Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-12
THE RoTHscHILDS.
TIE FIRST JEWISH PEER.
The Son Fellows the Father ." n''se'"e
Down the Bars Of P"i"d'ee-fne f"''
tm...,,a,,ou Of the English Jews

Down the BARS OF fWt"""
Emancipation Of the English Jews
Philadelphia Telegraph
We have referred to the significance
Of Sir Nathaniel de Rothschild's elesa-
ton to the pecrsge, but more extended
notice will be Of interest. The history
Of the family is well known, and has
been often repeated. When General
Cuisine. at the head Of French Re-
publican army, took Frankfort-on-the-
Main, the Senate, in order to save the
town from pillage, agreed to pay
heavy ransom within very
limited period. But the money
could not be raised, the capitalists oil
Frankfort not being willing to assist
the Senate. Mayer Anselm de RothS-
child. however, offered to obtain a loan
from the Landgrave Of Hesse-Cassel,
afterwards known as the Elector Will
liam |. The offer was accepted and
the loan was obtained. The house OF
gothschild thus established a position
which was steadily improved in after
years. In 1908, when Napoleon de-
creed the forfeiture of Brunswick and
Hesse-Cassel, William prepared for
fight. lie deposited with Mayer A. de
Rothschld s5,000,000 for safe-keep-
ing. For eight years Mayer held this
sum without interest subsequently he
paid 2 per cent. to the heirs of the Elec-
tor, and in 1898 the whole sum. The
iudicious use of this capital was the
foundation of all the wealth Of the
Rothschilds. The five sons Of Mayer
were Anselm, Solomon, Nathan,
Charles, and James, who became re-
spectiyely heads of the houses at Frank
fort, Vienna. London. Naples, and
Paris. They were all made Barons by
the Emperor Francis Of Austria. They
became controllers Of the finances OF
Europe, and, to certain extent, the
arbiters of peace and war. Houses are
still maintained at Frankfort, Vienna,
London, and Paris, the two last named
being the most important. Special
agents Of the firm are established in
various parts Of the world.
Baron Lionel Nathan, the father Of
the new peer. was the son Of the Baron
Nathan who founded the London house,
and the grandson Of Mayer Anselm,
the founder of the original house of
Frankfort-on-the-Main. Born in Lon
don in November, 1903, just after his
father had established the London
branch of the banking business Of the
ROthschilds, he was married in 1886
under somewhat peculiar circumstances.
His father had come to the conclusion
that in order to perpetuate the fame
and the power of the Rothschilds,
which had already become world
wide, it was necessary that the family
be kept together, and devoted to
the common cause. In order to do this,
he proposed that they should inter
marry. and form no marital unions
outside the family. \ council of the
heads of the house was called az Frank
fort in 1896, and the views OF Baron
Nathan were approved. AS the be.
ginning Of this policy Lionel, the eldest
son of the Baron, was at once united in
to his cousin Charlotte, the
eldest daughter Of Charles Rothschld.
Lionel at this time had not passed his
eighteenth year, and his father died
within a month after the celebration OF
his sons nuptials.
In addition to the prominent position
which he held as a capitalist, he took
an active part in the political history
of his time, and especially in the long
struggle for Jewish emancipation. He
precipita,ed the result Of the agitation
by following the O'Connell precedent,
and obtaining, before the passage of
the emancipation measure, seat in
the House OF Commons for the city OF
London, as colleague of LORD John
Russell, the then Prime Minister.
Walking up to the table Of the House
and refusing to take the oath, as O'Con-
nell did, he achieved a similar result in
at least eXpediting the passage of the
measure which enabled him and his CO.
religionists to become members of the
lower house. lie was first returned to
the House Of Commons in August,
lS47, and though again returned in
June, lS49, in July, 1852, and in
March, 1857, was not permitted to take
his seat and give his vote as a member
Of the House of Commons until 1858,
when the standing orders were set
aside by resolution in favor of him
self and his co-religionists. The oath
of office, previous to 1858, con-
tanned the words. son the true
faith of q Chm. H. Yet al
each election at which he was chosen
and this continued for eleven years
he presented himself and claimed the
right to take such an oath as would be
binding upon his conscience, and thus
obtain his seat. lie was, however, or.
dered to withdraw, which he did
awaiting patiently the fate Of the bill
for Jewish emancipation. This bill
continued to agitate the country foi
several years, the House of Common,
usually passing it and the upper house
rejecting it. In 1858 the Common,
sent up another bill to the Lords.
having fully determined that il
this, too, were lost they would adj
nit Jewish members by resolution o
their own House instead Of by act o.
Parliament. The. Lords, however, gave
way, the bill was passed, and in July
1858, Baron Lionel Nathan took hi,
seat amid the cheers Of the House
Since then several Jews have been
elected to Parliament, but a whole
generation has passed away before the
first of them has found entrance into
the upper house. Baron Lionel con,
tinued as member Of the House of Com
mons for the city of London, save for
few months in 1868. until February
1874, when ne shared in the general de-
feat of the Liberal party.
Baron Lionel died in June, 1879
when he was succeeded as head of tn,
London branch Of the family by Sii
Nathaniel, who now becomes the frs
Jewish member of the House of Lords
Sir Nathaniel having inherited. in 1876
the English barOnetcy which the Queer
had conferred upon his uncle. Sir An
thony, in lS4G. he has never assumed
the Austrian title which was held by hi,
father. In 1867 he married, at the az,
of twenty-seven, one Of his cousins