The Van Buren press., 1869-07-20
Corcoran, the Banker.

We have not many of these princely
fellows who give away million at
handful 1t is worth while to look attei
their blood and bearing Il little. Corco
ran now grows upward IN the sixties
somewhere. He says in his letter OF yes
terday to the directors, that he can
postpone much what he has to do II
these matters OF pubic charities. lie Il
the son of an Irish shoemaker am told
who, seventy years ago, kept his shop IL
Georgetown. As boy, young Corcorai
stood sometimes behind the shop c"un
ter There he grew up to be likely
young fellow ana wanted to set up so!aC
kind OF business for himself and quit the
shoe shop, The moneyed nelghDors be
| lieved IN him aud helped along.
AS he was ucceeilng IN business be
married Miss Morris, II daughter OF th'
old Commodore of that name, ana SIN
brought him more money tnan heirs. IL
the days Of the old National Bank, under
Robert j. Walker, as Secretary OF tbs
Treasury, he became IN ageut for the
sale OF government securities, in some
manner analogous to that of the banking
house of the Cookies, in the late war
From this and other transactions he grew
TO bouuteOus wealth, aud the name oftht
richest man in the District OF Columbia
This wealth he employed generously y fol
himself and others. Ae owned abundant
property. He bought one or two mag
nitcent estates just beyond the limits, III
tAc environs of the city, and litted them
u. like ttuIal lord. The onyirons OF
Washington are the most magnificent in
the wolld-but perhaps this is to be dis
covered yet.
Anyhow, Corcofan's Farm is the
famous drive about Washington still,
though the ivy was torn from its Gothic
gates, and its splendid vegetation sadly
tampered with by soldier here in war
time.
COrcoran has always borne himself
well here, showing mono Of that niggard
,tinginess which 50 often cmptics man 5
soul while be is filing his pockets. lie
has been generous to the poor and prince
y with the public. If be were not held
accountable in the popular mihd for sym
pathes with the South during the war,
Peabody would not out rank him to day
rs agonerous giyer aud public Deneiactor.
Perhaps III the end the New England
philanthropist will not oyer.top the
Sortherner, Put political difference.
aside. The charities OF men like these to
their fellows are things that commence
back OF States, and 90 furtler-bclong
ing to humanity.
They are colossal monuments to un
scllisLness, whose SUBMITS level up to
the high. water mart of mans nobility
and destiny When he has given TO tae
public, Corcoran has given generously,
personal whim which take away Dotn tno
hayor and usefulness OF so many pre-
tended public benefactions. Years ago
he donated to the city OF Georgetown ITS
famous cemetery, and only the other day
drove through its gates and received In
suit from its keeper, with no greater re
dress than the merest stockholdcr. The
gift OF the Art Building Isl deed in fee
simple 10 the city, put in the hands Of
directors, reserving only right to the
public to enter at least on certain days
without paying price. On Christmas
and other holidays in the old times be
fore the war, the inmates the iniirmary
and other institutions Of public charity
here, looked always for a feast out OF
this rich mans purse. II this man was
disloyal in heart to his country, certainly
suoh charity as this may be allowed to
cnp.p q t,,nltttnln { sins
An old citizen and contemporary of
Corcoran tells me an episode ofhis early
life, illustrating his character. CommeAc-
ing business, Corcoran borrowed tive
thousand dollars, giving his note, inlors.
sd by Mr. Whitney, rich man here
then. lie failed in ability to meet the OBJ
legation, and his friend suffered the loss,
Yeas aftcrward, Whitney was dead, bis
widow poor, and Corcoran had commenc-
cd prosperity. Mrs. Whitney lived in a
little tenement house just nj the foot OF
Capitol Hill, and took boarlcrs. Ono
day the banker drove up in. his gig, before
the door, and, going in, surprised the
widow by inQuiring for the note she re-
membered something Of the loss, but no.
thing Of the whereabouts Of the indors'
ed papers Corcoran waived his demand
for the latter, aud drawing from his check
book draft upon himself for the five
thousand dollars, with generous inter
est from date, and considerable sun
besides, banded it to the poor and CRATE
fully astonished landladv, who, from that
day, lived IN comfort, with the millionaire
banker for n friend Washington Cor
| (tUu Cota,1prci1I