The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1854-09-29
"Reminiscences of stephen Girard.

/ cannot let this opportunity slip by without
saying something Of another mercantile celebrity
Of the United States, VIZ Stephen Girard. This
man was born in village near the banks of the
Garonne. He was !he son Of a peasant, and had
left his own country as a common sailor. Hav-
ing gradually risen to the post of second mate,
he came as such 10 Philadelphia, where he re-
mained and opened tavern on the banks Of the
Delaware for such Of his countrymen were
engaged in the West India trade, particularly that
with St. Domingo. The revolution in ST. Domingo
caused an emigration which continually brought
him fresh customers, and having built some small
vessels to bring his fugitive countrymen away in
safety from the island, he bartored -four and meal
for coffee, until his capital, which had scarcely
been worth mentioning at first, gradually increased
and enabled him to build larger vessels, and ex-
tend his spirit of enterprise in all directions. His
rugaity bordered on aYarice. Sailors fare was
to him the best, and the freighting Of vessels his
favorte pursuit. The success which attended his
exertions al length became unexamped for he
never had his ships insured, but always chose
skilful and experienced captains, thus saving him.
self the heavy expense, of taking out insurance
policies, and continued acting this principle,
gradually increasing his capital more, until it had
swelled to an enormous amount.
Illiterate as French common sailor need be,
and scarcely able to write bis own name, he called
all his ships after the great authors Of his own
country, and thus enjoyed the sensation of be.
holding the American flag waving above a Mon.
tesquie. Voltaire, Helvefius, and Jean Jacques
Rousseau. His ships, which he was in the habit
OF sending successively to the island of Mauritus,
at that time the isle de France, to Calcutta and
Canton, and each OF which cost from forty to
sixty thousand dollars, brought back cargoes
worth from one to two hundred thousand dollars
to Philadelphia, and thence to Europe, particularly
to Messrs. Hope & Co., at Amsterdam, and were
never insured. Remarkably good fortune attend
ing all these enterprises. Until the year 1915,
not one Of his ships was ever lost or Captured
1t will be easy to form an idea of the amount OF
capital accumulated by the saving Of insurance
premiums, when one reflects that the latter went
as high as from ten to fifteen, and even twenty
per cent.
Girard's right hand man was a countryman Of
his, named Roberleot who, however, had received
his mercantile education entirely at Hamburg,
under the tutelage Of Professor Busch. This
Roberjeot was the only man whom he now and
then, and only now and then, took into his espe-
cial confidence, and he had worked in the house
OF Girard for respectable, yet very moderate
salury, during the lapse Of twenty years; fre.
quentIy something was said about increasing it,
bur nothing of the sort was ever done. Rober-
leot, who had some desire to be taken care OF in
his old age, resolved to let his patron know that
if he desired 10 keep him any longer, he must
take that matter into serious consideration, and
give him handsome sum, that he might put
aside and turn TO good account Girard, little
neuIed by this, replied that he would give him
ten thousand dollars, but Roterieot demanded
sixty. He was told to wait until the next day,
when, without hearing another word in relation to
the matter, he received what he kcd for-slxty
thousand dollars. - .
Magnanimous as Girard could be in many
things. he was, on the other hand, equally petty
in many others. OF his numerous relatives in
France, who were all poor peasant folks, he would
never hear syllable mentioned. When some of
them on one occasion yentured to cross the ocean,
and visit him In Philadelphia. he Immediately sent
them away again with a trihing present. In one
particular instance he exhibited unusual hard
heartedness. His captains had received The
strictest orders not TO bring either strange goods
passengers or letters back with Them. One of
his ships was returning from Bordeaux, and
through another, which had hurried on before ii,
he learned that it W as conveying him some rela.
tions Of bis as passengers; he instantly sent TO
Newcastle, The Delaware, where the ships
coming in from usually touch, an order 10 the
captain, iorbdding him TO land any passengers,
but 10 remain at that point until another had been
procured 10 take thsm back 10 Bordeaux when
he might como up to Philadelphia with his cargo