Weekly commercial herald. (Vicksburg, Miss.) 1884-18??, 1886-01-22

NtpAy VNAAu ANNGNluaAu nAA5Ab -
filed the grcai Offices Of state that lead up
to the premiership.
A man Of conspicuous ability, he could
fairly have loOkel forward to this post OF
honor and Of power. Tho situation il full
Of temptations to a moralist The author
who worked out the possibilities Of creation
in the hands Of Satan would in1 plenty OF
material for speculation in the possibilities
Of an English policy, foreign Or otherwise,
with John Neeiham at Downing street.
1t may be that after his first deprsdations,
which would have given him command Of
untold wealth, John Needham might have
paused AMI given his country q chance.
John Nesdham above want, beyon the
reach Of financial difficulty, might have de-
veloPe1 a higher phase Of character than it
is the historians duty to exhibit with the
existing materials; for, so far as the facts
are concerned, John Needham, at the time
of his introduction to office under the adj
ministration Of Lord Aberdeen, was a swim
der and q thief; and thu circumstances in
which he was placed at later date might
have led even a less desperate mar to the
committal Of the most serious crime known
TO the law.
If the new lord Of the treasury ever had
made his way to the premiership he could
have been as rich as the wealthia3t of the
Rothschilds, AMI he would; for III his APP
pointment he already contemplated the next
step on the road to it. T1e secretaryship Of
the treasury would naturally conn easily
and soon to q man Of his abilitI. The patron
age and emolum9nts of this Office would
have teon turnel to quick AMI profitable &C
count; AMI think of the vast wealth that o
chancellor Of tho excheqler, operating di-
TecSy CT indirectly in thu city, could realize
with a simDle stroke Of the penn
Fortunately for the country, some Of Mr..
Needham's commercial and financial under
takings began to be seriously troub esome
to him JUS when his political fortunes were
most smiling. Indeed he was SO pressed for
funds, almost Immediately after his ap-
pointment, that he commenced to traffic
financially with his official knowledge be-
fore he had properly guarded his outposts
from the active enemies which his political
treachery had created.
Financial reputation is a sensitive plant,
1t will shrivel even at a rumor; while the
mere suggestion Of doubt upon the financial
honesty Of a member of the government
would blight the most fourishing career.
You may say that a minister is politically
dishonest; you may ever charge MIN with
sacrificing the best interests of humanity
for the sake of Office; you may go so far as
to say that he Il in league with the enemies
Of his country in the furtheranca of a
wicked and murderous foreign policy, and
you shall not hurt him; but say he has com
mitted a shady commercial transaction,
Show that he has used his power to specu.
late i'll tho funds, convict him Of soma
money tran action that is not consistent
with his honor as a minister Of the crown,
and You hurl him from Office and blast his
name forever.
Fate did not give Mr.. Needham time tc
grow into a trst-class ministerial fraud; il
nlpped hin in the veriest bud. A whisper
from the Stock Exchange killed mis- treasury
lordship almost in aday. can intimation,b
to quote the careful words Of the journal
istic ~chroniclsr, from the right honorable
gentleman who is responsible for the treas
ury business, backed by the approval of tho
noble earl who led the cabinet, that her
majesty would be graciously pleased to dis
pense with his further services, resulted in
his designations"
liner began his downfall. He had looked
up at the Other heights in the range Of his
ambition with the confidence Of thu Alpine
climber, who only sees in them new tri-
umphs. Bat he hal reached the top of his
mountain whon th) spring sunshine gildod
its apex on that May day of our previous
chapter. Henceforth the path was down
ward, and far more perilous than the as
cent
"ls it truo that Needham has rctiredY'
asked one city man of another.
Yes"
What has gone wrongF'
ii many other engagements, thu alb
sorbing nature of his private occupations, "
said the other with a cynical smile.
And down vent the shares in every com.
pany with which he was prominently asso.
ciated.
why has ho resignal% asked a poll
tician at the club.
"Because they have found him out" an
sweral his enemy, 'as we dill in ireland.
Does a man Of his character, with the ball
at his fee, throw up the gamo Of his own
free will! He is a Swindler, sir, politically
and financially"
''Strong language" remarked tho cues
toner, ''and especially so when applied to q
millionaire; . call pettifoggors by thosa
names, not chlirmel Of grea5 banks and
corporations" SAID the other.
Wait" exclaimed the enemy, who fell
he had Needham by tho throat; wait and
watch; you will see his millionaireship in
queer street before many days are over"
Multiply the5o takers by ten, and calcu.
late the volume Of the whispers and rumors
and explanations they would create in -four
and twenty hour. II they had been falss
they would have seriously affected Mr..
Needham's credit. Being true, they crushed
him.. The city firm with which he had
done business began to'examine the securi.
ties he had placel in their hands; the banks
required payment Of overdrafts, and his
margins in rojp9c5 of cqrrent operations in
stocks were suddenly closed. He was asked
to retire from thu chairmanship Of thu
English aud County Banking corporation.
and he did SO, fighting desperately to keen
back the dreadful exposure which for over
q period Of five years he had had reason ia
dread and fear. Tempted to meet reverses
in speculation by forgery, he had gone on
staving of tho inevitable in the sams way
hoping for some great stroke Of fortune to
pull him through. 1t came, when it was
too late. But for the necessity of USING his
official influence while it was vet green. be
might have lived to convert the secretorv.
ship to the treasury into a means of
emancipation; but Tho ministerial briba
of Office had not come in time for the Use he
meant to make of it; and with the first blush
IF his honOrS thick unnn hin, IN 1;....