The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1930-11-28
Proposed Statue of Solomon
in New York.

All of this was, of course, after
Corvallis surrender. Contrary to
popular belief the affair at Yorktown
did not end the Revolution. Great as
was that victory, the patriot cause was
still in danger and none realized that
more than Washington who immediate
ly after receiving the surrender began
making plans for the next seasons
campaign. He could not realize that
his victory had dealt the British min
istry blow from which it could not
recover and that it was paving the
way to peace. That was still two
years away, and before it could be
realized there was still much yet to be
done. And, of course, the doing of
that had to be financed. SO the bur-
den of making good the victory Of
Yorktown fell upon Robert Morris and
his friend and helper, Haym Solomon.
1t is impossible to estimate the full
text of Salomons contribution to the
cause of liberty in terms of such in
tangibles as moral support and foster
ing the will-to-win. But there is def
mite record of his tangible contribu-
ton, great in itself but smaller in i'm
portance than the intangible. For the
records show that Solomon advanced
in specie to Morris at various times
and in various sums total of S211 CTS,
and although it can not be proved def
nitely that all of this was his own
money, it is probable that most of it
was. But the main fact is that he
placed that money in Morris hands
when it was most needed and when
few others had sufficient faith in the
cause to risk even a fraction of that
sum.
And his reward? He died January
6, 1885, when he was only fOrty-five
years old. There is no doubt that the
hardships he suffered in the British
prisons and in his labOrs for the Con-
tinental government shortened his life.
He was supposed to be rich, but after
his death it was found that he was
virtually bankrupt. He left a widow
and four children facing poverty. He
had given his all to the cause of lib
erty. "He died without formulating
any claims for reimbursement for the
sums he had advanced" writes Russell.
I'm the opinion of later investigators
he had entire confidence that when the
government should be established, it
would pay its obligations to him.
"This is his story and his contribu-
ton to the variegated history of the
Revolution. The lessons of Pulaski
and Kosciusko must have sunk deeply
into this, their pupil. He might have
it his own TO serve liberty is my re-
ligion.' His doctrine is plain enough
wherever men were fighting for free
dom he wanted to be among them and
help. 1t was for this reason that he
consorted with the hated Sons of Lib
erty, twice underwent Imprisonment,
came within almost speaking distance
of the firing squad or the hangman,
made his escape by night through a
hostile and unknown country and then
put to work all his resources of bust
ness sagacity and skill to keep the ship
of the Republic from piling up on the
shore"
AS for his 'entire confidence" that
the government would pay its obliga-
tons to him, they were never realized.
When the British burned the Capitol
in 1914, among the records which were
lost were some which contained proof
of the governments Indebtedness to
Haym Solomon. In the forties his
heirs sought to press a claim for re-
compense, but it was not allowed. 1t
was repeatedly considered by congress
even as late as 1893, but with the usu-
al result-no action! BY this time
Salomon's heirs had given up hope
! of reimbursement and finally all that
they asked was that the services of
their ancestor be commemorated in a
medal. For such medal they would
be willing to abandon all other claims
But even that was denied them. AS
for the subsequent history of the eff
forts to honor this patriot, Russell
writes:
until the year in which this is writ
ten, 1880. the labors anG sacrifices of
the man that saved the Revolution re.
manned uncommemorated. Then some
of his admirers and coreligionists com
bined to erect in his memory a monu
ment that seems long delayed"
This is the monument that it is pro
posed to erect in New York 1t will
he noticed that the word proposed
is used!