The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-01-08
The Recent Extraordinary Wills-Bargains
with Providence.


The Recent Extraordinary Wills-Bargains
with Providence.
II was common thing during the Middle
Ages for men, when in their last moments, to be-
queath vast sums of money to ecclesiastical and
charitable institutions, chiefly under the intiu-
encc Of the clergy, as peace-0ffering to Heaven,
and with the expectation Of receiving postum
nous aid and favor from the church. To such
an extent was this custom carried that the church
at length absorbed nearly half the wealth of Eu-
rope. But times have changed, and men. with
the influences, passions and weaknesses that con-
troll them, have changed with them. In our day
il has become the fashion with some old men.
who have led lives of very questionable morali-
ty, who have acquired immense riches by the
most equiyocsl means-perhaps by robbing the
poor and cheating the widow and the orphan-or
whose youth had been spent in debauchery and
vice OF every kind, to make large requests, not
to abbeys and monasteries. but to rich tract
and missionary societies, colleges and so forth
mostly, too, as Of old, under the influence of
priests and parsons-in the hope Of purchasing
themselves out of the hands Of Satan, and bribing
Providence to open the gate which the wicked
ness Of their lives has sealed against them. Some
there were who have done these things out Of fool
ish vanity, and some through malice which they
bore their heirs. But, doubtless, there were
many also whose wealth was hOnorably acquired,
and leaving NO kindred behind them, or their
families being very rich and desiring no increase
to their wealth, have left muni6cent legacies to
charitable institutions with the purest motives
and in truly pious spirit
We have had many instances Of all these in this
country. There was the case OF Stephen Girard
in Philadelphia, who left fortune of some thir-
teen millions Of dollars to found the college
which now bears his name, aud stands in its cold
and uninyiting grandeur in the suburbs of the
Quaker City. Subsequently Mr.. MeDonough
bequeathed to certain institutions in New
Orleans and Baltimore his whole fortune
cutting off all his kindred but we believe
the nearest Of kin disputed the will, and
it has been in litigation for 50 many years
that the money must be nearly swallowed up by
the lawyers. More recently we were astonished
and Disguised at the unnatural aud malignant
spirit eyinced in the viii Of the millionaire
Thorndike of Boston, which was drawn with
most wicked cunning. so as to deprive his daugl-
terwhose matrimonial connection dispcased
him-of any participation in his immense wealth
But the child upon whom be sought to exercise
mean revenge even after death now disputes
the legality of the instrument, and it will 90 into
the courts, where q large portion of the estate
viii undoubtedly be dissipated in law expenses.
Within a few days the will of another million
are, Mr.. Ellsworth of Hartford, has been admit
ted to proof in that city, whereby the large sum
of 100000 is bequeathcd to Yale College. while
to his son he leaves $25 900; to bis daughter the
same sum; to the heirs Of another son, S25 900:
and the miserable pttancc of fifteen hundred
dollars annually to his wife. His whole estate
is valued at $500 900, out of which one-eighth
only is bequeathed to his family, who have doubt.
less been brough, up in luxury and with large
expec iations, and the rest to an institution al
ready rich far beyond lis wants. The injustice
of this disposition Of his wealth is too manifest
to require further comment.
The fact is that none of these old colleges
neither Yale nor Harvard. nor the rest.
either require OR should receive requests. They
are already nothing but rich corporations; they
charge high prices for the education of pupils;
and If they cannot maintain themselves by their
legitimate income they should shut up their
doors. In this city we educate fifty thousand
children in our common schools with the money
of our citizens raised by taxes, 10 the amount Of
million and quarter annually, and we pay
large sum to the State besides, to educate children
in the country districts. The common schools
get no large legacies: they can get on without
them. Besides the golden plums, in the shape Of
requests. which fall to the lot of these public in
situations, in reality do not advance their useful
ness they do not increase the educational
influence OF the colleges, nor convert
more heathens through the fundamentally of
tract and missionary societies. They merely
swell the plethoric Golfers Of fat corporations:
the money is squandered here and there among
directors. managers, parsons and colportcurs.
No one knows what becomes of it; for generally. |
their operations are conducted with closed doors
and meagre account OF their proceedings, in |
the shape Off report now and then, got up to !
suit the managers, is all the information the |
public are ever favored with. The proprety of
colleges aud other institutions accepting lega.
eies such a. this Of Mr.. Ellsworth's, when they |
know that by 80 doing they are participating in !
an act Of gross Injustice to the families of the
tesiators. is very questionable Yet not only do |
they accept them. but they grasp at them with |
mn indecent rapacity, aud are ready to go to law
about them and defend their rights to the last, |
the moment the heirs put in any claim in behalf |
Of what they deem their Just title to The pro-
perty.
But the moral Of all this Is that these foolish !
old men, who are 80 exercised about their salyo-
ton when about 20 depart to another world, or
20 vain a. 10 aspire to Immortality for their