Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1844-11-11
Az .lPpE.aL
TO TuE
LEGISLATURE OF VIRGINIA,
By The friends Of Literary, Benesoleni, and Rehrio


There are Two facts IN regard 10 beqnests known I,
soine persons IN this State aud should be known To all
the one Is. that persons OF wealth aud benevoence often
eequea'h PORTIONS OF Their property tn Literary, Brneyo
ienl and Religious Socleesihe other is. that thcte is
no law 10y which any tninc0Fporacd Institution Soc
ely can receive and hold such heauosts
Tho evils resulting Iroia such state of things arc
many and grovous.
! II is Tho cause of many. who are able and willing 10
consceaie some portions OF their property for the best aud
most deserving Interests IN land, withholding that
aid witch Is needed and would 90 of essential benefit
were 1t bestowed. Aud who would throw away his tn.
ney wien the objects Of charity could not receive his
guns Tor the wanl of law to enable them 10 do sol
Many, who have eilher not known there was no law
auhorsng unincerpraled societies Of receive and
hold bequess who. nj the time of making their WILL
might not have reelected IL, have devised large OF
money 10 various useful institutions aud those sums have
either remained In The hands of the executors Of those
wills, or have been demanded by others Some have re-
aned the devised property because there was no one IL
gay authorized Ia receive IT. aud others have give reas
10 justify the belief that they have made what was hs
neyoeny Intended Tor others, offering TO their ava
rice The honest and good do MT to be placed IN
such siluaun the dishonest ought TO bo. Il not
thai an undesirable state Of things which the bcnovo
lieut. and needy are both doharod from their right the
want OF law to project them, while oupldy Is paid iu
the ifaudl
The Legislature Of our State have il in their power
aud they only have II IN their power 10 prevent the
wis alluded 10, aud that body we make our appeal
and wa make II with the firm hope thai it will meet a
response which p!f right demands and which their power
can grant
We respectfully ask the LEGISLATURE to pass law 10
enable scientific, moral aud religious bJdies to receive
aud hold property hequcathe1 10 them.
Tins we ask, because it Is jaS-tst for those who
shall make lius for those for whose benefit ia asked
II 1t be just II DO right, that individuals should dis
pose OF their owl pfopery they please bequoathng
10 objects the most deserving; and II II be- right for bodies
OF honest men, whose object Is spread tho gh, of
science and The purest principles Of morals and religion
to be aided IN their worthy enterprises then is just Tor
those who make laws 10 onabo the wealthy and be-
nevoent 10 give and others receive their charities
Oar honorable Legislature appropriate funds for the
support Of nstutons of learning, and all approve Of the
expenditure; bu if an individual bequoah his wealth for
the same object, il cannot be received unless the object OF
his charity be incorporated institution Is IL right Cor
the only law-makme body in the Commonwealth To
withhold law that will enable donors and
promote the objects for which the Legislature
makes appropriations from the public treasury
Such a@ as we request the Legislature TO give US
needed
Most of our institutions of learning are In debt. and
need all the aid they receive. BY far tho largest a
mount Of funds beqnuahed Ia Socieles, 1t is believed
designed for institutions ofeanng and yei that needed
aid cannet be received, because there law ena
bic them 10 demand it, mol even hold IT, II paid
them.
Heavy losses have been sustained by various useful
and necessary Sucetes, for the Of the law
request the honorable Legislature to give US.
Scarcely year has passed for the last halt century,
in which some valuable institution has not failed 10
coive money hequeaihod 10 i, by some liberal DONOR
Most II not all religious denominations have shared in
these losses. few % recent may bo
named.
A worthy gentleman in the Northern Neck of Virgi-
MIA left $1,000 10 the Baptist Education Society Of the
State, aud the money was lost, because could not e
gally claim II. gentleman Norfolk boquealhod
81 UO0 10 the same Society, the amount to the Bible
Society, besides other egacles the unincorporated
Societies to which these requests have been made should
receive any portion that has been bequeathed 10 hem, il
will be by private agreement with the lagstees of tho
estate of the donor.iopa is entertained that haf
may be obtained but of this there s certainty. BY
another gentleman, about $4,000 recently bequealh
ed the Baptist Education Bible aud Missionary cause
but none OF 1t is yet received.
sum Of money recently left by friend Of the
Baptist State Missionary Society, Which ii can
not claim, it Is not incorporated body, and il is
lost
The Episcopal Church has sustained heavy losses,
because II could moi legally claim what ven or be-
quealled to certain OF its Benevolent Societies, by
Of its best friends and liberal donors The Rev
Bishop Meade in behafo the Episcopal Church, states
it subject Of just complaint, thal during the las,
fifteen years. various egaces have been lett some
Of the inst tuons OF that Church, amounting less
than thousand dollars he believes, which have been
entirely lost TO them. through the cupdIty Of relatives
and the defect OF law.'
The Methodist denomination has shared in the general
evil Of which complain, mos painful e1tent.--
One case out VI many that might be named must suf
fee.
very benevolen, individual bcqueaihed. recently
about 81 900 10 the Methodist Episcopal Church, 10
aid their Missionary cause, and all OF this. for the
Of law 10 enable them to receive aud apply ii, has
been lost
Recently, member Of Presbyterian Church be-
quealhed about 100000 to pous and benevolent enter
prise in that denomination and yet, is authorised
receive the munifcence Of of its most liberal
friends.
Are any other Societies placed under the disab-
i,ies2 We know Of none. Why should we be aban-
doned 10 misfortune because wish to 60 gooi2
The law we respectfully request the Legislature TO
give US, is safe for the whole population
We do not ask that one denomination of Christians
should receive protection and aid which are denied TO 9th
ors. We do not ask 10 have religion Incorporated by
law, thai shall be compelled support ii. We
ask, Tor all denominations, law to enable bodies formed
for the support Of learning, morals and religion. 10
ceive and hold property gwen to them. What danger
can arise from such law? Nome ii is presumed Can
there be danger in those holding property who labor
ing TO do that which every acknOwedIe res to be hene
cia' There are probably not less than 10000 proes
of religion in this State, divided among the denoml
nations, tina. are equally employed in sustaining the
valuable institutions Ia the State. BY whom
the Colleges of William s. Mary Washington, Ilamp
den Sidney, Randolph Macon, Emory & Henry, Rec
tor, Richmond and Bethany, reared and now sustained
Would II be unsafe to permit such men to receive ant
hold the many legaeies given 10 them for sustaining TIN
institutions which they laboring To advanced Thu
men who are spending thousands Of dollars TO circulate
the Bible, TO evangeze and other lands, to sus
tain Sabbath Schools and every other useful institution