The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1894-08-15
WILLSOF PRESIDENTS.
Interesting Documents in the District
OF Columbia.

The viii Of George Washington i,
perhaps, themo famous Of sil tho
Documents. Il was recently copied ~
order % the Registrar into a record
book where il could be consulted with
facility. The original IS somewhere in
Virginia, bat Washington had SOME
property Interests In the Capital City.
and a copy was deposited with the
authorities here. While the earthly
possessions Of the Father Of his Coun-
try, though he was one Of the richest
Americans Of his time, were by no
nleans a. extensive a. those Of many
modern millionaire-, he prescribed with
the greatest minuteness how they
should be disposed OF.
The most famous provisions in this
great document, which Washington de-
elares tO have written with his own
hand. are those in which he devises 80
shares Of stock in the Potomac River
company, for the founding Of an Amer
lean university, and that in which he
provides for the CELEBRATION Of his
slaves The shares Of stock were pre-
sented To him by the Virginia legisia-
ture, and were at first declined, but the
gin was afterward - arranged a. not
10 conflict with his notions u prOpriety
in receiving public gifts. The provis-
ions for the gin to the proposed univer-
sify are eoUchcd in patriotic language
Characteristic Of the man. Washington
was not only patriotic, he was public
spirited He made many gifts in his
will, which were intended q IL public
benefactiOns-
II i the slave clause which reads
most curiously % the child Of the last
generation II Is, in fact, an excellent
abolitionist document. They were not
to BE- released until the death OF Martha
Washington, his wife. He stated that
il was his earnest wish that they should
be emaneiIsated before, bat he thought
this would he accomplished with insur-
nOuntable difficulties. The chief Of
these was the intermarriage which ex-
isted with the dover negroes. He says
that he should be glad 10 emaneiPate
both, but il was not in his power % do
-. They were 10 be taught % read
and write, and at Mn. Washington
deoeaSe all his directions with regard
to their freedom were 70 be religi0usly
carried out without evasion or neglect.
OLD HICKORY's BEQUEsTs.
As remembrance Of the days Of
bondage the will Of ''Old Hickory" il
euriO. II was made at Hermitage,
where he passed his declining years. lt
required nearly all his earthly posse>s-
ions, saving few slaves, 70 pay the
few debts which his adopted son, An
drew jackson, jr-, had contracted, and
he states at the beginning Of the dOcu-
ment that he had made this viii on ac-
count of the change in his affairs neces-
STATED by the obligations he had a.
sumed for his son Every member Of
his immediate family, including his
grandchildren of tender years, l. re-
membered with at least one slave, tO be
owned absolutely. These requests are
made in language expressive Of the
great affection which ne possessed for
all his kin.
Probably the old pictures Of Jackson
which represent him a. always walking
with a cane are true To life, for i'm his
will he has several bequests Of his favor
tie walking sticks. These appear a
dear to him a. his swords. He presents
the latter with the patriotic request
that they never be raised except in de-
fense of the nation. Indeed, the Ian
guage Of the viii leaves no room 10
doubt that Jackson was a patriotic
man To the core and that he had the
highest welfare Of the nation at heart
JOHN QUINCY ADAMS WILL
In striking contrast 20 the will Of
jackson i that Of John Quincy Adams
They are a. unlike a. were the two
men. Adams was a Unitarian Of the
Boston school, and his viii contains
none Of the usual references 10 religious
matters, bat deals strictly with the
topic in hand-the disposition Of the
property. He SAYS nothing Of his be-
lief in God. a. does Jackson, nor Of his
hope in the hereafter. Adams lost his
original will and wrote the one which
stood al the time Of mis- death in it,
stead. II Is a lengthy document, and
i more like the will Of Washington
than that Of any other President. He,
too. was fond ofhis walking sticks, and
gave particular directions a. 20 the dis
position Of those which had been pre-
Scnted 10 him in honor Of his labOrs for
I the right Of petition. One Of these
/ canes. in accordance with his wish, Is
now deposited in the Patent Office.
Adams died wealthy man for his
time. He owned considerable amount
of property in Washington. He had
/ house and some land on F street, and a
/ store and house on Pennsylvania
avenue. Besides these he had many
possessions in Massachusetts, of which
some were in the city Of Boston, and
very valuable. y peeuliarity Of his viii
i that be mentions his Own name A.
Z John Quincy Adams, doctor Of laws.
He was very proud Of this distinction,
which was given 10 him a. graduate
Of Harvard college, where all the men
of the Adams family have attended for
generations II was like a sword
through the plates Of his arnor when
Jackson, his arch enemy, visited the
hallowed precincts Of Old Cambridge
and received this hOnored degree from
the college authorities.
The brief-st Of all the Presidential
wills in the vaults of the District of
Columbia i that Of james Monroe. He
had but little 10 give, and he gave il
without the u~c of any unnecessary
words. II contains iGJ works He
gave >. 90 toeseh Of his two daughters,
Elizabeth and Maria, and his words on
which ne was engaged at the time Of
his death 10 his -on-in-law. The will
was made up in New York, aud had
one witness, who resided there, and
one whose home was in Washington.