The Nevada Democrat., 1858-01-20
Riches and vanity.

Riches and vanity
The vanity of riches is seldom illustrated so
strkingly as in the case Of the great English
millionaire, Morrison, who died worth $20,00O,-
600. 1t seems TO be one Of the conditions of the
accumulation Of enormous wealth in single
generation, that the possessor shall first dis
qualify himself from enjoying it, and in some
cases even appreciating the fact that he holds
II. Mr.. Morrison accumulated this almost fab
ulous amount himself, and In the regular course
of his business, without any extraordinary turn
Of fortune; yet the following extract from
letter in the Boston Post shows how little bene-
fit he permitted himself to receive from all his
wealth. What a satire it is upon the exclusive
devotion of all the faculties to the mere aceu-
mutation Of property:
Mr.. Morrison retired from active business
several years since, without Withdrawing his
capital from the mercantile house, and though
msnaging bis vast funds himself up to the time
Of his death with all the sagacity of earlier days.
be has for the past three years been pos
sessed with the idea that he should come to
want. More than two years ago he commenced
doing day labor upon farm held by one of his
tenants, for which he received twelve shillngs
q week, and this he continued up to the time of
his Illness. For the last eighteen months he has
been regular applicant for relic: TO the par
ish, assembling twice week with the town pau
pers at the door Of the Union and receiving
with each one of them his two shillings and a
quartern loaf His friends have indulged him
in these fancies on the ground that it was the
best choice Of the tive evils The truth was,
money was his god, and the idea became at last
too great for him, and broke him down. And
yet he is said to have made most judicieus
will, and his investments up to the last are char
acterized by great good sense. The probate
duty on his will exceeds 100000.
A TEUToNIc TRADEsMAN.-Board of Trade
arc great Inventions, and usually consist of old
fogy merchants who assemble once menth or
oftener, to illustrate to the world that success
is not all the criterion of merit The Board Of
Trade, or as it is called, the Chamber Of Com
merce, in New York, is an exception, as there
is really something accomplished by it. In
Philadelphia, ON the contrary, it is an amazing
ly slow coach, and accomplishes literally moth
ing but the escape of verbosity and the passage
of resolutions which are never afterwards acted
upon. or late. in order to try to put some vi
tality into the Board Of Philadelphia, they have
agreed to admit retailers and others who have
before been excluded. By employing can
vasser to procure names, they have thus sue
ceeded of late in adding thirty more members
to their list. At the last meeting there we're a
goodly number of the latter class in attendance
Among them was Dutch grocer named R..
who has managed by system OF rigid economy
to accumulate about ten thousand dollars in
real estate. At this meeting Mr.. K, who il
the talking member of the Board, was discussing
the per centage which ought to be made by the
retailer, compared with that realized by the
jobber. He then called upon r. for his opinion
r. is man of extreme ignorance and felt fiat
tered by the invitation to enlighten body Of
merchants" "Shentlemench," said he II is
ont Won big dealer; L vas commenced beesiness
two years ago mitout capital; | open Won gro
cery; init cot fish, und molasses und one barrel
of whlskey; WELL L goes on, and by-and-by |
gets big grocery store; NIT a box China man
In der winder, and horse and Wagon to 90
to market. But j know nothing about der
bookkeeping nor deeskouuts nor der per cents;
but den tells you what knows, Ikj,ows aohcn
buys sugar for Ue cent, and sell for ten cents,
den makes moneyW That is about as much as
much as a great many know of business.