National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1877-03-18
RFCEES AND THEIR EELLyQrESH
REyT


While the accumulation Of wealth. when
made the controlling obiec, Of Efe-the
| era Of all exertion-s not an enterprise
likely 10 adorn the mind with understand
ipr, except in limited degree, or TO de-
velcr the better springs Of nature into that
fullress ofsoul and Sympathy which char.
IcitTiEts the more useful classes Of men, Il
should lie, nevertheless, to soertsin extest,
The aim Of all TO acquire considerable de
erce of fortune, for their own comfort NJ;
only. but TO enable them to be useful mem
hers OF society, instead of being in danger
of becoming . charge upon its resources.
Young men Of ardent natures and generous
impulses are apt 10 regard money q mere
dress ard scatter ii As they 20. in proper
iion 10 their earnings or possessions. until
hey learn, when il il too late. tia, Il d
Indispensable 10 happiness snd Is the mos.
rtlisble friend. Others more practical
ard less liberal. early lsy the foundation
Of great riches by putting aside the
first thousand" OF which the original
ard throughout their lives devote them
selves TO the business Of amusing money
t. te sQuandered sfer they are goae, gene
r:ly by lsZzAroni who wait fer IL 10 fall
into their hands. There ID no wisdom no
solid enjoyment in either o. these courses.
The former class forget thst II they would
he powerful As examples Of virtue snd
potential as sgents Of good they must pc
sess themselves Of property sad judiciolsly
use IL; fer small indeed viii be the aid to
airy cause Of him whose personal services
are his only contribution. The latter elasS
ss rule. fail to observe any demands upon
them in the crying wants Of the world. and
continue their boarding career until called
upon by death to resign their treasures 10
the disposal Of those they cannot control,
how much soever they may seek to erjo.n
them by testament And this bnars Us to
consider the moral right Of dying men
snd dying men should surely be governed
| by moral laws only-to ignore their fsmi-
lies for the benefit Of s,r.ngers. or indi-
viiuAls Of them for the advantage Of other
members
In the first plscs II il impossible to be-
1--we q man in his right mind really and
truly who can be guilty of 50 unnatural an
set ts to disinherii his family, o. any mem
Der Of il, for any other cause than the good
of those denied. There is something 20 ab-
hOIent TO all good people in Al exhibitioo
OF Partially or hatred toward children that
they viii look for an explanation Of IL in
the past conduct Of those Disseminated
sgains;. and If it is EOt found there II vii
generally be attributed 20 some phase Of
mania In any case II vii be doubted tk.t
a msn is Of sound sad d;spos;ng mind and
memory when he in his will bestovs
trifiing sums upo, portions Of his family,
and gives immense fortunes 10 others: for
while he has the legal right TO do 50 he
cannot have sny such naturIl or moral
| right. II children have not been equally
dutiiul or considersie Of the parents pleas
ure in life, death should displ,ce resent
| ment with forgiveness. SID restore the er-
ring 10 his birthright Bet ii motif there
is still danger OF mischief in the Dos
session OF means for iHdulgence-:here l.
way to secure requests against the
follies Of spendthrift lesxtees. devo,ing =
remainder over to better purposes Soxhea
a man Of grest wealth dying nanifests par
TALLY in his will toward his children there
is universal disposition to regard him Is
unduly influenced or As suffering from
some infrmi;y Of mind. And in = free
country, where centralized wealth i re-
garded with nearly as much fear OF danger
TO the common welfare IS 9 tendency to
Capitalization in the Government, The
courts viii not be slow 20 discover inca
paciiy in q tes;stor who passes over al
other members Of his family with small
portions to bestow colossal possessions
upon favored one Hence, in the esse
o! the will Of the late Commodore WANDER
EILT there can be no doubt that the patent
facts in the case presented BY the contest
ant so inspired tie mind of the propo-
nent with doubt as to the issue before the
Surrogate Of New York and the HIGHER
courts of appeal that some compromise
was deemed the wiser course. Wherefore
the retiremen; OF the contestant and the
announcement made by counsel when the
case WAS called for hearing.
There has been but one impression in
the public mind since the terms Of the viii
were announced respecting the cause which
led 10 them, and that is that the Comno-
dcre had lived so long under the ira1eaee
of tie money power that even in death he
could not brook TO see his giliei clstle
fall TO pieces under : general devise to
heirs ito share and share alike" bit wss
ambitious that his name should Be perpe.u-
sted in connection with uneqlAled wealth
and that it was TO secure this objec. he
bestowed the great bulk o. his estate
upon the soa he believed the
most competent TO Weld the power
committed TO his hands And that
such an ambition. eliminating in 9
posthumous romance. should prevail
against the just claims Of children he wss
believed 10 love equally well. and confirm
the act which proceeded from il, Is Of itself
proof that the Commodore had ceased to
be himself when the viii was made, and
was aboring under . nAnia produced by
the perpetual contemplation Of riches AMI
the means Of obtaining them II the fear
that the courts Of New York would regard
the will with disfAyor, and investigate the
IA a =