Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1857-08-25
For the Telegraph.
Do Good while yOu live.


Mn. EDITOR Some wealthy individ-
uals are extremely penurious in their char
ities during life, boarding up property for
their children, or for magnificent schemes
of benevoience after death. The history
Of these posthumous legacies is not very en-
couraging, and Providence does not stamp
its appreciation on that covetousness which
seeks to win the name and rewards of be-
nevolence. For, late official documents
from New Orleans show that the McDop-
ough estate, worth at his decease .f0e mil
lions Of clotta,S,~h has been reduced by lit
igation, charges, commissions, decay, and
'pillage, to about one half of its original
amount, within five years. NotwithStand-
ing John McDonough, of New Orleans,
left will calculated to benefit mankind,
yet not one dollar of charity has ever been
received from this estate, nor has one poor
child been educated, not one nergro sent
TO Liberia, nor the tears and sorrows of
one poor orphan child ever yet been as
suaged. His will has been attacked at
every vulneraJle point, and in every way
calculated to PROSTATE, thwart and prevent
its provisions from being executed and
the prospect is now that the remainder OF
his princeIy fortune will be swallowed up
by litigation, for three suits are now pend
ing against the estate, each involving Il
large amount and each carrying a new
burden of expense.
Now contrast this posthumous benefac-
tor with living philanthropists, who are es-
tablishing and endowing institutions with
large donations, and who are having the
happiness of seeing their workings while
they live. Here are some of earth's no
blemen. George Peabody, native of
DanVers, Massachusetts, now the London
Banker, gave last year to the city Of Bal
timore, the kingly sum of three hundred
Mousaad dollars, in one amount, towards
establishing public library and under
the same roof is to be public lecture
room, an academy of music, and gallery
of Paintings and statuary. Mr.. Peabody
also attributed, few years ago, the noble
sum of fifty thousand dollars towards aug
menting useful knowledge in his native
Danvers. Mr.. Peabody has made other
royal donations.
Nicholas Brown, a native Of Providence,
r. l., gave in that city during his life, the
priEcely sum Of two hundred and twelve
thousand dollars towards establishing and
endowing the Brown University, and 9TH
er public institutions there.
Mrs. Blandina Dudley, of Albany, N.
Y, gave recently the queenly amount of
seveo ty sir thousand, ire hundred dollars,
towards building the Dudley Obseryato-
ry," i'll that capital.
When Stephen A. Douglas was told that
Southern Illinois was Egypt, then said he,
"the Northern part of the State is Africa"
SO, Mr.. Douglas generously donated val
aable grounds in Chicago, upon which to
build university, and another intellectual
giant there, has given the princely amount
of one hundred thousand dollars towards
the same grand enterprise.
About twenty years ago, Captain God
frey, whose home had been upon the roll
Jag deep for many years, retired from the
ocean wave to a prairie farm in Illinois,
where he conceived and matured the grand
enterprise of establishing, at his sole ex-
pense, a female seminary of a supreme
character, which he put in successful oper
alton for ffty-three thousand dollars, and
then he decided the entire property, free
of any charge TO All efficient self-perpet-
uatng board OF trustees, forever. Since
Captain Godfrey established the Monticel-
10 Seminary in Illinois, there have been
Educated in it thirteen hundred young la
dies, and he still lives to enjoy the rich
fruits of his la5crs
Scores Of intellectual and literary giants
might be named, Lut circumscribed limits
forbid the narration of their magnificent
donations. Who will initiate their mag
nanimity by doing good with their money
while they live? Public benefactors, like
the above, cannot be too highly ext"lled.
The fountains Of knowledge established by
their liberali;y, will flow on, till their
streams girdle the globe and they will
send out scholars over The great ball, while
it continues to revOlye.
1t is an imperative duty on parents, and
others, to provide largely, educational ia
cili.ies fol children; as much so, as for
them To clothe their nakedBess. For ed
ucDtion is debt, which the present age
owes to future generations.
r. BISSELL.
MIDDLEPoRT, O., Aug. 18th, 1857.