Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1832-01-18

East of the Cape of Good Hope, was at one tm lin.
very extensive, as was also his trade to the nort
of Europe Severa! foreign voyages were SOM
times performed without the ships returnir,
home; and hence it may be seen, that the lshrss
of the counting house were not 50 multiplied :.
those which are necessary to be performed VIII
much less capital employed in short VOYAGE,
To this circu Instance. added to cry early risiD,
- to be ascribed the leisure which Mr.. Gir,,s
enioyed, aud which was devoted to the GUILTY.,
ton of farm few miles from the city, wb;S
he visited for years almost every day, and whe,,
perhaps he imbibed the Golden sentiment which
has been ascribed to him. and which shows thu
he did not consider that he lived alone for him
seIf-.If thought should die Tomorrow, !
wond plant tree to-day" Indeed he acted
uniformly upon this principle; and we learn thu,
having lately contracted for the building Of
number of houses upon the square Of grou,G
called by his name, situate between Market and
Chestnut. and Eleventh and Twelfth streets, h.
made provisions in his will for their being CON.
pleted, in case he should not live to see it dom
When we say that Mr.. Girard was an ecOra
mist. we do not mean to say it IN relative Sense
but in a positive one. We recollect ourseIvs,
once calling at his counting house to see HIN 0,
BUSINESS and were told BY his clerk that he vi,
then busilv employed in the cellar. cutting y,
with his own hands his winters pork, and could
not be seen. lie entertained no company, lived
upon the most simple food plainly cooked en-.
gagged in none of the scenes or indulgencies 4
social life; and being a widower for some yea,
past. without children, his life was SOLITARY Ont
His chief happiness appeared to be employment,
He was never idle. but was. emphaticaly, mar
of business. lie was rigid in his barsains-,Ook
care of his six.pences, knowing that the pound,
would take care Of themselves-and would, Der
haps, hold out for the change Of cent as long 4,
any poor man living. This was the resul, Of H
habits of early life, and was in fact, part of rka
system and method which he uniformly display
ed. and which constituted him the very Indi,ldu.
al he was. There is no evidence that he loved mo- 8
ney. He certainly did not accumulate property
for any good it could do himself. He resemble }
more the Steward of some great proprietor. mar.
aging very large estate for very modeiaa
compensation, than the proprietor himself-k
did not appear to covet honors or fame, and WI
free from every display OF ostentaion. His DIVE +
ling house was under the same roof with his cour.
ing house. in narrow street near the risa +
Water street, and in neigbborhOod occup.i
altogether with stores His equipage was 40 Ok
chaise and sober looking farm horse and tn.
furniture of his house was of the plainest sort
In personal appearance he was as plain as h.
planest citizen; and so entirely free was he from
all pride of purse, that he looked more like
man worth hundred dollars than eight millions
This economical style Of life. known to ever
body as characlerIzIng Mr.. Girard, has nduca
some persons TO entertain very erroneous weS.d
the influence Of his mode IF living upon the vel
fare of the community. You would hear ppOp.
say, - 1t is pity that Mr.. Girard does not MAX.
better use OF his money--he ought to live NOR
attluenfly. and, by that means give employms
to tradesmen. and other poor people," hsN
ry certain that Mr.. Girard contributed very IT,
tie to the support of livery servants, footmsl
coachmen, pastry cooks, French restaurateun
ice cream makers. dancing masters, musican
play actors. hair dressers, fancy shop keeIen
jewelers., and many other caIIings, but his ineoa
was not, on that account. less unexpended. Hs
fancy was to set in motion the industry of stf
builders, Triggers, and sail makers, seamen, 81
vidores and dray men, and Of late years, thaiS
carpenters, bricklayers, brick makers, masCa
pastercrs, painters. GLACIERS, marble masCa
and all ether mechanics employed By hin L
building houses. What por ton Of his capital al
income he did not so expend. he lent to other
to be expended as they might see fit; and perhar
it may be said, that not dollar of his immeas
wealth was suffered to lie idle. So far from b
mode of expenditure operating disadvantages
~ to the working classes, it has been, Of all Oh
ers. the one which was calculated to produce IL
greatest good TO the com munity. No part
his income has been spent unproductively--If
every dollar which has gone towards the super
of industry, there is dollars worth, or 'on''
thing more, to show for il; which would not hiT.
been the case, had the course been pursued ~@ti
10 many people deem to be the most bcnrf
Even the little he consumed himself. hs'p "a
was but the wages of hard working oversee. I
manager, engaged in seeing the property ea'rus R'
ed to his stewardship applied to the most prodo
tive purposes. And cannot any one pertef
that the superintendent of so frugal and ind9 ~
trious a steward, has been the means Of accGni ]
lating an immense fund 10 the city Of Phllid'k I
phia, which could never have existed, but OHTt
to the cheapness with which so large capita ="
managed? The same sum divided into h:
dred portions. could never have produced y I:
same accumulation; and for this simple res.n,
that. 10 its management. hundred indisIJa'
or families would have had 10 be support