Evening star., 1932-02-21

Immediately after the first clause which
make ample provision for his wife, comes the
the second clause, providing that upon the
decease of my Dife, it is my ioiH and desire
that all the sldpes iphich hold in my oton
right shall receiue their freedom. To emdnci-
pate them during her life, toould, though earn
estly tpished by me, be attended NTH such tn
superable difficulties on account OF their in-
termirture by marriage ,Ddth the DoDeT negroes,
as to ercite the most painful sensations, IL not
disagreedble consequences"
And then it Is provided that such of those
who receive their freedom as will be unable to
support themselves because of old age or bodily
infrmities shall be taken care of and those
who have no parents living and willing to
provide for them shall be bound out by the
court until they reach the age of rs years and
taught to read and write and to be fitted for
some useful occupation.
Following that there is a most solemn" obli-
CATION laid upon the executors to forbid the
sale or transportation Of any Of his slaves
under any pretense whatsoever and to one Of
the slaves, William Lee, immediate freedom
was given and his food and clothing and an
annuity Of $50 during his natural life. land this
0ipe him testimony OF my sense of his at
tachnsent to me- and for his faithful services
during the Revolutionary War
Immediately after the clause which deals
with his slaves are several items relating to
education. There was a bequest to the Trustees
of the Academy in the Town Of Alexandria to-
ward the support of q free school to be es.
tablished at and next to the said academy.
There was q bequest to the Liberty Hall
Academy, in Rockbridge County Va, an insti-
tuition which developed into Washington and
Lee University. There was bequest toward
the endowment Of q university within the
limits Of the District of Columbia under the
auspices Of the general Government 1T that
Government should incline to ertend a toster-
ing hand tosoords it," and this bequest was pre-
ceded by lengthy expression of q belief that
the youth of the United States had better be
educated In their own land than in other ma
tions where they might acquire not only habits
of dissipation and ertTapagdnce, but principles
untriendly to Republican government and TO
the true and genuine liberties OF mankind"
Although the will was written in $780, there
Is much which shows that the Revolution was
still fresh in Washington's mind. ITO Gen. de
Ia Fayette giue q pair OF finely wrought steel
pistols taken from the enemy in the Revolution
ary War" To each Of two relatives II ledre
one OF my spy glasses tohich constituted part OF
my cQuipage during the late iodr." To each Of
two nephews ~ 0iue one OF the s,oords or cut
treaur OF tohich may die possessed.
These swords are accompanied with the in
junction not to unsheath them for the purpose
of shedding blood except it be for self f-defense.
or in defense Of their country and its rights;
and in the latter case ito keep them unsheathed
and prefer falling trth them in their hands to
the relinQuishnsent thereof"
There were very definitely remembered some
of those who served with him in the Revolu-
ton, one Of whom his "compdtriot in arms and
old and intimate friend, Dr.. Craik"
Among the many interesting provisions Of
the will Is the following:
ITO the Earl of Buchdn recommit The
boz made of the oak that sheltered the Great
Str William Wallace after the battle of Faltirk'
presented to me BY his Iordship. in terms too
fdtterin0 for me to repeGt-aOith request to
pass it. ON the eDent OF my decease to the man
in my country toho should appear to merit Il
best, Upon the same conditions that haze in
duced him to send It to me- Whether easy.
or not, to select the man iplo might comport
,oith his Lordship's opinion IN this respect, il
not for me to say, but conceiuing that no dis
position of this paluable curiosity can be moro
eligible than the recomnsitment OF it to his otDx
cabinet, cgreeably to the original design of the
Goldsmiths Company Of Edinburgh, who pre-
sented it to MIN, and at his request, consented
that it should be transferred to me: do giul
and beqneath the same to his Lordship, and In
case of his decease, to his hetr, toith my CRATE.
ful thanks for the distinguished honor of pre-.
senting it to me; and more especially for thu
favorable sentiments NTH ,6hich he accompd.
'Hted it,"