New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-08-17
NEW ORLEANS SUNDAY, AUGUST H. 1873.

the inhabitants. The little boy was one
of those whose parched lips craved water,
but he was satisfied when his mother gave
him milk ou. of the cup of Marguerite.
After long suffering water came from
heaven again, but when the boy recovered
he was changed. He lost all interest in ev.
erything but his Marguerite and money
The latter passion became so strong as he
grew old that she discarded him. From
that time he had only ons love. He became
miser of revolving type. Rags
were his clothes, garret his home, and
garbage his food. His wealth became
enormous. but he was avoided as
!eper. Women passed him with
scorn. Daily he met with Marguerite.
who drew her dress away from contact
with him. Men despised him and the
children hooted and pelted him in the
streets. For nearly fifty years he endured
it. Al las. he died. and when few, out of
curiosity. sought his bedside they found q
bare room with no furniture but bed and
table. On the table was his will, in which he
bequeathed his vast property to his native
city. to secure supply of pure water to
his fellow citizens. On the floor were the
fragments Of the cup of Marguerite which
he had used all his life and shattered with
his latest breath that no one else might
ever drink from it.
In a short time the aqueduct was built
and the whole city came forth to do honor
l.; !, hol lad To Iar hnu nd q
of that city bless the name of the generous
miser, as they drink the pure water of the
hills.
1t will be seen that a small-a very small
portion of the amount bequeathed by John
McDonogb, has been appropriated to the
| cause Of public education, S3,67O out of
| a bequest OF million and . half. The
town of McDonogh-his homo and the
place of his constant care-nevez received
| one dollar Of the fund. Children have been
born there since McDonogh died. and
grown up to manhood. ignorant even of
| the good the old man intended for them
but of which they have been robbed. OF
the thirty thousand school children in New
| Orleans, not one knows to-day whereabouts
among the weeds across the river, the body
of the great philanthropist crum5led away.
| A few old colored people around Algiers
still cherish his memory. and they alone
have tracked through the swamp to the
neglected spot and placed flowers upon his
grave.
For little while after his death. it is
true. there was legal impeachment to the
| education OF colored children-thanks to
| the Infamous legislation of the type of men
i who pillaged McDonogh's charity. That
impeachment. thank God. for the last ten
years has not existed yet to perpetuate it a
| half million of dollars Of the money John
! M:Donogh gave to the cause of enlighten
ment and religion was expended to
| strengthen the fette,s of slavery. Oh
Louisiana, most grievous has been your
| suffering. but terrible was your crime
What fearful array Of plundered charities
have your "oldest and best to answer for!
Fink. Poydras. Touro. Milne. Girod-a
noble band of philanthropists who gave of
their bounty to alleviate suffering. to pro.
1 vide for the widow and orphan. to feed the
| ",
cate the ignorant--have all suffered at the
hands of those in whose honor they trusted
| for the CARRYING ou: OF their noble enter.
prises.
To-day. the poor. hungry and helpless
| have no place to lay their heads in this
wide city. except il a sectarian resort. or
under the protection Of individual benevo.
ience. Not a day. but such cases find their
way to the police courts. and the Work
house is their last resort. For in this city
poverty and helplessness are crimes.
The details of this wicked plunder it is
useless to inquire, because impossible to
| learn.
About the year 1861 the papers in the
case had reached sutficien: bulk to demand
q safe for their sole use. They were all
| placed in one, labeled "McDonogh fund.-
Tha: safe has taken to itself wings and
| flown away. 1t is. therefore, impossible to
| trace the channels through which the bulk
| of the charity ebbed into oblivion. No in
vestigation seems likely to unearth the his.
| tory of all the transactions. Not on earth
vii, a settlement be made. And he who
reads McDonogh's will. will believe that
the old man. could he revisit the earth and
see the disposition Of his trust. in his abid'
| ing faith in the justice of the Most High,
would elect to wal. till, before His throne.
! he could meet the plundececs. and inquire
| into their stewardship.
|