The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1869-11-27
From the Ala California
George Peabody.

George Peabody was one OF the most remarka-
bic men Of our time. Among merchants he has
had no superior among the donors to charities
no equal. HIS career was, to n certain extent,
when eleven years old, a poor boy with a common
school education. and by good Judgment. strict
| attention to business and eminent honesty, he
rose to be one of the leading bankers of London.
He was born ut Danvers, Mass. In 1875 IN
1906 he became a grocer's boy in his native town,
and in 1914, before he was out of his teens, he
was at the head of a wholesale dry goods store IN
Baltimore, where he remained twenty-three years,
gaining rapidly in wealth and reputation all the
time. In 1887, he moved to London, and in lS43
gave up his merchandising business, devoting
himself for the next twenty years to banking.
He was the leading American banker in Europe,
and that position threw u vast and immensely
profitable business into his hands. American
money was deposited in large amounts IN his
bank American business men visiting Europe
went to him European capitalists about to in
vest in American securities asked his advice (;
travellers from the New World met at his rooms,
and inscribed themselves in his register. He be-
came an un -icial representative OF his country.
The business which once went into his hands
never deserted him. His thorough knowledge of
everything he undertook, his vast means. his strict
attention TO business, his excellent reputation, his
kindly manners, made him a model hnancler. tie
was the chief manager OF loans, at American
rates of interest, by capitalists who were accus-
lDUlcu II DC e1IlsUtu Will llC lOH LuIOltdu utc
His recommendation of an American stock some
times enabled the borrower to get five or ten per
cent. more for bonds than would otherwise have
, been obtained. Many of his transactions were
extremely profitable to the other parties, as well
as to HIM.
In 1852 the sum of so 900, his first donation
for public purposes, was given TO his native town
for an educational institute, to which he after
wards gave $25 900. His chief gifts for charity,
however, were made after 1862. when he closed
L.. IL I...a a~1 - Er,A. nfara I.,-.-
ness. To London. where he had made his wealth,
he gave 81, $50, 000 for the benefit of the poor.
To Baltimore. where the foundation of his fortune
was laid, he gave $500 900 for an educational in
stitute to Harvard College he gave Sl5O,OOO,
and To numerous benevolent and educational in
situations which we do not remember distinctly
be gave other large sums. So that his donations
amounted. if we recollect Alright, to 50, 200, 900,
considerably surprising those of any other
person
He was always a plain, straightforward, honest
man, faithful to his native country, and kind To
When over sixty years of age he
visited Danvcrs, and rs the people gave him =
public reception he was compelled to make d
speech. In the course of it he said
Il am stn in heart ths humble boy who left ycnier unprs-
my v3ee whose early opportunities aud advantages are not
very much greater than were my own, and ] have since achieved
nothing that Is impossible 10 the most humble boy among you"
The American Congress thanked him by reso-
luton for his donations to American charities
and Queen Victoria publicly thanked him for his
gifts to the London poor, and gave him her por-
trait. y British poet writes thus:
'For 10 n Queen Of sovereign sway,
OF zoneless empire, quits her throne,
STOPPING To welcome one who comes
A stranger, nameless and unknown;
No comely youth In kniehiy guise
Shining at mfied beauty's knees
A sifverrd head, "A h. meiy form
No more the queenly woman sees.
No more; but in her heart there CLOVIS
The memory Of a noble deed,
OF snccor To her people lent. |
OF princely aid n scr, Il uret,
And graceful Is her fearful smile
As forth she thT1sts n trembling Lond,
And bids him ig her name receive
The homage oi n gsatefCl land
Homage % Goodness! Qnecry NEED
or generous thanks 20 ample Worth
Thus does We Old chlgslric soul
Survive In as 81 later birth; |
Nor dGnbi it, Prompts gs in the heart
OF hll-iis NatUus noblest SON
TEelaggtSs n whose liberal hand !
4 Sovereign thanks has rightly won"