Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1872-02-01
THE ROTHSCHILDS.

Money-making wa. the one pursuit and
sole enjoyment Of Nathan Ro,hschild's
life. whca Louis Spchr. the great Ger
man musician. called on him in the sum
mer Of lsa0. with letter Of introduction
from his brother Amschcl. Of Frankfort.
he said to him. II understand nothing Of
music. This-patting his pocket. and
rattliny the loose coins thcrein-''this is
my music. which we understood on
Change" twas in the scramblinss and
hghtings. not at all in the spending. aud
not much in the hearding Of il, that his
soul delighted.
IL hope" said dinner companion on.
one occasion. II hope that your children,
are uos too fond of moaey and business, 70
the exclusion OF more important things
am sure you would not wish that" II
am sure ,roHii wish that" replied Na-
than; II wish them 10 give up mind aud
body, heart and soul, to business. This is
the way to be happy. |, requires deal
ot caution to make a good fortune, and
when YOU have got it. It requires ten times
as much wit to keep it. Hence, when two
eminent clergymen, who took warm in-
ierest in the Jews. called upon him with
view TO induce him TO aid in the rcs.or-
alton To Palestine, rs his great wealth, il
was thought. might influence the Sultan.
Nathan declined. upon the all-potent plea
that London was his Palestine. aud that
he could not further such an object in any
way"
On another occasion German prince
visiting London brought letters of credi.
to the house Of Ro,lrschild. lie was shown
into the private room of the famous count
ing house in St. Swithin's Lane. where
Nathan sat absorbed with heap Of pa
pers before him. The name being an
nounced. Rothschild nodded, offered his
visitor chair. and wen, on with the work
befJSe him. For this treatment the prince.
who expected that everything should give
way TO ore Of his rank and dignity. was
not prepared. Standing minute or two.
he exclaimed. did you not hear. sir, who
| am! | am--repca,ei his titles at
full length. '.Oh. very well !" exclaimed
Nashan, with sly humor. take two chairs,
then"
y! another time two strangers were adj
mittcd into the same private room. They
were tall foreigners, with boards and
mohstaches. such rs were unknown in tho
City before the beard mania set in so
powerfully rs it has donc Of late :: anu
Nathan was frightened at their appear
ance. He pu, his own Interpretation upon
the excited movements with which they
fumblcd about in their pockets: and. be-
fore the expected pistols could be pre-
duced. he had thrown great ledger in
the direction of their heads. and brought
in bevy of clerks by his loud cries Of
"Nurdcr.' The strangers were pinioned.
and after long questionings and explana-
iions. it appeared that they were wealthy
bankers from the Continent, who, nervous
| in presence Of banker so much more
wealthy than themselves, had founl some
difficulty in producing the letters Of intro
duction with which they were armed.
\ terrible aneclote of another sort is
recorded of Nathan's son during hs elcc-
ton as one of the Members for the City.
We all rccollect the persistent way in which
the electors returnedAiim 10 Parliament
for years before the Legislature threw
open its doors to the long -despised Jew
At his first election, when on the hustings.
he boosted that he stood there As the FREQ
choice Of the people. 80 stood Barab-
bas.' deliberately exclaii',ed deep stern
voice from the crowd-a sarcasm which.
for its cruel vindictivercss, perhaps stands
without parallel.
The same intense spirit Of money making
appears to have been equally the manis
Of all the Ro;hschiids. OF James, tho
youngest son of Meyer. aud head of the
Paris house, who once entertained Napo-
leon III. in such an imperial manner at his
Chateau Ferrieo, and died III 1868. leav-
ing. according to public rumor. the collos-
sal fortune Of ~ 500, ,000i il is related. as
proof of the strength Of the ruling pas
sion within him, that fcresecing his death
would cause great fall in the shares of
the Lombard Company, of which lie was
the president and chief support, he specu.
lated largely for the fall just before he
died by which means the immense prof
its accruirg therefrom went 10 the benefit
Of his heirs.