The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-07-03
LEr ME BE QUICKLY R1cH.

! the e-honored mode OF industry ana economy
practsed by our ancestors. OF the thousands who
make the effort few become quickly rich, and fewer
remain But the story of those who prove sue
cessful with fabulous additions spreads with tee-
graphic speed and infames the minds of the excita-
ble and often many others and they long to become
quickly rich Forgetting, not regarding, the fate
of the unsuccessful their whole energies are direct
ed to the rapid accumulation of fortune. They
vainly imagine that the possession of wealth, and
living in a style common with many who have sud
denly acquired it, confer happiness without alloy,
although experience has everywhere demonstrated
the fallacy of all such expectations. Man is
sttuted that employment is necessary for his health
and happiness. lie who devotes his energies to bu-
siness to secure livelihood is far happier than him
whose sole employment is caring for and protecting
wealth. while no system of measuring merit can prove
the latter honorable noble. A false and
highly injurious notion is widely pervadng the pub
lie mind, that honor and happiness flow from wealth,
and that the want of it indicates dishonor and
misery This fallacious theory has led to more mis-
fortune, suffering, and disgrace than wealth ever
prevented II induces men to engage in the Wild
est adventures, and to hazard, not only their
own accumulated earnings but those of others,
as far as subject to their control; while not
one in a hundred proves successful. The effort
to become quickly rich is the great cause of the
frauds upon merchants by their clerks, and many of
their customers and upon banks and corporations
by their officers and employees They are not con-
tent to follow the path trod by Aston Girard and
others and to rise to fortune by industry and the
pursuit of business directed with skill and intelli-
gence They forget that Astor commenced his COM
mercia career by carrying his stock upon his back
changing it for furs and that regular business skill
fully managed conducted him to his immense fortune.
They do not remember that Girard from cabin boy
on vessel, became first small ship-grocer, and by
unremittng attention and great sagacity accumulated
his millions. They only recollect them million
aires. They wish to approach or rival them in their
Accommodations without subjecting themselves to the
toll, physical and mental necessary to accomplish
| the result desired. Grard made remark
which is worthy of much reflection. young man
had been offered salary which he thought too small,
as he could lay up but a limited sum after paying
his expenses Girard replied, II labor far harder
than you, having all this property 70 manage and
take care Of and all shall have out Of it is my
victuals and clothes Out of his millions all he EN-
joycd was comprised in these two items. Men
are most happy when constantly engaged in BUSH
ness and are most likely to perform all the duties Of
good citizens in the most acceptable manner OF
course they are graied if it proves successful, so
that it may guard them and their families against
want If well and skilfully conducted most kinds of
businesslead to independence and competence, which
tand IN hanninaas whereas mere Dossession of
wealth, except with the sordid miser confers
happiness upon mankind Those who become sud
denly rich lose all the pleasure and reputation de-
| rived from conducting successful business. ona
lucky venture will lead to new hazards, and often
occasions total loss of the fruits of the first sue
cess Among all who engage in mercantile bust
ness not three in hundred computed to die rich
Among those who seek to become quickly rich,
probably not one in thousand does 50. Or the
many thousands in California who suddenly became
apparently wealthy, reputed 30, vary few are
now even comfortably off. 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
the numerous operators in land and other prop
erty where regular business course is not pursued,
but a limited number ever come out with property,
much less large fortunes We hear much of those who
in all these matters succeed but lose sight of the IN
| initey greater number who fail and fall into OBJ
security, poverty, and often into degradation and
misery. That father coners the greatest benefit upon
| his son who educates him to regular and re-
! spectacle employment azd encourages him to pur-
sue it as the road most likely to lead him to happi-
ness and reasonable share Of wealth. The who
devotes his time and talents to such employment
may nationally expect far greater share Of respecta-
| bity and happiness than can be derived from for
tune not actually earned and accumulated, but
,, quickly derived from some one lucky out of
scores of unsuccessful ones. He who prays TO be
made quickly rich if his prayer is favoraby answer
ed, will fail in his greater object of becoming honor
ably distinguished and personally happy. If any
doubt the correctness of our conclusions let them
study the evidences that abound in both city and
town in every quarter of the country 1t will he
found that those who their fortunes keep them
and are generally esteemed by all, while few who
become suddenly rich long remain so, and fewer still
who secure enviable positions in society. Parents
and young just entering upon active life should
reflect upon these subjects, and pursue that course
which the experience and observation of mankind