Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-12-31
Memoir of the House of Rothschild.

lies to SOM gallant exploit, or some lucky ac
cident, which suddenly raised the ancestor o
the house from obscurity, and provided him
at the same time with legend to his coat OF
arms. The representatives of such families
are born personages of history their name
title and estate-their position in the country
descending to them by inheritance, and so
continuing from generation to generation, till
war or revolution damages OF removes the old
landmarks of society. But there are other
origins which II would be vain to endeavor to
arrive Mt by a similar process; the origins of
houses that rise steadily, not suddenly, in their
peculiar career, aud the success OF which is
not secured by a single incident, hut distrbu-
ted evenly over the lifetime of one or more
generations. In such cases, the germ of pros
perity must be sought for in the family mind
in the idiosyncrasy OF the raee--in the theory
by which their conduct in the world is gov
erned and the first accident, which attracts
the attention of the vulgar as tue origin of
their fortane, is merely a point doppui select
ed by torethought and resolution. The rise of
the house OF Rothschild presents a very re-
mNrkahle Illustration of this view of qucs-
tion which will never cease to be interesting
and affords Il striking instance of the natural
and simple means by which those vast results
are obtained which it is customary 10 ascribe
to chance or miracle
In the middle OF the last century there
lived in the town of I'gulrsrt-un the Maine,
a husband and wife of the Hebrew persuasion,
who lavished all their cares upon son, whom
they destined for the profession of n school
master The boy, whose name was Meyer An
selm Rothschild, and who was born at Frank
fort in the year lTla, exhibited such tokens of
capacity that his parents made every effort in
their power to give him the advantage of
good education; and with this view he spent
some years at Firth, going through such a car
riculum of study as appeared to be proper
The youth, however, had a natural bent to-
wards the study OF antiquities; and this led
him more especially to the examination of an
cent COINS in the knowledge of which he at
tanned TO considerable proficiency. Here was
one step onward in the world for, in after
years, his antiquarian researches proved the
means of extending and ramilyng hia connec-
tions in society, as well as Of opening out TO
him source of immediate support. His pa
rents, however, who were noted as pous and
upright characters, died when he was yet
boy, in his eleventh year; and ON his return
to Frankfort, he set himself TO learn practical-
ly the routine of the connting-house.
After this We find him in Hanover in the en-
tIn Of
affairs he conducted for several years with care
and fidelity and then we see opening out un-
der his auspices, in his native city, the germ
of that mighty business which was destined
to act so powerfully upon the governments of
Europe Before establishing the little bank
ing-house, Meyer Anselm Rothschild prepared
himself for the adventure by marrying; and
his prudent choice, there is no doubt contrib
uted greatly to his eventual success in the
world.
About this time n circumstance is said to
have occurred to which the rise OF the Roths-
childs from obscurity is ascribed by those who
find it necessary to trace such brilliant effects
to romantic and wonderful causes. The Prince
OF Ilesse-Cassel, it seems, in flying from the
approach of the republican armies, desired, as
he passed through Frankfort, TO get rid of
large amount in gold and jewels, in such away
as might leave him a chance of its recovery
after the storm had pas sed by. With this view
he sought out the humble money-changer, who
reluctantly consented TO take charge of the
treasure, burying 1t in corner of his garden
just at the moment when the republican troops
entered the gates Of the city. His orR prop
erty he did not conceal, for this would have |
occasioned search and cheerfnlly sacrificing
the less for the preservation of the greater, he
reopened his Office AS soon as the town was
quiet again, and recommended his daily routine |
Of calm and steady industry. But he knew too /
well the value Of money to allow the gold to
lie idle in his garden. lie dug it forth from
time to time as he could use it to advantage
and, in fine, made such handsome profits upon
his capital, that on the dukes return in 1902
he offered to refund the whole, with five per
cent interest. This of course was not accept
ed The money was left to fructify for twenty |
years longer, at the almost nominal interest of |
two per cent; and the dukes influence was |
used, besides, with tie allied sovereigns in
1914 to obtain business for "the honest jew |
in the way of raising public loans.
The "honest Jew,n unfortunately, died two
years before this date, in 1872; but the whole
story would appear to be either entirely
a romance, or greatly exaggerated. Roths-
child must have already been eminent as a
banker, or he would hardly have been selected
by the Prince of Hesse-Cassel us the deposit
tary OF II sum amounting, it is said, to $780,
900, exclusive of the jewels. At any rate, it
was in the year 1901 he was appointed agent
to the landgrave, afterwards Elector to Hesse;
and in the next year indicated rs that of
the princes rehrn) loan of 10000, 900 was
contracted with the Danish court through the
house OF Rothschild. Before this and neces-
sarily no doubt-his knowledge and the tried
recttnde of his condnct had gained him gen
eral confidence his wealth had increased, and
an enormous extension OF the field of his op-
eraions Ind taken place. The fact appears TO
be, that by this time the banker of Frankfort
was more in the habit of rendering assistance
than of requiring it and the grand duke of
the day, to whom the Israelites owed their civ
ic and political rights, nominated him mem-
Der Of the electoral college, expressly as IA re-
ward for his generous services to his fellow
citizens.
The personal character OF Meyer Anselm
Rothschild is one OF small consequence in the
history of the house-tor their dead father may
be said to direct 10 this hour the operations of
his children In every important crisis he is
called into their counsels; in every difficult
question his judgment is invoked aud when
the brothers meet in consultation, the pater-