The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-12-09

The lecturer concluded by repeating that adver-
Using must be frequent, generous, and well con-
sldered.
John Jacob Astor's Plan for Colonizing
Astoria.
James Parton, the historian, gives the fol-
lowing account of Astor's greatest operation:
The browning glory of Mr.. Astor's mer-
camille career was that vast aud brilliant emit
erprise which Washington Irving has COM
memurated in Astoria" No other siagle
individual had ever set on foot a scheme so
extensive, so difficult and 30 costly as this;
nor has any such enterprise been carried out
with such sustained energy and perseverance.
| To establish line OF trading posts from st.
| Louis to the Pacific, four months journey
| in land of wilderness, prairie, mountain
and desert, to found permanent settlement
ON the Pacific coast as the grand depot of
! furs and supplies-to arrange a plan by
which furs collected should be regularly
trans ported to China, and the ships return to
! New York, laden with tea aud silks, and then
! return once more to the Pacific coast to re-
| peat the circuit-to maintain sll parts of this
/ scheme without the expectation of any but q
remote profit, sending ship after ship before
! any certain intelligence OF the fret ventures
! had arrived-thls was enterprise which
! had been memorable If 1t had been under
taken by a wealthy corporation or powerful
government, instead Of private merchant
unaided BY any resources but his own.
/ At every moment in the conduct of this
magnificent attempt Mr.. Astor appears the
great man. His parting instructions to the
captain OF his first ship call 10 mind those of
Gen. Washington to St. Clair on similar
occasion ''AH the accidents that have yet
happened" said the merchant, arose from
too much confidence in the Indians" The
ship was iOst few days alter, by the disre-
gard OF this last warning. When the news
reached New York Of the massacre of the
crew and blowing up OF the ship, the man
who few into passion at seeing little boy
drop wine glass behaved with a composure
that was the theme of general admiration
} He attended the theatre the evening,
l and entered heartily into the play. Mr.
Irving relates that n triens having expressed
surprise at this, Mr.. Aston replied
"What would you have me do? Would
. you have me stay at home and weep tor what
|, cannot heip?"
This was not indifference for when. after
nearly two years of weary waiting, he heard
of the safety aud success Of the overland ex-
: petition, he was 80 overjOyed that he coulc
> scarcely contain himself.
II felt ready" said he ito fall upon my
t knees in transport of gratitude"
E 4 touch In one OF his letters sho WIS the alb
| solute confidence he felt in his own ludg
Inept and abilities, q confidence invariably
exhibited bv men of the first executive tai
emit:
"Were on the spot" he wrote TO one o.
his agents when the affairs of the settlement
: appeared desperate, land had the manage
ment of Affairs, / would defy them all but
: as it is, everything depends on you and thu
a friends about you Our enterprise is grand
a. Nd in
q ! will meet it If nv object were merely gair
n of money. should say. think whether it il
: best to save what we had and abandon tn
= place; but the thought is like a dagger u
{ my heart
n He intimates here that his object was no
Is merely gain of money" What was
> then
u Mr. Irving informs US that il was the de
( sire IF fame We should rather say tha
- when nature endows a man with remarka
= BILE gift she also impisnts within him tn
|. love .. exercising it. Astor loved to plan
1t vast, far-reachiug enterprise. He loved it q
% Morphy loved to play chess, as Napoleon
c, loved to plan q campaign, As Raphael love,
is to paint and Handel to compose.
r, The war of 1872 foiled the enterprise.
N But for that war" Mr.. Astor used TO say
II should have been the richest man tina
:, ever lived" lie expected 70 60 spending
! money for several years, and then to gain
C steady annual profit of millions. II was
a however. that very war that enabled him t
i, eustain the enormous losses of the en,erpris
/ without injury to his estate, or even a NOM
entary Inconvenience. During the first yea
: of the war he had the luck to receive two o
q three cargoes of tea from China, despite tn
It British cruisers. In the second year of til
C. war, when the government was reduced t
E. borrow at 80. he invested largely in the loan
which, one year after the peace, stood q
120
n
Mutiiiated National Bank Notes.