The writings of George Washington; being his correspondence, addresses, messages, and other papers, official and private, selected and published from the original manuscripts; with a life of the author, notes and illustrations. By Jared Sparks.

572 WASHINGTON'S WILL. [ArrPPENDIx.
only habits of dissipation And extravagance, but principles unfriendly
to republican government, and to the true and genuine liberties of
mankind, which thereafter are rarely overcome; for these reasons
it has been my ardent wish to see a plan devised on a liberal scale,
which would have a tendency to spread systematic ideas through all
parts of this rising empire, thereby to do away local attachments and
State prejudices, as far as the nature of things would, or indeed
ought to admit, from our national councils. Looking anxiously
forward to the accomplishment of so desirable an object as this is
(in my estimation), my mind has not been able to contemplate any
plan more likely to effect the measure, than the establishment of a
UNIVERSITY in a central part of the United States, to which the
youths of fortune and talents from all parts thereof may be sent for
the completion of their education, in all the branches of polite literature, in arts and sciences, in acquiring knowledge in the principles of politics and good government, and, as a matter of infinite
importance ill my judgment, by associating with each other, and
forming friendships in juvenile- years, be enabled to free themselves
in a proper degree from those local prejudices and habitual jealousies
which have just been mentioned, and which, when carried to excess, are never-failing sources of disquietude to the public mind,
and pregnant of mischievous consequences to this country. Under
these impressions, so fully dilated,
Item. -I give and bequeath, in perpetuity, the fifty shares which
I hold in the Potomac company, (under the aforesaid acts of the
Legislature of Virginia,) towards the endowment of a University,
to be established within the limits of the district of Columbia, under
the auspices of the general government, if that government should
incline to extend a fostering hand towards it; and, until such
seminary is established, and the funds arising on these shares shall
be required for its support, my further will and desire is, that the
profit accruing therefrom shall, whenever the dividends are made,
be laid out in purchasing stock in the Bank of Columbia, or some
other bank, at the discretion of my executors, or by the Treasurer
of the United States for the time being, under the direction of
Congress, provided that honorable body should patronize the measure; and the dividends proceeding from the purchase of such stock
are to be vested in more stock, and so on, until a sum adequate
to the accomplishment of the object is obtained; of which I have
not the smallest doubt before many years pass away, even if no aid
or encouragement is given by the legislative authority, or from
any other source.