Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1870-07-06

l tanned anywhere Csc lpf ~ presents lhtlt
last wills. It tells us what was the dominant
thought and purpose Of their lives It opens
their latent weaknesses, foibles and faults, or
their special nobility aud excellence When
it comes to this supreme act Of liie- making
final disposition Of their property then the
regnaut ideas, upon which the life has been
founded, come out into public notice. We
are often surprised at the last wills and tcsta-
meuts Of men but should not be surprised
at all if we had known their secret history
and the secret influences which have worked
upon them. Sometimes the dominant scnti.
meut ofthe soul is jealousy Of relatives and
friends, suspic ons Of motives, and the will
usually shows how the passion has warped
the Judgment Sometime. it is layoritism,
and then some one or more selected indiyid-
uals reap the harvest Of a large estate to
which they would have had no such excessive
legal claim Sometimes tits hatred and then
some legal heir is disappointed aud ombiuered
by the marked discrimination against him.
Sometimes it is pique or prejudice and then
equal heirs at law, children or others entitled
to the same consideration, are uuoqually and
uniusuy dealt with, and family differences are
genderod which are not quicted in the course
of many generations Sometimes revenge
holds the hand Of the tostator and leads him
to make determinations and to strike hard
blows long after he is dead Thus fathers have
dealt uncqualy with their children, and made
provision to render the animosities or the fay
oritisms or the reyenges Of life perpetual. The
subtle influences that work in the human
mind are almost infinite, aud yet few men ever
sit down sobcrly to prescribe the final dispo.
siton Of their substance, but they will show
by what motives or weaknesses they have beer
governed At times the wisdom Of heirs ha,
obyiated the wrong Of tcstators, or the courts
have set aside obviously prejudiced and un'
fair wills but for the most part will al
carried out remains the best possible index
aud monument Of its maker No tombstone
or obituary tells ihe character Of man Xix,
the record Of the Probate office. Nothing
shows so well whether his life was ruled by
simple wisdom and justice, or was subordinat,
to passion or indrmity.
No sou was ever yet cut off with a shil
ling" for his offences, without at the sam,
time the father was cut off from the respec
and honor of men He was willing to per
petuato his anger beyond the grave and g,
up to his Judge with his heart full Of wratl
and passion, with an uniorgiyiug spirit Their,
are some wills that have public honor which
are utterly detestable, as when father leave
his dependent children comparatively pcnni
less, that he may enrich public institution
Or as when philanthropy outruns domestic
and family love, or as whore the poor are for
gotten aud the rich are lavishly remembered
All wills that contrayene justice equal auC
exact, or forget and dshonor mercy, leav
their impress on the character and reputation
Of the testator 1t is better thousand time,
to make no will, than to make a will that
shall have the slightest faint Of uniairness Ii
most cases the law, simple, equal, and just
makes the best possible disposition Of prop
erty. There are cases, it is true, when il
does not, but these are rare. They exis
only when there are no heirs-at-law, or neal
family connections, or when the estate is S,
large, or the disposition of the testator is s.
liberal, or the circumstances so peculiar, a
to require legacics to be made which the Law
would not effect But we have noticed tina
they who have the most honor for their las
wills are those who, after few charitable o
necessary requests, leave their estate to tn
channel through which it would have legal
flowed. We think, generally, the necessit
and advantage of making will is greatly
ovcr-estmated. Very few people have a
much wisdom as the law, which is the crys
Utilization Of the wisdom and Justice of cen
turtles. Some of the wealthest aud wises
men we have known have left their large es
tates to be legally settled and have purposel,
died intestate, believing, that with all it
drawbacks, the law made the larest, the Just
est and the most honorable divisions of thei
estates. In such ease some may be unrea
sonably disappointed, but none have been I'M
justly treated. No subsequent dllcultie
have arisen and family leuds have not bee
famed into life
So far as charitable requests are concerne
we do most decidedly believe that man ha
far better be the executor Of his own will, an
like Mr. Peabody, make his legaeies befor
he dies. lie will then see something of tn
fruits Of his benefcence and be able to direc
his gifts to their end, aud enjoy the gratitud
Of those whom his benefits have blessed
Some mems deeds 80 before them to max
them welcome to heaven. Such are the mel
who are constantly investing their spar
funds while they live, in benevolent and use
ful public enterprises building churches
schools, colleges, hospitals and asylums, anC
breathing into the noblest institutions tn,
breath Of a vigorous live and yet never
thoughtless Of their own households. MAKING
their charitable provisions while yet alive
they are ready for death at any time an(
when they go they leave their house in order
IL is Of little consequence then whether the,
die intestate or not We may be sure tina
no law would be wiser than ihoir will, an,
that their will would run as nearly as posi-
Bile with the law. If such man makes hi
WILL it will be dictated by the most impartia
sense of justice to all who might in any wa,
be concerned with it, and they would honol
the fitness Of any special provisions, $
long as its fundamental tone is in harmon
with a just distribution.