The Opelousas courier., 1885-06-20
The Rothschilds.
A SKETCH OF A FAMOUS FAMILY.

ne
A SKETCH OF A FAMOUS FAMILY.
This famous firm of Hebrew bankers
and capitalists, which is known
throughout the world, originated in
the city of Frankfort, Germany.
In the J~udengasse, or Jews alley, u
short distance from the chief thorough
fare, 142 years ago, ived q dealer in
old clothes who had a red shield for q
sign, which in German reads Roth
Schild. 1t was in 1743 that a son was
born to this sraelite. The name CIV
en- to the boy was Anselm Meyer, who
also became a clothes dealer and q
pawn. broker, succeeding to the bust
ness of his father. By degrees he ex-
tended his business lending money at
high rates of interest during the
Of the last century, managing his al
fairs with such skill that Prince Will
liam, the. Landgrave, made him his
banker. When Napoleon came across
the Rhine in 1906, this clothes dealer
was directed to take care OF the treas
ure of the Prince, amounting 30 ST.
600, 600, which he invested 80 judiclous-
~ that it brought large increase to the
owner and especially to the manager.
This banker died in 1912, leaving
an estate estimated at $4,000, OO0-not
a very large sum these days-but he
left an Injunction upon his FIVE sons,
which was made binding BY an oath
given by the SONS around his death
bed, which has had and still has a
powerful influence upon the world.
The SONS bound themselves by oath
to follow their fathers business to-
gether, holding his property in part
nership, extending the business, that
the world might know of but one house
of the red shield (Rothschild).
OATH OF THE ROTHsCHILDS.
The sons were true to their GA til.
The eldest. Anselm, born 1873, and
who died in lS45, was his fathers part
ner and successor at Frankfort. The
second, Solomon, born in l774, died
10 1855, was established as the repre-
sentative of the house at Vienna. The
third, Nathan Meyer, born l776, and
died in 1886, settled at London, and
was the leading member and ablest
fnancier in the firm. The fourth,
Charles, born 1888, died 1856, went to
Naples, and James born 1892, ed
1869, to Paris. The five brothers thus
occupied great financial centers, and
were geographically located in excel
lent positions to use their financial
power and skill to the best advantage.
Nathan, in London, amassed money
with great rapidity, and the same may
be said of all the others, the a of
Napoleon being favorable to the busl-
ness of the house. Nathan went to
the Continent to witness operations of
Wellington in. his last campaign
against Napoleon, prepared to act
with the utmost energy, let the result
be as it might. He witnessed the bat
tie of Waterloo, and when assured of
Napoleon's defeat rode all night, with
relays of horses, to Ostend went across
the Channel in a fshing-smack-for
it was before the days of steam-rea-
ched London in advance of all other
messengers, and spread the rumor that
Wellington and Butcher were defeated.
The Goth of June in that memorable
year was a dismal day in London.
The battle was fought on the 18th
Nathan Meyer, of the Red Shield, by
hard riding reached London at mid
night on the 10Th. On the morning of
the Goth the news was oVe the town
that the cause of the allies was lost,
that Napoleon had swept all before
him. England had been the leading
spirit in the struggle against Napoleon.
The Treasury of Great Britain, it will
be remembered, had supplied funds
to nearly all of the allied powers.
IL their cause was lost what hope
was there for the future ? Bankers few
from door to door in eager haste to
sell their stocks. Funds of every des-
cription went down. Anselm Meyer
was besieged by men who had funds
for sale, but he was not in the market.
He had no desire to buy. He, too, had
stocks for sale. What would they
But meanwhile he had scores of
agents purchasing. Twenty four hours
later Wellington's messenger arrived
i'm London the truth was known. The
nation gave vent I'd its joy up went
the funds with rapidity, the general
advance pouring, it is said, 8 5000, 900.
into the Golfers of this one branch of
the house of the Red Shield.
The House of the Red Shield is the
greatest banking house in the world
mightiest Of all times, and has
made it's power felt the world over
in the Tnileries Of Paris, in the Min
isterial Chamber of Berlin, in the I'm
perial Palace at st. Petersburg, in the
Vatican at Rome, in the Bank of Eng
land, in Wall street, State street and
by every New England freside. The
House of the Red Shield, by the exer-
else of its financial power, a make a
difference in the yearly account OF
every maj who reads these words of
mine Though Anselm Meyer has been
half a century dead, though several of
his son have gone down TO the grave,
the house is the same. The grand
children have the spirit of the child
The children of the brothers have
intermarried, and it is one family, 10y
al TO each other, carrying ont the de-
sire of the founder of the firm, and
animated by a common purpose, that
the world shall only know one Red
CHEAP MEAT.-Mr. C. "a. Comeau is
choice beef at his stall in our
-~MT~-A-A I#A-- ~. I-s1