends on
a contingency described by the testator, as
"ilcnry ltungertOrd, my nephew, formerly
called Henry James Dickinson, being dead,
without child, legitimate or illegtimatc."-
The bill m Chancery filed in the name OF the
Prcsiden! Of the United States. avcrred, that
this person died in Italy in 1925, witlr-,ut
child, legimatc or illegitimate. Our whole
claim depends on the truth Of this allegation.
1 MIR. Richard Rush was the agent Of tho
Il United States in England for the prosecution
of this claim. A writer in the Philadelphia
| National Gazette, under tho signature OF
/ "Vindex," undertakes to show, that Mr.. Rush
did not take sufficient pains to discover
whether IlungeriorJ left any child. II ap.
| pears that Iiungcrford was the son Of Smith
sons brother, and by tho terms Of the will, il
seems that he had been formerly called
\ Henry James Dickinson. According to o
II letter Of Mr.. Rush to the Secretary of States,
it also appears that Mr.. IIungerforj's mother
was Mrs. Coates, who subsequently mar
ricd Frcnchlnan by the name of DE la Batai,
and that one time, lIungcrford lived with her,
and assumed the pamc Of DE la Baiai.
Thus it is manifest, that this person, in.
course of his life, had assumed three different
names at different times.
H MIR. Rush was ordered by the English
Court, TO advertise, for the purpose of ascer
tanning whether there was any issue of this
person living. But in advertising, he de
scribed him only by the name of Hungorford;
whereas, according to the writer in the Phi
| ladelphia Gazette, he should have referred
TO him, as having also borne the other names
mentioned. MIR. Rush assigns as a reason
Tor not being more particular, the danger Of
having fraudulent claimants from England,
France or Italy, to contend with. How far
such a possibility would furnish an excuse
for not making the most full statements, IN
4 the advertisements, is an interesting question.
/ Among honest men, there can be bat one
answer. II there were living any issue of
Il llungerford al the time he bore the name of
/ IIuhgcrford, Dickinson, or De Ia Batat, the
legacy unqucstionably belongs to them, and
to their heirs. To the exclusion of the United
States. Common honesty should have
prompted Mr.. Rush to use all diligence TO
una tnCn OllI, even at tnc naZuTu OF naSiUn
fraudulent claimants TO contend with. We
have been induced to give statement Of this
singular case, because il will probably be
subject OF much discussion hereafter.
Il Al the case now stands, the English Conr,
of Chanccry has decrccd the legacy to the
| United States. and it has bocn paid over. 1t
is therefore forccloscd, in point Of law. Me-
vcrlhcIcss, it may yet happen, that some
child Of llungcriord will present himself, as
claimant. II so, and the case can be salts
fac,ory made out, our Government can NOT
in honor withhold justice to the party. The
New York Commercial Advertiser already
cxclams to the nation, "hands of" aud is
unwilling that our Government should dis
honor itself with dollar OF this money, until
every effort is made TO find out whether there
be any other claimant. In this sentiment we
presume, that vast majority of our people
would concur.-t Boston CON- Ca-.
II -----------------
II ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN.-John Slidcll is
the Van Buren, candidate for Congress in the
first district Of Louisiana. The Lafayette
Gazette snys:-
Il AS Mr.. Slidcll has had his name translated
into the German language, for the purpose
of obtaining votes, and AZ most Of the modern
Il. -