The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1910-03-05
HAYM sALOMON, PATRIOT.
jew Broker Was Real Financier OF
Revolution.

Haym Solomon, the Jew broker,
whose money made possible the sue
cess Of the American Rvolution waa
native Of Poland, the land Of Pu-
laski and Kosivsko, the brave fell
lows who unsheathed their swords for
human liberty, writes DR.. Madison c.
Peters. in the Washington Post
Salomon was born at Lissa in 174O,
OF Portuguese decent. His family
was highly respectable and learned
After visiting many countries and ac-
quiring various languages, Solomon
came to America, probably soon after
the partition Of Poland in 1872.
In 1878 he was taken prisoner in
New York by the British general. Sir
Henry Clinton, on charges that he
had received orders from Washington
to burn fleets and store houses, and
had made the attempt.
But Salomon got into trouble ear
lier than this for his patriotism. AS
early as 1875 he had made himself
obnoxious to the British. He was
confined in the prison known as the
provost" which stood on the spot
now occupied by the old hall Of rec
ords in City Hall park. In this loath-
some den he suffered inhuman treat
ment. He was liberated through the
influence of a Hessian commander,
named Hester, and made his way to
Philadelphia. and there married
Rachel Frank, sister of the distin-
guished Col. Jacob Frank, of the Rev
olutionary war.
He became an uncompromising
foe to British domination. He was
engaged in banking and money lend
Ing, and several European financial
houses did their business through
him. The hand OF Salomon was
beneath every pecuniary help this
country received from abroad. He
was intrusted with the negotiation of
all the war subsidies of France and
Holland ION his own personal secu-
rity.' which were disposed to the resi-
d mt merchants in America without
any loss, at a credit Of two and three
months, for which he received only
one-fourth of l per cent.
When Count de la Luzerne became
AMBASSADOR for France, Salomon was
made banker for that government.
Ie was appointed by NJ. Roquebrune,
."easurer of the froces of France in
America, and made paymaster gem
eral. which office ne filled without
salary
He had confidential relations with
all the foreign representatives at one
time or another. His Catholic ma
jesty of Spain was under heavy obl-
cations to Haym Salomon, the Jew
Salomon, out of his own private
purse maintained this ambassador
Tor years. His name was Don Fran
cesco Rerlon. Writing to the Spain
ish governor of Cuba, Rendon says:
Mr.. ;. has advanced money for his
most Catholic majcStys agent here
ANA without it | would not have been
able to render the protection and as
s'stance to his majestys subjects
which his majesty enjoins and my
duty requires" More than $4,000
was thus advanced, which was never
paid.
IL ought not to be forgotten that
"f the bills OF exchange for the
amount OF loans and subsidies our
| government obtained in Europe, OF
/ which he negotiated the entire sums,
1 and the calculation Of which duty oc-
/ time from 1881 To- 1893; still there
/ was only charged fractional per-
/ ccutagc 10 the United states, although
! individuals were willing To pay him
! And it is known he never causcd
/ the loss 10 the government Of
one cent Of those many millions OF
his negotiations, either by his own
, m'smauogcmcnt or from the credit he
gave to others on the sales he mad,
after the account Of the Unitel
states
Immediately after the peace o.
| 1888, when foreign commerce cost,
. again foat unmolcsted ON t.,
ocean, Solomon engaged as tradill
merchant TO European ports. II,
had several ships upon the sea, bu
through the failure of merchants IN