The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-03-03
THE LATE McDoNouGH.

THE LATE McDoNOuGH.
The celebrated McDonough will case has
a last come to q conclusion. The Supreme
Court of the United States, the highest appel
late tribunal in the land. have rendered
decision sustaining the will of McDcnougn
throughout. giving to the cities of Baltimore
and New Orleans their claims under the the
same.
There were some millions of dollars, five
millions we believe, involved in this decision.
II was the steady accumulation of long years
of patient industry, perseverance and fruga-
lity. The creation of such vast amount
of wealth by the energy and economy of one
man is amazing 1t arouses our admiration
of the greatness of the human win. and our
respect for the individual who, by his cour-
age and endurance, has forced his way from
the deep caverns of poverty, and built up,
amid the fuctuating waves of fortune, such a
solid and glitteriug fabric of wealth and pros
perity Nothing is wanting to the pleasure
with which we contemplate such charac.
ter, but the assurance that his immense en-
terprise was not prompted exclusively by sci.
fish desire of gain, but that its motive was
benevolent and disinterested love of his race.
And such an assurance seems to be furnished
in the last VIII and testament of Mr.. McDo.
nough, who therein devotes the whole of his
vast fortune to the moral, spiritual and ply
steal benefit of his fellow-creatures. 1t is
cfof cd hot =.
view, he had denied himself through life liv-
ing on coarse fare, and wearing plain cloth
ing, for the purpose of being the better ena-
bled to aid and make happy his fellow-men.
But when we come to examine more close
Iy the history of this benevolent and disinte-
rested McDono'ugh, we are tempted to sus-
pect that, after all, he was less of an angel
than we might at first blush conceive. There
may have been considerable of 'the earth,
earthly" in this man of gold, McDonough-
There are uncharitable souls who insinuate
that the sefdenial of this holy person was
the most niggardly penuriousness, and that
his magnificent bequest was an attempt to
bride Heaven with that wealth, not one cent
of which did he give to Heaven or earth
while he could keep it himself. They say
that he went in PLAIN clothing, not from hui
mility, but from reluctance to part with his
dimes; that he collected his negroes together
On Sunday, and gave them excellent exhor-
tations, but that there was no day in the
week in which he gave them plenty of corn;
that he eschewed the pomps and vanities of
the world but that he was not much given to
hospitality, insomgch that whenever his poor
relations called upon him, he approximately
requested them not to repeat their visit.
We would say no evil of the dead, but the
truth of history requires it to be stated that
the excellent and philanthropic McDonough
had some near relations, some of them gen.
tie and lovely women, struggling with ad-
verse fortune, and stepped in poverty to the
very lips, while their kinsman was wallowing
in untold heaps of gold. This benevolent
gentleman was informed of their situation,
and appealed to in their behalf; but his bow
els OF mercy, if such he possessed, never re.
Taxed in the least, and through his long and
valuable life he never permitted one beam of
his effulgent philanthropy to fall upon their
darkened hearths. There was a sick man.
whose history is recorded in a book which
the pious McDonough professed to regard
with great Affection at whosegate lay poor
sufferer, towards whom even the dogs exhi.
bited more compassion than their MASTER
We suppose that Lazarus was not of kin to
Dives. If he had been, case would have
been presented almost as strong as some
which appealed in vain to the millionaire of
New. Orleans. Nor is it stated whether the
Jewish nabob bequeathed his vast posses
sions for the benefit Of the poor children of
Jerusalem and Jericho; but if he did, it does
not appear that it secured him a place in
Abraham's bosom.
The same book to which we have referred
declares that he who provides not for his own
household is worse than an infdel. Judged
by this standard and the late McDonough is
exhibited In no enviable light. He refused to
aid his poor relations in life he left them not
one dollar in death. What is the yalue of
such philanthropy? While we rejoice that
MS vast treasures will be made productive of
general good, we deny that he is entitled n
the credit OF public benefactor or even n
the name OF good man. To secure that title
he ought to have made at least moderate
provision for his own blood, and exhibited
either in life or death some ofthe instincts o,
humanity.
THE TIDEWATER CONNECTION
The bill loaning the James River and X q.