American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1869-07-24
Baron De Rothschild.


founder of the great banking house
to its treasuary. A brief
accoant of the rise and progress of
this moneyed family, which we find
in Harper's Weekly, will be interest
ing in this place.
Meyer Anselm RothSchild was
born at Frankfort on. the Maine, Ger
many, in 1743, and died there in
1921. He was money-changer and
exchange broker in easy cIrcum-
stances. In the first campaign of
the French Revolution. General Gus
tine, at the head of the Republican
army. took Frankfort, and the Sen
ate, in order to save the town from
pillage, agreed to pay heavy ran
som. To meet the emergency, Meyer
Anselm Rothschild obtained a loan
from his friend the Landgrave of
Hesse- Cassel.
This was the beginning of a series
of transactions which continued
through the war; and in this con-
nection the house of ROthschild &C
quired its first standing i'll the tinan-
cial affairs of Europe. This land
grave, William TX, was one of those
German despots who sold troops to
England during the American Revo-
luton, and afterward during the
wars of the French Revolution. He
accumulated immense sums of
money, but his tricky politics ex-
cited the Indignation of Napoleon.
After the battle of jena, Napoleon
decreed the forfeiture of the States
of Brunswick and Hesse Gassel, and
the French army was put in motion
to enforce the decree. The land
grave was forced to fly but he had
in his vaults twelve millions of
forms (about five millions of dOllars)
in silver. To save this vast amount
of money from the French was a
difficult matter, as it could not be
carried away, and the landgrave had
no confidence i'll his subjects. He
sent for NJ. A. ROthschild, and en-
treated him to take charge of the
treasure, giving him the use of the
money without interest. BY the
assistance OF some friends, Jewish
bankers at Cassel, the money was
carefully slowed away those who
desire to give touch of romance to
the story say that it was hidden in
Rothschlld's garden. But, however
it may have been secreted, it was
the stepping stone to the immense
fortunes of the house of ROthschild.
Meyer Anselm at this time had five
sons, three of .whom-Anselm,
Nathan and Solomon-were of age.
Anseim was sent to Frankfort, while
Nathan was established in England
first in Manchester and subsequent
ly in London-and Solomon became
the ira, cling agent of the house,
visiting the various courts and
princes of Germany who needed
loans. By enterprise and industry
the original capital of this financial
establishment rapidly increased.
Thus in 1913 its managers were ap-
pointed agents for the payment by
England of twelve millions sterling
to Russia, Austria and Prussia-an
operation which was the source of
very considerable profit to the Roths-
childs. When the allied sovereigns
in the same year we're pursuing Ma
poleOn, after his defeat at Leipsic,
and had reached the banks of the
Rhine at Frankfort, the depleted
condition of the Austrian treasury
compelled Prince Metternich, to Dor
row from Rothschild, Jew, because
the merchants Of Frankfort would
not, or could not, respond to imperial
demands. The promptness and the
grace with which the request was
granted was not forgotten. NJ. A
Rothschild was created baron Il
the Austrian Empire his son
Nathan was appointed Austrian
Consul General in Great Britain, and
the whole weight of Austrian i'll
huence was devoted to extend and
secure the moneyed interests Of the
house OF Rothschild.
The Hessian landgrave's money
was retained at the paltry interest
of two per cent. until his death il
1928. NJ. A. Rothschild died III
establishments, at Frankfort, Lon
don, Paris, Vienna, and Naples
Between the brothers there was :
copartnership and perfect unanimity
The foresight and enterprise of the
house, together with this cO-Opera
ton, made it almost despotic in tht
financial affairs of Europe. Sucl
was its influence, that it frequently
decided the issues of peace and war
In 1880 Anselm Rothschild, a
Frankfort, was bold eHought to de
clare: 1.-THE house of Austria dc
sires war, but the house of Roth.
child requires peace" Again, il
1910, when war was on the point o
breaking out between the Porte ano
Mehemet Ali, the RothschildS pre-
served the peace of Europe by argu
ments more potent than could b,
urged by the most eminent states
men.
James Rothschild, the subject o
our sketch, was the last surviving
brother of the original house, ant
now that he is dead, the third gcneI
alton of Rothschilds conduct tn
u mess. James opened the bank
ing hOuse in Paris in 1915. He hat
been appointed Consul-General f.
Austria in France. He had no tast
for political life ; to be the centra
figure of the most powerful CONNER
, cial house that eveI existed, statistic,
his ambition. He gave considerable
, attention to railroad affairs i'll til
r early part of his French connection
and was noted for the boldness O
his ventures in the channels of spec
ulatlon. He was charged with haN
, Ing been the occasion Of much suffer