"And I further direct, that they be taught to read, to write, and to cipher, and that they be sent to Africa. I further will and direct, that the issue of any of the females, who are so to be entitled to their freedom, at the age of twenty-five, shall be free at their birth, and that they be bound out as apprentices to learn farming, or some useful trade, upon the condition also, of being taught to read, to write, and to cipher. And I direct also, that the age of twenty-one having been attained, they shall be sent to one of the African colonies, to raise the necessary funds for which purpose, if they shall not have previously earned them, they must be hired out for a sufficient length of time. "I require and enjoin my executors and descendants to pay particular attention to the execution of this provision of my will. And if they should sell any of the females who or whose issue are to be free, I especially desire them to guard carefully the rights of such issue by all suitable stipulations and sanctions in the contract of sale. But I hope that it may not be necessary to sell any such persons who are to be entitled to their freedom, but that they may be retained in the possession of some of my descendants."--Colton, Reed & McKinley, Vol. 3, p. 153. [422] Birney, William, _James G. Birney and his Times_, p. 132. [423] Birney, William, _James G. Birney and his Times_, p. 133. [424] _Ibid._, p. 182. The interesting story of Birney and his troubles with his fellow townsmen does not come within the scope of this investigation and will be found treated at length in William Birney's _James G. Birney and His Times_. [425] Birney, William, _James G. Birney and his Times_, p. 185. [426] _Ibid._, p. 155. [427] Birney, William, _James G. Birney and his Times_, p. 156. [428] Quick to recognize this tendency, Clay referred to it in his Senate speech of February 7, 1839: