Arizona miner., 1866-08-08
Arizona 5Niner.
GEORGE PEABODY.

tnlted StatCs, alter long ana successful business career in London
 Mr. Peabody's welcome back to the land of his birth will be hearty. Although aprivate citizen, bis life has been so distinguished and his benelactions have been SO munifcent, that he belongs to the public, and his past record is one of which bis countrymen particularly have reason Co be proud.
 Born iu Danyers, Massachusetts, on the 18th of February, l795, he had at first to struggle with poverty, like most of our very rich men. Beginning his commercial career as a clerk with Danvers grocer, at the age of eleven; afterwards employed in the same capacity at Thctforl, Ycrnont, and at NewburyPort, Massachusetts, be gradually but slowly i'm proved his condition, until, in 1874, he became managing partner in a wholesale dry goods house with Mir. Elisha Riggs, at Georgetown D. c. the latter furnishing the capital. The next year the house was removed to Balti- moru and prospered, and in 1922 branch houses were established Tn New York and Philade- phia In le2g, by the retirement of Mir. Riggs, Mr. Peabody became the senior part ner in the house, and in 1857 he took up his permanent residence in England having pre- vlously visited that country on private busi- ness, as well as to transact important negotia- tions entrusted to him by the State of Mary land
 In lS43 Mr. Peabody withdrew from the dry goods business, and established himselfin London as merchant and banker; his house soon becoming the headquarters of Americans in London, and the centre of American news and intelligence
 His first large gift, sent in 1852 to his na- tive town of fDanvers, was a cheek for SEQ 900 ! to be be expended in the the founding of library and institute. This handsome c,tr was afterwards increased to S6OOOO. besides an additional Sl0,00Ofor an additional library at North Danyers. He also contributed Sl0OOO to the first Grinnel Expedition to the Arctic Ocean, and in ls56-7 gave $500, ,OOO ! to found scientific and literary institute at Baltimore, with a pledge to increase this sum to S5O0,OOO.
 His largest and most notable donations. however, have been made to the poor of the city where the most of his fortune has been made They amount in all to E45O,O ,OO0 ster- lins-a gift so magnificent as to have lately received the especial acknowledgment of Queen Victoria, in letter. This unprece- dented donation was not the display of an and exceptional liberaIity. but was so much in harmony with MT. Peabody's known generosity of character, as to deserve the universal commendation it received.
 The following is the pleasant letter of the Queen:
 WINDSOR CASTLE, March 2S, 1866. The Queen hears that Mir Peabody intends shortly to return tO America. and she would be sorry that he should leave England with put being assured by herself how deeply she the noble act of more than princelv munificence by which he has sought to re- eye the wants of the poorer classes of her ! subjects residing in London It is an act. AS the Queen believes, wholly without parallel. md which will carry its best reward in the z of having contributed SO largely Ii tic assistance of those who can little heip 2 themselves. The Queen would not, however. o nave been satisfied without giving Mir. Pea body some public mark of her sense of his and that she would gladly have ' conferred upon him either baronetcy. or the V ,ra2d cross of the Order of the Bath. but that II he understands Mir Peabody to feel himself A lebarred from accepting such distinctions. It ., 'niy remains, therefore, for the Queen to give hr. Peabody this assurance of her personal e ceilings, which she would further wish to ci mark by asking him to accept a miniature c. 'ortraItof herself which, when finished. can lther be sent to him to America, or given to :. nm on the return, which, she rejoices to hear. ' e meditates to the country that owes him t 0 much" il To this letter Mir Peabody thus happily e eplied, under date of April 3rd: D MADAM-I feel sensibly my inability to ex- ress in adequate terms the qualification with f Thich have read the letter which your Ma |, 'sty has done me the high honor of transmit Ing by the hands of Earl Russell, on the oc- C asiOn which has attracted your Majesty's at c sntiOn, of setting apart portion ofmy prop q -ty to ameliOrate the condition and augment I ne comforts Of tine poor of London. r have been actuated by deep sense of F to God, who has blessed me with rosperity, and of attachment to this great 'untry, where, under your Maiesty's benign lie, have received so much personal kind- 'ss and enjoyed so many years of happiness. Next to the approval of my own conscience shall always prize the assurance which your D tier conveys to me of the appreciation ofthe = aeen of England, whose whole life has at sted that her exalted station has in no dc ee diminished her sympathy with the hum- est of her subjects. - The portrait which your Majesty is gra- 1usiy pleased to bestow on me, shall value
 the most precious heirloom that can we in the land of my birth, where, together th the letter which your majesty has ad- tn essed to me, it will ever be regarded as evil e.g nee of the kindly feeling of the Queen ofthe sr nited Kingdom towards citizen of the Uni q States.
 Mr Peabody, although now past seventy 'ars ofage, has, we trust, yet before him any years of vigorous life and usefulness. e has already accomplished life work with ,n ,n