CHARACTERS. 



339 



My improved lot in the town of 

 Alexandria, situated in Pitt and 

 Cameron streets, I give to her and 

 her heirs for ever, as also I do my 

 household and kitchen furniture of 

 every sort and kind, with the li- 

 quors and groceries which may he 

 on hand at the time of my decease, 

 to be used and disposed of as she 

 may think proper. 



Ilem. — Upon the decease of my 

 wife, it is my will and desire that 

 all the slaves which I hold in my 

 own right shall receive their free- 

 dom. To emancinate them during; 

 her life would, though earnestly 

 wished by me, be attended with 

 such insuperable difficulties, on ac- 

 count of their intermixture by mar- 

 riages with the dower negroes, as 

 to excite the most painful sensations, 

 if not disagreeable consequences, 

 from the latter, while both descrip- 

 tions are in the occupancy of the 

 same proprietor ; it not being in my 

 power, under the tenure by which 

 the dower negroes are held, to 

 manumit them. And whereas 

 among those who will receive free- 

 dom according to this demise, there 

 may be some who from old age or 

 bodUy infirmities, and others who, 

 on account of their infancy, will be 

 unable to support themselves, it is 

 my will and desire that all who 

 come under the first and second de- 

 scription, shall be comfortably cloth- 

 ed and fed by my heirs while they 

 live ; and that such of the latter de- 

 scription as have no parents living, 

 or, if living, are unable or unwill- 

 ing to provide for them, shall be 

 bound by the court till they shall 

 arrive at the age of twenty-five 

 years ; and in cases wliere no record 

 can be produced, wliereby their 

 ages can be ascertained, the judg- 

 ment of the court, upon its own 



view of the subject, shall be ade- 

 quate and final. The negroes thus 

 bound are (by their masters or mis- 

 tresses) to be taught to read and 

 write, and to be brought up to some 

 useful occupation, agreeably to the 

 laws of the commonwealth of Vir- 

 ginia, providing iov the support of 

 orphan and other poor children. 

 And I do hereby expressly forbid the 

 sale or transportation, out of the said 

 commonwealth, of any slave I may 

 die possessed of, under any pretence 

 whatsoever. And I do moreover 

 most solemnly and most pointedly 

 enjoin it upon my executors here- 

 after named, or the survivor of them, 

 to see that this clause respecting 

 slaves, and every part thereof, be 

 religiously fulfilled, at the epoch at 

 which it is directed to take place, 

 without evasion, neglect, or delaj'', 

 after the crops, which may then be 

 on the ground, are harvested, par- 

 ticularly as it respects the aged and 

 infirm ; seeing that a regular and 

 permanent fund be established for 

 their support as long as there are 

 subjects requiring itj not trusting to 

 the uncertain provision to be made 

 by individuals. 



Itevi. — To the trustees {gover- 

 nors, or by whatsoever name they 

 may be designated) ot the academy 

 in the town of Alexandria, I give 

 and bequeath (in trust) four thousand 

 dollars, or, in other words, twenty 

 of the shares which I hold in the 

 bank of Alexandria, towards the 

 support of a free-school, established 

 at and annexed to the said academy, 

 for the purpose of educating such 

 orphan children, or the children of 

 such other poor and indigent per- 

 sons as are unable to accomplish it 

 with their own means ; and who, 

 in the judgment of the trustees of 

 tlie said seminary, are best entitled 



Z 2 



