The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1857-07-30
LET ME BE QUICKLY RICH.


industry and economy practscl by our an
ccstors. Of the thousands who make the
effort few become quickly rich and fewer
remain so. But the story Of those who
proved scuccssful, with fabulous additions,
spread with tclcgraphc speed, and inflames
tho minds of the cxcitable, and often many
others, they long to become quickly rich.-.
Forgetting, Or not regarding, the fate Of the
unsuccessful, their whole energies arc d-
rcctcd to the rapid accumulation Of for
tune. They vainlv imagine that the posses.
sion Of wealth, and living in style COM
mon with many who have suddenly ac-
quired it, confer happiness without alloy,
although experience has everywhere demon
strated the fallacy Of all such expectations.
Man is SO constituted that employment is
necessary for his health and happiness.-
lie who dcvotcs his energies to business to
secure a livelihood is far happier than him
whose sole employment is caring for and
protecting wealth, while no system of meas
uring merit can prove the latter more hon
orablc or noble.
A false and highly injurious notion IS
widely pervading the public mind, that
honor and happiness flow from wealth, end
that the want Of il indicates dishonor and
misery. This fallacious theory has led to
more misfortune, suffering and disgrace
than wealth ever prevented. 1t induces
men to engage in the widest adventures,
and to hazard, not only their own accumu-
lacd earnings, but those of others, rs far
as subject 10 their control; while not one
in hundred proves successful. The cGo::
to become quickly rich is the great cause
of Tic frauds upon merchants by their
clerks an1 many of their customers, and
upon banks and corporations by their Off
GERS and employees. They are not content
to follow the path trod by Astor, Girard,
and others, and 10 rise to fortune by indus
try and the pursuit of business, directed
with skill and intelligence. They forget
that Astor commenced his commercial Car.
Ger by carrying his stock upon his back,
exchanging it for furs and that regular
business, skilfully managed, conducted him
to his immense fortune. They do not re-
member that Girard, from cabin bov on
vessel, became first a small ship grocer,
and by unrcmitt:ng attention and great sa-
gacity accumulated his millions. They
o,,}v rncolIoot fl,o,,, NO ,,,;II;,,o;,o, rTl o.
wish t, approach or rival them in their ac-
cumulations without suhjccting themselves
to the toll, physical and mental, necessary
to accomplish the result desired. Girard
once made a remark which is worthy of
much reflection.
A young man had been offered a salary
which he thought too small, as he could
lay up but limited sum cftcr paying his
expenses. Girard replied, "I labor far
harder than you, having all this property to
manage and tako care of, and all shall
ever have out Of it is my victuals and
clothes" Out of his millions all he en-
joyed was comprised in these two items.-
Men arc most happy when constantly en-
gagged in business, and are most likely to
perform all the duties of good citizens in
the most acceptable manner. Of course
they arc gra!ifed if it proves successful, so
that it may guard them and their families
against want. If well and skifuly con-
duced, most kinds of business lead to inde-
pcndcncc and competence, which tend to
happiness; whereas, the mere possession of
wealth, except with the sordi miscr,
never confers happiness upon mankind.-
Those who become suddenly rich loose all
the pleasure and reputation derived from
conducting succ' sful business. One lucky
venture will lead to new hazards, and often
occasions total loss of the fruits of the
first success. Among all who engage in
mercantile business, not three in a hundred
arc computed to die rich. Among those
who seek to ccome quickly rich, probably
not one in thousand does SO. Ofsthe
many thousands in California who suddenly
became apparently wealthy, or were repu-
ted so, very few are now even comfortably
of. The rich men there usually became so
by the slow process Of regular business
Of the thousands who have been suddenly
made rich by stock and other Wall street
operations, few indeed close their career
with wealth. Among numerous "opera-
tions" in hand and other property, where
regular business course is rot pursued, but
limited number ever come out with prop
erty, much less large fortune.
We hear much of those who in all these
matters succeed, but tse sight Of the infn-
itely greater number whosfail and fall into
obscurity. That father confers the greatest
benefit upon his son who eddcates him to
some regular and respectable employment,
and encourage him to pursue it as the
rood n, oot fl;Hblx, t,S tood kf,,, a. l,.r~:-.