Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-08-06
LET ME BE QUICKLY Rich

NOA
orcd mode cf industry and economy
practised by our ancestors. Of the
thousands who make the effort few be-
come quickly rich, and few ever remain
SO. But the story of those who prove
successful, with fabulous additions,
spreads with Geographic speed, and in
flames the minds of the excitable, and
often many others, and they long to be-
come quickly rich. Forgetting, or not
regarding, the fate Of the unsuccessful,
their whole energies are directed to the
rapid accumulation of a fortune. They
vainly imagine that the possession of
wealth, and living in a style common
with many who have suddenly acquired
it, confer happiness without alloy, al
though experience has everywhere de-
monstrated the fallacy of all such ex-
pectations. Man is so constituted that
employment is necessary for his health
and happiness. He who devotes his
energies to business to secure a liveli-
hood is far happier than him whose sole
employment is earning for and protect
ing wealth, while no system of merit can
prove the latter more honorable or no.
bic. A false and highly injurious no
ton is widely prevailing the public
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 han
wealth ever prevented. 1t induces men
to engage in the widest adventures, and
to hazard, not only their own accumu-
lated 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 us
toners, and upon banks and corpora
tons by their officers and employees
They are not content to follow the path
trod by Astor, Girard and others, and
to raise to fortune by industry and the
pursuit of business, directed with skill
and intelligence. They forget that As
tor commenced his commercial career
by carrying his stock upon his back,
exchanging it for furs; and that regu-
lar business, skillfully managed, con-
Quoted him to his immense fortune.
They do not remember that Girard, from
a cabin boy on a vessel, became first a
small ship grocer, and by unremitting
attention and great sagacity accumula-
ted his millions. They only recollect
them as millionaire. They wish to ap-
proach or rival them in their accumula-
tions without subjecting themselves to
the toll, physical and mental, necessary
to accomplish the result desired. Gil
rard once made a remark which is wor-
thy of much reflection. y young man
had been offered a salary which he tho't
too small, as he could lay up but a linn
tied sum after paying his expenses
Girard replied, II labor far harder than
You, having all ra.s= r r.2ry to man
age and take care of, and all [ shall
ever have out of it is my victual and
clothes" Out of his millions all he
enjoyed was comprised in these two
items. Men are most happy when con-
stantly engaged in business, and are
most likely to perform all duties of good
citizens in the most acceptable manner.
Of.ceayse they are :gratffcd if it proves
successful SO that it may guard them and
their families against want. If well and
skillfully conducted most kinds of bu-
siness lead to independence and compe-
tence, which tend to happiness; where
rs the mere possession of wealth, except
with the sordid miser never. confers hap
piness upon mankind. Those who be-
come suddenly rich lose all the pleasure
and reputation derived from conducting
a successful business. One lucky ven
ture will lead to new hazards, and often
occasions a total loss of the first success.
Among all who engage in mercantile
business, not three in a hundred are
computed to die rich. Among those
who seek to become quickly rich, pro
badly not one in a thousand does So
Of the many thousands in California
who suddenly became apparently veal
thy, or were reputed 50, very 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 op.
erations, few, indeed close their career
with wealth. Among the numerous
operators" in land and property, where
a regular business course is not pursued
but a limited number ever come GU
with property, much less large fortunes
We hear much of those who in all thes
matters succeed, but lose sight of tn
infinitely greater number who fail an
and fall into obscurity, poverty and OF
ten into degradation and misery. Tha
I'll. oo-ra.z H. -,oaEosf honaEf nDo