The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1929-02-15

y
was 70 bear differ
sss ent portrait of Il dis
tinguished American
New York congressman wrote to
Secretary Mellon of the Treasury de.
pa4tnieht lis follows:
@9Sr 8s
l am informed that the portraits. on
the new bills will include Washington;
Jefferson, with a picture of Monticello
on the diverse side; Lincoln. with the
Lincoln memorial on the diverse side;
Hamilton. with the Treasury building;
jackson with the White House; Grant.
with the Capitol: Franklin. with In
dependence hall: as well as Mckinley.
Cleveland, Madison and Chase.
& notice. with regret the absence of
Albert Gallatin. secretary of the treas
ury und=r Jefferson and Madison.
He, was a great secretary of the
treasury. Surely he should he remem-
bered by grateful nation by having
his picture on a series of these bills.
OF all foreign born citizens who have
risen to power and fame In the United
States, Albert Gallatin was the most
distinguished.
He made deep impression on
American history directly after the
Revolution and served his country
'honorably as a member of congress-.
United States senator. minister to
France, and minister to England, and
peace commissioner at the; Treaty of
Ghent. and last but not feast he was
one Of your honored predecessors.
The purchase of Louisiana was the
great measure of Jefferson's first term
but it was Gallatin who arranged for
its payment and did SO without In the
slightest degree deranging his plans
for the funding of the national debt
When the War Of 1912 came upon us.
great financial burdens We're placed
upon the Treasury department. but
Gallatin, with great skill and wisdom,
discharged them successfully
Although Gnllatin's portrait viii not
alipear upon the new money, that the
ks'grateful nation" of which the New
York congressman spoke has not for
gotten entirely his services is shown
by the fact that last year congress
passed a joint resolution authorizing
the erection Of statue to Gallatin
and directing that It be placed ON the
steps Of the Treasury building IN
Washington with that of Alexander
Hamilton to remind Americans thai.
our financial system IS due to these
two great men.
Unfamiliar though the story OF Gal
iatin's life may be- TO many Amer.
- 'theiess Il roHinnIic
j d bAe. He was nne Of
the earliest examples of Il foreign
born citizen rising b 4 position Of
prominence in. the United States He
was horn in Geneva, Switzerland. in
a701 and received a good education In
that city which was tiien one OF the
principal centers of learning in En-
rope. Having been left an orphan
GalIatin decided TO emigrate to Amer
lea, especially as 1t offered an eppor-
tnnity for an adventurous life in the
wilderness which he desired. There
IS a legend that an unfortunate love
affair drove him to this decision. but
the truth of the legend is unknown
1t is Interesting to note that he was
offered commission in the forces Of
the I.andgrave Of Hesses who was fur
nishine soldiers to the British king
for service against the Americans. hut
! that .Gallatin declared '.he would ney
er serve a tyrant." e
Arriving in. Boston in 1880. he spent
some time there until he grew weary
of "its monotonous life and Puritan
tone" Then he embarked upon u trad
ing expedition to the frontier Of
, Maine, but when this proved unprofit
able he returned to Boston and be-
came an instructor in French ut Har
ward college. After staying there Q
year Gallatin proceeded TO New York
which was then (17S3l still in the
hands of. the British. and their in
science to the young Swiss is said to
have been responsible for his leav-
ing there very soon and going on to
Philadelphia and Richmond.
Willie in Virginia he became inter
ested In, the lands south Of the Ohio.
as promising field for speculation,
and hero he purchased thousand
acres. which he bought for a hundred
pounds. In Virginia money. Here he
hoped to make his home. as he had
< definitely decided to become an Amer
lean citizen. Soon after this land
transaction he became the partner
OF French gentleman named Savary
de Valcoulou., and together. they
bought warrants for 100000 acres Of
Virginia land between the Great and
Little Kanawha rivers.
= Gallatin was 10 have the manage
ment of this land. aud in 1854 he set
out to look II over. He found the
country north Of the Virginia line
more desirable. and finally located in
Fayette county. Pennsylvania. where