Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-08-30
CoLToN's INTENTIONS


cumstal!ceS Of Cotton will and death.
CoLroN's INTENTIONS.
That Cotton intended to govern the
conduct of his wife regarding the use Of his
property, III connection with his mother
and sister, IS plainly evident from COM
parIson with the language used in the will
| regarding his children, which is, also re-
quest my dear wife to make such provision
for my daughter Helen, wife of Crittenden
Thornton, and Carrie, us She NAV in her
love for them choose to exercise Towards
his mother and sister he is more careful. for
he first recommends them 10 the care and
protection of his wife, ana then requests
her 10 make them gift and provision. Re
garding his daughters he merely requests
his wife to make provision for them as in
her love for them she may choose Ia exer-
else. The difference is marked. II would
seem that he desired to impress upon his
wife mind that not only did he recon-
mend to her to care for his in1irm mother
and helpless sistcr-both without means.
save what he himself owed them-not only
did he expect her so to do, bat that he re-
quested her To do that which il should be
her pleasure and happiness to perform
regard his wishes when his lips were sealed
i'll death, and keep his mother ana sister
from want and suffering and from asking
from her that which ii was her duty to give,
VIZ care and protection. gifts and pro-
vision.
In the language of the United States
supreme court 10 aliace, 3pz), iet us
apply natural reason to the language OF
Cotton 5 will, and the circumstances sur
rounding its execution, and the parties and
property. Does it accord with natural rea-
son that Cotton would leave oil his vast
wealth TO his wife, that she might roll in
luxury Whiie ms dependent SISTER, and ms
as:ea anu Invalid In0ther $naWed the crus's
OF poverty anu sheltered themselves rom
'he WINGS OF winter ny me rags 0! nigh,
sounding WORDS LEX them by an un@rate!ul
SON
DoGs II accord win natural reason That
man IKE cotton; iuIiy aware oi ms moral
a e, PJc.i'i!'lI opilgd'ioIis 10 MS dead
iallIeI' MS hNlhS iiiothCF anu SISTER Should
IN tle presence OF oeath, win NE behind
hll'l. ana eternity just opening ior ms re-
Ceptloh; forget ms sacred ties, his holy
duties, MS iiilal ana ifatcrnal Obligations,
ms NANNY SI"Il'uue; ana iciVe ms deaf
ioVcG SISTER ana ihotner hothhg out OF ms
nuhufeGS Oh thousands WHile 10 ms WlIe,
rom "noll ne received pecuiiarlly moth
lllG' ana 10 Whoh ne gave an IN ne he
Shoulu give every penny OF ms estate that
ssp!endor might glId her days while perjury
blackcneo thc hours OF his sister and
mother
NATURAL REASON
Would decide that the son and brother,
gratefully remembering his duty and his
obligation. would care for all dependent
upon him. would provide for sister, wife
and mother i'll the last disposition of his
property, robbing neither one nor the other.
creating no relation ofbcggar and generous
givcr between those having claims upon
him. but assigning all his estate to the same
purposes it had been during his life put by
him concerning wife sister and mother,
VIZ: caring for and supporting all three.
Natural reason would say that he did so IN
and by the terms OF his VIII.