Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-04-26

Nobility Made UseiuI-AlI About that
HOwIing swell" who has "Gone
into Twade.o
From the New Orleans Pieayune.l
The Duke Of Argyle, the English Sec
retary of State for India, has put his
youngest son, Lord Colin Campbell, into
a commercial house in the tea trade.
The Campbells are among the Oldest no.
hility of Scotland, and were Barons and
Earls before the oldest families of the
existing English peerage. The dukedom
Of Argyle is comparatively modern, be-
ing only one hundred and sxty-eight
years old, but there was an Earl of Ar.
gyle in Scotland, ancestor of the Duke,
before there was an earldom of Derby,
the eldest Of oil the English earldoms.
The Duke sits in the British House
of Lords by virtue of his title of Lord
Campbell. The putting of scion OF this
house regularly in trade is remarkable
sign of the revolution Of social ideas in
England since the beginning Of the CEN
tury. Before that era, the social preju-
dices of the aristocracy of England were
strongly against the commercial and
trading people. To engage in trade was
a degradation to any branch Of a
noble family, aud even to what is
called in England the gentry, mean
ing untitled persons of long de-
scent and hereditary fortunes. For
the daughter of these exclusive families
to marry man in trade was to descend
out of her sphere, and be given up as
castaway. By SLOW degrees, the power
of wealth actually earned has forced it.
self over these barriers, and has com.
PEELED respect to the callings which create
the wealth. The great merchants and
bankers pressed themselves on the at
tention of the Government as the neces-
ssry men to help the credit and finances
of the country, and were themselves
made peers. The influence which gained
this step has enlarged itself, from time
to time, steadily, until the middle classes
have grown into power enough to control
the Government in the House of Com
mons, and the aristocracy, waning in its
power to provide for its dependents, by
monopolizing the employments of State
for cadets of great families, gives up
its exclusiveness and sets its own
children to industrial employmeuts.
The incident that the Duke of
Argyle has devoted son regularly to
commerce as his profession is notable,
because he is of very high rank and
large possessions, and his example, as a
very distinguished public man, in poll
tics and literature, is likely to be consid-
cradle over the minds of the nobility of
lower grades, in which class prejudices
are likely to linger longest, because the
line of separation to be passed over is
slight, and the pride of privilege more
cherished in consequence. But the fact
is not new one. OF late years con-
siderable number of younger sors of the
English nobility have sought their own
fortunes by engaging in business occu-
pations; and there is one remarkable in
stance of living peer, very high in rank,
an enormous estate, on |
grounds of punctilious honor, and taking |
laborious employment to support himself |
and family with the salary. We refer to the |
present Duke of Buckingham, when, in
the lifetime of his fstherhe was Marquis
Of Chandos. The Duke of that day was
q reckless spendthrift, for whom great
rent roll was insufficient He spent and
.alaRdered until he was in debt several
millions of pounds sterling, Of which his
creditors had no prospect of payment
beyond his lifetime, as the estates were
sntailed on the eldest son, and could not
;e made liable without his consent The
Marquis, for the honor of his house and
he sake of justice, voluntarily entered
nto an agreement, by which enough of
he estates were sold, and the income of
he remainder was appropriated, to pay
If the creditors, and took employment,
IN q salary, as chairman of the London
md Northwestern railroad. In this there
vas nobility Of soul more honorable
han the Dukedom, whose good name he
edeemed.
The Duke of Argyle does bis son an
ct of judiciops kindness in putting him
nto the way of taking care of himself
he Argyle estates may be large; but
be family is very numerous. The Duke
5 but forty-six years Of age, and is the
ather of twelve children, some of whom
nust be meagerly provided for, if they
re not taught to earn anything. The
ressure Of an idle class on the public
nd Gu theis kindred is growing too
trong in England 10 continue. Men
Tho have little or nothing must work
ow or be dispersed, although dukes and
arls be their ancestors; and Lord Colin
,ampbell, the tea merchant, if be inherit
he mentsl force and energy of his
lther, may make himself as respectable
nd as much respected as if he we're a
uke.