El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-06-08

TT AVN SALOMON was born at Lis
sa, Poland, in 1T40 Of Jewish
4 4 Portuguese descent and left LIS
native country after the partition OF
Poland in 1772. The outbreak Of the
revolution found him an ardent sup
porter of the colonial cause.
be was arrested and Imprisoned as
a spy soon after the occupation Of
New York by the British in 1I16. In
111S he was again taken by the Brit
ish on charges that he had received
orders from Washington to burn fleets
he had attempted to execute to their
great damage and injury"
He was condemned to a military
death, but on August II, 111S, he man
aged to escape, by bribing his jailOr.
Fourteen days later Solomon addressed
a petition to the continental congress,
setting forth his services and asking
for some employment Congress
turned a deaf ear to his plea and the
denial worked for the ultimate good
both Of Solomon and the young cOun-
try. Escaping to Philadelphia, he es-
tablSned himself in business, becoming
a dealer in bills of exchange on France
and Holland. For the most part the
money advanced by Louis XVI and the
proceeds Of the loans negotiated in
Holland passed through his hands He
was intrusted with the negotiation OF
all the war subsidies Of France and
Holland on his own personal integrity,
chants in America without any loss, at
credit of two and three months, for
which he received the small commission
Of One-fOurth of one percent Several
European financial houses did business
through him.
Where Solomon Was Needed.
Alexander Hamilton, writing during
the dark days OF the war to Robert
Morris, says: 1T is by restoring pub
lie credit, not by gaining battles, that
we are finally to gain our object"
HaEm Solomon brought not only all his
wealth to the aid OF his adopted cOun-
try, but a financial insight which, for
clearness of depth. was not surpassed
Haym Solomon a champion equaled by
Robert Morris. America found in
Haym Solomon a champion eQualey by
few His fertility in resource and
Soundness OF financial views made
him. through Robert Morris, superin-
tendent OF finance, the real financier
OF Ine revolution, and judged by Alex
ander HamiltOn's standard of patriot
ISM supposed by none, for Haym SalO-
mon was practically the sole agent en-
ployed by Morris for negotiating bills
OF exchange by which means the credit
OF the government was so largely main
tanned during this period. We do not
wish to detract from the glory OF Rob
success Morris obtained in his ffnan-
cial schemes was due to the skill, abil-
ity and sacrifice of Haym Solomon.
Has Many HOnOrs.
He was appointed broker to the
French consul and the treasurer of
the French army and fiscal agent to
the French minister TO the United
States, Chevalier de Ia Luzerne, enOr-
nous sums passing through his hands
He was the principal depOsitOr OF the
Bank of North America, an institution
founded through the instrumentality OF
Robert Morris. TO serve as a means OF
funds to carry on the gov
eminent. the first and only bank char
tered by the revolutionary congress
The accounts of Is other merchants
who commenced with the opening OF
the bank occupied. in all, 10 pages. up
to the period of SalOmon's death
while SalOmOn's account occupied in
all Is pages, double columns, Of the
same ledger. SalOmOn's one account
was as large as their entire account |
in the aggregate The balance at the /