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No man having children or grand-children ought to have the 

 right to give more than a limited part of his property other- 

 wise than to them. The law ought to provide for the distribu- 

 tion of a certain portion of the estate of a deceased person in a 

 manner beyond the control of the possessor, and in no case 

 ought the owner of property to control the use of any part of 

 it beyond the life of a person living at the time of the testa- 

 tor's death. The property of this country ought to be con- 

 trolled by the living. I know our Saviour said, " let the dead 

 bury their dead," which at first seems almost unnatural and 

 harsh, but it was said in the interest of the living, and to 

 command the living to present duty ; but what shall be said of 

 laws which enable the dead to bury the living ? The gifts of 

 large estates to charitable uses, as they are termed, has 

 assumed such a magnitude, and is placing such large amounts 

 of property beyond the control of the people, that vigorous 

 action has become necessary to stay its progress. This mode, 

 of disposing of property is often more the result of malice than 

 of charity, and the professed end, the benefit of the poor and 

 unfortunate, is often not attained. If real and personal prop- 

 erty is to be put in the possession of these corporations at the 

 will of the possessors, without regard to the rights of society, 

 they may ere long become the owners of a large extent of 

 lands, and other property, and burden and oppress the people 

 rather than bless them. There is great need in this State of a 

 law which shall prevent a person from giving to charitable 

 uses by will or deed made just before his death, made at a 

 time when he may be easily influenced by his immediate attend- 

 ants, those upon whom he is dependant for the supply of his 

 immediate wants, when in a condition not to appreciate his 

 true relation to others. I repeat, the giving of large estates to 



