Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-07-11
lei me be Quickly Rich,

Nc " c uo not hHoW lndl We cOuiu Sih
ploy our space better than 81 giving room
10 the following business article
f'1he Prayer of most young men is '.Let
me be quickly rich" Few seem to be salts.
fed to become so by the cnec-honorcd mode
of industry and economy practiccd by our
ancestors. OF the thousands who make the
effort, few become quickly rich, and fewer
remain so. But the story of those who prove
successful, with fabulous additions, spreads
with Geographic speed, and infames the
minds Of the ezcitablc, and often many
others, and they long to become quickly rich.
Forgetting, or not regarding, tie fate OF
tie unsuccessful, their whole onesgies are
directed to the rapid accumulation of a for
tune. They vainly imagine that the posses
sion of wealth, and living in a style COM
mon With many vino lave suddealy acquired
it confcrs happiness without alloy, although
experience has everywhere demonstrated
the fallacy of all such expectations. Man
is constituted That employment is necessary
for his health and happiness. He who de-
votes his energies to business to secure a
livelihood is far happier than he whose sole
employment is caring for. and protecting
wealth, while no system OF measuring merit,
can prove the latter more honorable or noble
\ false and highly injurious notion is wide
y pervading the public mind, that honor
and happiness flow from wealth, and that
TIE wart Of it indicates dishonor and misery
This fallaeious theory has led to mere
misfortune, suffering, ard disgrace than
wealth ever prevented. It induces men to
engage in the Widest adventures, and to
hazard, not only their own accumulated
earrings, but those Of others, as fan as sub
ect to their control; while not one in Il hun
drcd proves successful The effort to be-
come quickly rich, is tie great cause cf tie
frauds upon merchants b. Their clerks, aad
many Of their customers, and upon banks
and corporations By their officers and en-
ployees. They are not content to follow
the path trod by Astor, Girard, and others,
and to rise to fortune by industry and the
pursuit of business, directed with skill and
intelligence. They forget that Astor COM
menoed bis commercial career by carrying
his stock upon his back, exchanging it for
furs: and that regular business, skillfully
managed, conducted him to his immense
fortune. They 10 not remember that Girard,
from a cabin boy on a vessel, became
frst small ship-grocer, and by unremitting
attention and great sagacity accumulated
his millions. They only recollect them as
milIionairea They wish 10 approach or ri
val them in their accumulations without sub
iecting themselves to the toll, physical and
mental, necessary to accomplish the result
desired Girard once made remark which
is worthy of much reflection. A young man
had been offered salary Which he thought
too small, as he could lay up but limited
sum after paying his expenses. Grard re-
Piled ~ labor far harder than you, having
all this property to manage and take care
Of, and ali ] shall ever have out of it is my
victuals and Clothes" Out of his millions
all he enjoyed was comprised in these twa
items. Men are most happy when constant
ly engaged in business, and are most likely
to perform all the duties of good citizens in
he laost acceptable manner. OF course
they are gratifed if it proges successful, so
that it may guard them and their families
against want If we'll and skillfully con-
Quoted most kinds of business lead to indo-
pendenoc and competence, which tend to
happiness whereas tie Eterc possession Of
wealth, except with the sordid miscr, never
confers happiness upon mankind. Those
who become suddenly rich lose all the pleas
ure and reputation derived from conducting
successful business One lucky venture
viii lead to new hazards, and often occa-
sions total loss of the fruits Of the FIRST
success Among all who sngage in MGR