SAMUEL COLT.
Birth and parentage--A restless boy--Dislikes school--Early fondness for
mechanical inventions--Is sent to boarding-school--Runs away to sea--The
story of a boy's invention, and what came of it--Origin of the
revolver--Returns home--His chemical studies--Dr. Coult--The lecturing
tour--His success--Completes his design for the revolver--Patents his
invention--Visits England--Discovery at the Tower of London--Returns
home--Formation of the "Patent Arms Company"--Objections of the
officers of the army and navy to the revolver--The Florida War--It is
decided by the revolver--Triumph of Col. Colt--Cessation of the demand
for arms--Failure of the company--Beginning of the Mexican War--Action
of General Taylor--No revolvers to be had--A strange dilemma for an
inventor--The new model--Contracts with the Government--Success of the
revolver in Mexico--The demand from the frontier--Emigration to
California and Australia--Permanent establishment of Col. Colt's
business--The improved weapon--Builds a new armory--Description of his
works at Hartford--A liberal employer--Other inventions of Col.
Colt--His submarine telegraph--His fortune--His marriage--Visits to
Europe--Attentions from European dignitaries--Witnesses the coronation
of the Emperor of Russia--His last illness and death.


CHAPTER XX.

SAMUEL F.B. MORSE.

Birth--Parentage--Early education--Graduates at Yale College--Becomes an
artist--His masters--Visits England--His first attempt--"The Dying
Hercules"--Opinion of Benjamin West--Wins the medal of the Adelphi
Society of Arts--Ambition as an artist--His cold reception by the
Americans--Mr. Tuckerman's comments--Organizes the National Academy of
Design--Visits Europe the second time--The homeward voyage in the
"Sully"--News of the experiments at Paris with the electro-magnet--How
the electric telegraph was invented--Morse is made a professor in the
University of New York--Completion of his model--An imperfect
telegraph--His first experiments--The duplicate finished--First
exhibition of the telegraph--Morse applies for a patent--Visits Europe
to introduce his invention--His failure--Seeks aid from Congress--A
disheartening effort--A long struggle--Independence of Morse--Despondent
at last--A sudden lifting of the cloud--The experimental line--The
trial--A curious Cabinet Minister--Success of the
telegraph--Establishment of companies in the United States--Professor
Morse wins fame and fortune--The telegraph in Europe--Honors at home and
abroad--A list of his rewards--Morse originates submarine telegraphy,
and predicts the laying of an Atlantic telegraph--Personal characteristics.


IV. PUBLISHERS.


CHAPTER XXI.

JAMES HARPER.

The Brothers Harper--Birth and parentage of James Harper--The Long
Island home--James Harper goes to New York--Becomes a "devil"--Winning
his way--How he gave his card to a stranger--Arrival of "Brother
John"---Good habits--Sets up for himself--"J. & J. Harper,
Printers"--How they started in business--Integrity rewarded--First
job--Their first effort at stereotyping--The Harpers become publishers
on their own account--Their early ventures--Feeling their way to
success--Their publications--Character of their books--How they drove
the "yellow covers" out of the market--Their prosperity--Admission of
new partners--The great fire--Destruction of the establishment of Harper
& Brothers--Energy of the firm--Re-establishment of their
business--Their new premises--Description of the buildings--Personal
characteristics of Mr. James Harper--Religious life--Liberality of
sentiment--His industry--Elected Mayor of New York--Kindness to his
operatives--Physical Vigor--"The Lord knows best"--Accident to Mr.
Harper and his daughter--His death.


CHAPTER XXII.

JAMES T. FIELDS.

The old "Corner Book-store" in Boston and its associations--Carter &
Bendee employ a new clerk--Birth and early life of James T. Fields--His
literary talent--Governor Woodbury's advice--Enters mercantile
life--Determined to rise--His studies--The result--Associated with
Edward Everett at the age of eighteen--His business talent--Steady
promotion--Becomes head clerk with Allen & Ticknor--Establishment of the
firm of Ticknor & Fields--Success as a publisher--High character of his
house--Relations toward authors--Publications of Ticknor &
Fields--Removal--Organization of the firm of Fields, Osgood & Co.--The
new book-store--An elegant establishment--Mr. Field's literary
success--Statement of a friend--"Common Sense"--His contributions to the
periodicals of the firm--Travels in Europe--Personal appearance.


V. EDITORS.


CHAPTER XXIII.

JAMES GORDON BENNETT.

Birth--Intended for the Romish priesthood--How he was induced to come to
America--Arrival in Halifax--Comes to the United States--What came of a
shilling--Employment in Boston--Reaches New York--Attempts to establish
a school--Becomes connected with the press--Success of his Washington
letters--Services on the "Courier and Inquirer"--Leaves that
journal--Removes to Philadelphia--Establishes "The
Pennsylvanian"--Ingratitude of his political associates--Returns to New
York--Establishment of "The New York Herald"--Early difficulties of that
paper, and how Bennett surmounted them--The first "Herald" office--A
determined effort to succeed--First numbers of "The Herald"--How one man
carried on a newspaper--A lucky hit--The first "money article"--The
office burned down--The great fire--Bennett's reports of the
disaster--Success of "The Herald"--His first advertising
contract--Increasing prosperity--The journal of to-day--How it is
conducted--The new "Herald" office--Bennett's pride in his
paper--Personal characteristics--His independence.


CHAPTER XXIV.

ROBERT BONNER.

Birth and parentage--Emigration to America--Becomes a printer--A
first-class compositor--Engaged upon the "Evening Mirror"--The
"Merchant's Ledger"--Bonner purchases the paper, and changes its name to
the "New York Ledger"--The new literary journal--Predictions of
failure--Bonner confident of success--Engages Fanny Fern to write for
him--A handsome price for a story--Wonderful success of the
"Ledger"--Skillful advertising--Popularity of the paper--How Bonner
silenced the critics--"Edward Everett writes for the 'Ledger'"--How
Bonner treats his contributors--"Henry Ward Beecher writes for the
'Ledger'"--Immense circulation of the paper--The new "Ledger"
building--Private residence of Mr. Bonner--His stable--His love for
horses.


VI. LAWYERS.


CHAPTER XXV.

JOHN MARSHALL.

The model American lawyer--Birth and early life of John Marshall--A
devoted father--Early education--The young patriot--Troubles with
England--Marshall becomes a soldier--The "Culpepper Minute
Men"--Marshall's popularity in the army--Finishes his law studies--His
journey from Williamsburg to Philadelphia--Commences the practice of the
law--Elected to the Legislature--Establishes himself in Richmond--The
power of a powdered wig and velvet coat--Marshall's services in the
Virginia Convention of 1798--Becomes the champion of Washington's
Administration--Refuses public honors--Is made Minister to France
--Public reception in New York--Elected Member of Congress--His
memorable speech--Enters the Cabinet of President Adams as Secretary of
State--Is made Chief Justice of the United States--His record--His "Life
of Washington"--Personal characteristics--His generosity--William
Wirt's pen and ink sketch of him--His courtesy and kindness--Fondness
for manly sports--The quoit club--How he carried a proud man's turkey
home--The supper party--The Chief Justice loses the wager--Mode of
traveling on his circuit--The scene at Maguire's Hotel in Winchester,
Virginia--The unknown champion of Christianity--A brilliant
defense--Last illness and death of Judge Marshall.


CHAPTER XXVI.

JAMES T. BRADY.

Birth and early life--His "big head"--His kindliness of
disposition--Enters his father's office to study law--Merry nature--How
he studied law--A model for ambitious youths--His father's opinion of
him--Admitted to the bar--His first case--The newsboy case--sudden rise
in popularity--Practices in the Supreme Court--The India-rubber suit--A
compliment from Daniel Webster--Brady's integrity--Professional success
and generosity--His readiness in managing his cases--Conduct toward
witnesses--His fearlessness--A bold declaration in Tammany Hall--His
profound knowledge of his profession--His industry--His disinterested
kindness--His humor--Meets his match--Political life--Personal
appearance--A genial old bachelor--Literary tastes and labors--His
generosity to the poor--Devotion to his relatives--Last appearance in
public--Forebodings--Death.


VII. ARTISTS.


CHAPTER XXVII.

BENJAMIN WEST.

A native of Pennsylvania--Circumstances attending his birth--The child
of promise--First indications of genius--The baby's portrait--Lessons
from the Indians--The box of colors--The truant pupil--The mother's
discovery---West's opinion of his first picture--The little portrait
painter--The first attempt at historical painting--"The Death of
Socrates"--Choosing a profession--Dedicated to his work--A fighting
Quaker--Establishes himself in New York--Visits Europe--Arrival at Rome,
and reception there--Visit to the Apollo Belvidere--West's
criticism--Travels and labors on the continent--Visits England--His
reception there--Urged to stay--Decides to make England his home--Sends
for his bride--Marriage--"Agrippina Landing with the Ashes of
Germanicus"--Success of the picture--The king becomes his friend--The
most famous works of Benjamin West--"The Death of Wolfe"--Reception of
the picture by the public--West triumphs over the critics, and
inaugurates a new era of historical painting--Death of the king--West is
elected President of the National Academy--His resignation and
re-election--Closing years of a great career--Personal appearance--Leigh
Hunt's description of him--Death--Burial in St. Paul's Cathedral.


CHAPTER XXVIII.

JOHN ROGERS.

Birth--Early years--Begins life as a clerk in a dry goods
store--Artistic talent--Opposition of his parents--A change in his
plans--Becomes an engineer--Failure of his eyes--Voyage to Spain--Return
home--Becomes a machinist--Promoted--Learns to model in clay--Commences
his studies in art--A hard life, and a noble perseverance--A change for
the better--A sudden reverse--Out of work--Visits Europe to study his
art--Returns home in despair--Enters the service of the surveyor of the
city of Chicago--His first statuettes--Their success--A new field opened
to him--Visits New York, and learns the new method of casting
figures--Establishes himself in New York--His first studio--Immediate
popularity of his works--Description of them--Removes to a new
studio--His later works--Process by which they are made-Originality of
the artist rewarded by the public--Personal characteristics.


CHAPTER XXIX.

HIRAM POWERS.

Birth--Juvenile mechanical skill--The life of a Vermont boy--Hard
times--Removal of the Powers family to the West--The new
farm--Misfortunes never come singly--Breaking up of the
household--Hiram's first employment--The reading-room scheme--Hiram
becomes a collector of bad debts--Reminiscences of the young
West--Powers becomes a mechanic--Story of the brass plates--Rapid
promotion--The silver watch--How Hiram purchased it--The Cincinnati
Museum--The artist's first lessons in modeling--His first sitter--The
trial of skill--The king of the Cannibal Islands--The man-eater--Hiram
becomes interested in the museum--How he played the devil in
Cincinnati--A dishonest employer--Mr. Longworth's offer--Powers goes to
Washington--His success there--Visit to "Old Hickory"--The first
critic--Kindness of Senator Preston--Powers goes to Italy--Arrival in
Florence--His first works in Italy--Visit to Thorwaldsen--Works of
Powers--His rapid success--His life in Italy--Views of Mr. Powers
respecting an artist life--Personal characteristics--Popularity with
artists.


CHAPTER XXX.

EMMANUEL LEUTZE.

An American by adoption--Early life and education--How he learned to
draw--Becomes an artist--His first picture--The evils of too much
haste--His first professional engagement--Despondency--A ramble through
the Virginia woods, and what came of it--A friend in need--Greater
success--Friendship of Mr. Carey--Leutze goes to Europe--Studies at
Dusseldorf-His reception there--Becomes Lessing's pupil--His first
picture finds a purchaser--Travels and studies in Europe--Returns to
Dusseldorf, marries, and makes his home in that place--His
paintings--Returns to New York--Success in America--The Government
commission--Journey to the Rocky Mountains--The great fresco in the
Capitol--"Westward the Star of Empire takes it Way"--Revisits
Dusseldorf--Reception by the artists--Returns to the United
States--Further commissions from the Government--His sudden death--His
unfinished works--Mr. Tuckerman's remarks.


VIII. DIVINES.


CHAPTER XXXI.

HENRY WARD BEECHER.

A Connecticut boy--The minister's family--A gloomy childhood--Ma'arm
Kilbourn's school--The loss of his curls--The dull boy--A bad voice for
an orator--His first religious impressions--Aunt Esther--The Sunday
catechism--Sent to boarding school--Love of nature--Enters his sister's
school--The hopeless case--An inveterate joker and an indifferent
scholar--Removal to Boston--Gets through the Latin school--The sea-going
project--Dr. Beecher's ruse--Life at Mount Pleasant--Conquers
mathematics--Embraces religion at a revival--Resolves to become a
minister--Removal to Cincinnati--Course at the Lane Seminary--How he
learned to preach--Marries--His first charge--Life at
Lawrenceburg--Removal to Indianapolis--Life in the West--His
popularity--His theory of preaching and its success--Conversion of his
brother--Mr. Beecher accepts a call to Plymouth Church in
Brooklyn--Political record--Literary labors--Pastoral work--A large
audience--Government of Plymouth Church--Description of the edifice--The
congregation--The services--Mr. Beecher as a preacher--Sympathy between
the pastor and his hearers--His ideas of religion--How he prepares his
sermons--His prayers unstudied--The social receptions--The Friday
evening meeting--A characteristic scene--Labors during the war--Visit to
Europe--An unpopular sermon in a good cause--Personal characteristics.


CHAPTER XXXII.

PETER CARTWRIGHT.

Birth--Removal to Kentucky--"Rogue's harbor"--Condition of the country
and the people--Frontier life--Early life of a preacher--Becomes a
Christian--His account of his conversion--Is made an exhorter in the
Methodist Church--Removal to Lewiston County--Begins
preaching--Qualifications of a backwoods preacher--His energy--The
jerks--How Peter frightened a bully--A brimstone angel--Enters the
ministry--Appointed to the Marietta Circuit--A good school--Hard
times--Marries--Quiet heroism--How the old-time people married--His
devotion to the Methodist Church--Troubles with other denominations--How
he argued with a Universalist--How he met a wrathful dame--Encounter
with a Baptist preacher--Adventure with Father Teel--Taming a
shrew--Removal to Illinois--His reasons for taking that step--Death of
his daughter--Arrival at his new home--Life on the frontier--A large
district--The Methodist circuit riders of sixty years ago--Perils of
frontier traveling--Success of Cartwright's ministry--How he was
superannuated--His courage--How he cleared a camp of rowdies--Encounter
on a ferry-boat--Frightens a bully--Advocates temperance--A practical
joke--Is elected to the Legislature--His opinion of politics--How he
raised the devil--"Another sinner down"--Missionaries from the
East--Indignation of the backwoods preacher--The proposed mission to New
England--Cartwright declines it--He visits Boston--His reception--How he
preached for Father Taylor--Summing up--Sixty-seven years of a
preacher's life.


IX. AUTHORS.


CHAPTER XXXIII.

HENRY W. LONGFELLOW.

Birth and early life--The old house by the sea--College life--Early
literary productions--Becomes a professor in Bowdoin College--Travels in
Europe--Marriage--Literary labors--"Outre Mer"--Is made a professor in
Harvard College--His second visit to Europe--Death of his wife--Goes to
live in the Craigie House--Historical associations--Washington's
headquarters--A congenial home--Literary labors--"Hyperion"--Great
popularity of the book--"Voices of the Night"--"The Spanish
Student"--Mr. Longfellow buys the Craigie House--Summary of his
works--The "Song of Hiawatha"--Death of Mrs. Longfellow--Mr. Longfellow
again visits Europe--His popularity with the English-speaking
race--Cause of his popularity--"Resignation"--Scene from "The Golden
Legend"--The poet's home.


CHAPTER XXXIV.

NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.

The Hawthornes of Salem--A sea-going race--Birth of Nathaniel
Hawthorne--A sad home--Early life--His college days--Longfellow's
recollection of him--Returns home--The young recluse--Literary
efforts--"Twice-Told Tales"--"The most unknown author in
America"--Enters the Boston Custom House--His duties--Popularity with
the sailors--Loses his office--Becomes a member of the Brook Farm
Community--Marries and goes to live at Concord--"The Old Manse"--Life at
Concord--Curiosity of the village people--"Mosses from an Old
Manse"--Hawthorne's visitors--Hawthorne and his friends--George William
Curtis' recollections--Removes to Salem--Is made surveyor of that
port--"The Scarlet Letter"--Removal to the Berkshire Hills--"The House
of the Seven Gables"--Returns to Concord--"Life of Franklin Pierce"--Is
made Consul to Liverpool---Life abroad--Depressed by the war--Moncure D.
Conway's recollections--Juvenile works--Death of Mr. Ticknor--Effect
upon Hawthorne--Goes traveling with Ex-President Pierce--Sudden death of
Hawthorne--Burial at Concord.


X. ACTORS.


CHAPTER XXXV.

EDWIN BOOTH.

The elder Booth--His success as an actor--His sons--Birth of Edwin
Booth--Early life--Brought up on the stage--Admiration for his
father--Travels with him--First appearance--Appears frequently with his
father--Plays Richard III. in New York--A bold venture--Learns the
details of his profession--Visits Australia and the Sandwich
Islands--Re-appearance in New York in 1857--Recollections of him at that
time--His labors in his profession--Successful tours throughout the
country--Visits England--Appears at the Haymarket Theater in
London--Studies on the continent--Appearance at the Winter Garden--The
Shakespearian revivals--Destruction of the Winter Garden by fire--Loss
of Mr. Booth's theatrical wardrobe--Popular sympathy--The new
theater--Opening of the building--Description of Booth's Theater--A
magnificent establishment--A splendid stage--Novel mode of setting the
scenes--Magnificent mounting of the plays produced there--Mr. Booth's
performances--Personal--Genius as an actor--Beneficial influence upon
the drama.


CHAPTER XXXVI.

JOSEPH JEFFERSON.

The Jefferson family--A race of actors--Jefferson the first--"Old
Jefferson"--Jefferson the third--Birth of Joseph
Jefferson--Childhood--Brought up on the stage--Olive Logan's
reminiscence--First appearance in public--Early training--Career as a
stock actor--Becomes a "star"--His success--Visits Australia, the
player's El Dorado--Pecuniary success of Jefferson in Australia--His
merits as an actor--Visits England--First appearance at the Adelphi
Theater--"Our American Cousin"--Production of Rip Van Winkle--Makes the
part his specialty--Description of his performance of Rip Van
Winkle--Personal characteristics--Devotion to his profession--Love of
art--A capital sportsman--Buys a panorama--A visit to John Sefton--"The
Golden Farmer"--Private life.


XI. PHYSICIANS.


CHAPTER XXXVII.

BENJAMIN RUSH.

Birth and early life--Adopts medicine as a profession--Studies in
Europe--Returns home, and is made a professor in the Philadelphia
Medical College--Political career--Elected to the Provincial Conference
of Pennsylvania--Action with respect to the independence of the
colonies--Elected to the Continental Congress--Signs the Declaration of
Independence--Marriage--Is made Surgeon-General of the army--Becomes
Physician-General--Troubles--Resigns his commission--Letters to the
people of Pennsylvania--Services in the State conventions--Resumes his
practice in Philadelphia--Plans the Philadelphia Dispensary--Resumes his
professor's chair--The yellow fever in Philadelphia--A scene of
terror--"The Hundred Days"--Dr. Rush's treatment of the
disease--Opposition of the Faculty--Success of Rush's
treatment--Testimony of Dr. Ramsay--Suit for damages--Dr. Rush's
services during the fever--Reminiscences--Honors from European
sovereigns--Is made Treasurer of the United States Mint--Literary
labors--Zeal in behalf of Christianity--His connection with the Bible
Society--Death.


CHAPTER XXXVIII.

VALENTINE MOTT.

Birth--Early life--Enters Columbia College--His medical
studies--Continues his studies in Europe--Great surgical genius--His
early success as an operator--Returns home--Is made Professor of Surgery
in Columbia College--His career and success as a teacher--Introduces the
system of clinical instruction--Difficulty of procuring "subjects" for
dissection--Desperate expedients--midnight adventure--A ready
rebuke--Success and skill as a surgeon--Tribute from Sir Astley
Cooper--A wonderful operation--Sketch of his original operations--His
mode of operating--Careful preparation--Success as a physician--A
progressive mind--Professional honors--Visits Europe--Reception
abroad--Operates upon the Sultan of Turkey--A cool
proposition--Personal--His last illness and death--"President Lincoln
murdered."

[Illustration: GIRARD COLLEGE]


I.

MERCHANTS.




CHAPTER I.

STEPHEN GIRARD.


One May morning, in the year 1776, the mouth of the Delaware Bay was
shrouded in a dense fog, which cleared away toward noon, and revealed
several vessels just off the capes. From one of these, a sloop, floated
the flag of France and a signal of distress. An American ship ran
alongside the stranger, in answer to her signal, and found that the
French captain had lost his reckoning in a fog, and was in total
ignorance of his whereabouts. His vessel, he said, was bound from New
Orleans to a Canadian port, and he was anxious to proceed on his voyage.
The American skipper informed him of his locality, and also apprised him
of the fact that war had broken out between the colonies and Great
Britain, and that the American coast was so well lined with British
cruisers that he would never reach port but as a prize. "What shall I
do?" cried the Frenchman, in great alarm. "Enter the bay, and make a
push for Philadelphia," was the reply. "It is your only chance."

The Frenchman protested that he did not know the way, and had no pilot.
The American captain, pitying his distress, found him a pilot, and even
loaned him five dollars, which the pilot demanded in advance. The sloop
got under weigh again, and passed into the Delaware, beyond the defenses
which had been erected for its protection, just in time to avoid capture
by a British war vessel which now made its appearance at the mouth of
the bay. Philadelphia was reached in due time, and, as the war bade fair
to put an end to his voyages, the captain sold the sloop and her cargo,
of which he was part owner, and, entering a small store in Water Street,
began the business of a grocer and wine-bottler. His capital was small,
his business trifling in extent, and he himself labored under the
disadvantage of being almost unable to speak the English language. In
person he was short and stout, with a dull, repulsive countenance, which
his bushy eyebrows and solitary eye (being blind in the other) made
almost hideous. He was cold and reserved in manner, and was disliked by
his neighbors, the most of whom were afraid of him.

This man was Stephen Girard, who was afterward destined to play so
important a part in the history of the city to which the mere chances of
war sent him a stranger.

He was born at Bordeaux, in France, on the 21st of May, 1750, and was
the eldest of the five children of Captain Pierre Girard, a mariner of
that city. His life at home was a hard one. At the age of eight years,
he discovered that he was blind in one eye, and the mortification and
grief which this discovery caused him appear to have soured his entire
life. He afterward declared that his father treated him with
considerable neglect, and that, while his younger brothers were sent to
college, he was made to content himself with the barest rudiments of an
education, with merely a knowledge of reading and writing. When he was
quite young, his mother died, and, as his father soon married again,
the severity of a step-mother was added to his other troubles. When
about thirteen years of age, he left home, with his father's consent,
and began, as a cabin-boy, the life of a mariner. For nine years he
sailed between Bordeaux and the French West Indies, rising steadily from
his position of cabin-boy to that of mate. He improved his leisure time
at sea, until he was not only master of the art of navigation, but
generally well informed for a man in his station. His father possessed
sufficient influence to procure him the command of a vessel, in spite of
the law of France which required that no man should be made master of a
ship unless he had sailed two cruises in the royal navy and was
twenty-five years old. Gradually Girard was enabled to amass a small sum
of money, which he invested in cargoes easily disposed of in the ports
to which he sailed. Three years after he was licensed to command, he
made his first appearance in the port of Philadelphia. He was then
twenty-six years old.

From the time of his arrival in Philadelphia he devoted himself to
business with an energy and industry which never failed. He despised no
labor, and was willing to undertake any honest means of increasing his
subsistence. He bought and sold any thing, from groceries to old "junk."
His chief profit, however, was in his wine and cider, which he bottled
and sold readily. His business prospered, and he was regarded as a
thriving man from the start.

In July, 1777, he married Mary Lum, a servant girl of great beauty, and
something of a virago as well. The union was an unhappy one, as the
husband and wife were utterly unsuited to each other. Seven years after
her marriage, Mrs. Girard showed symptoms of insanity, which became so
decided that her husband was compelled to place her in the State Asylum
for the Insane. He appears to have done every thing in his power to
restore her to reason. Being pronounced cured, she returned to her
home, but in 1790 He was compelled to place her permanently in the
Pennsylvania Hospital, where, nine months after, she gave birth to a
female child, which happily died. Mrs. Girard never recovered her
reason, but died in 1815, and was buried in the hospital grounds.

Girard fled from Philadelphia, with his wife, in September, 1777, at the
approach of the British, and purchased a house at Mount Holly, near
Burlington, New Jersey, where he carried on his bottling business. His
claret commanded a ready sale among the British in Philadelphia, and his
profits were large. In June, 1778, the city was evacuated by Lord Howe,
and he was allowed to return to his former home.

Though he traded with the British, Girard considered himself a true
patriot, as indeed he was. On the 27th of October, 1778, he took the
oath of allegiance required by the State of Pennsylvania, and renewed it
the year following. The war almost annihilated the commerce of the
country, which was slow in recovering its former prosperity; but, in
spite of this discouraging circumstance, Girard worked on steadily,
scorning no employment, however humble, that would yield a profit.
Already he had formed the plans which led to his immense wealth, and he
was now patiently carrying out the most trying and disheartening
preliminaries. Whatever he undertook prospered, and though his gains
were small, they were carefully husbanded, and at the proper time
invested in such a manner as to produce a still greater yield. Stephen
Girard knew the value of little things, and he knew how to take
advantage of the most trifling circumstance. His career teaches what may
be done with these little things, and shows how even a few dollars,
properly managed, may be made to produce as many thousands.

In 1780, Mr. Girard again entered upon the New Orleans and St. Domingo
trade, in which he was engaged at the breaking out of the Revolution. He
was very successful in his ventures, and was enabled in a year or two to
greatly enlarge his operations. In 1782, he took a lease of ten years on
a range of frame buildings in Water Street, one of which he occupied
himself, with the privilege of a renewal for a similar period. Rents
were very low at that time, as business was prostrated and people were
despondent; but Girard, looking far beyond the present, saw a prosperous
future. He was satisfied that it would require but a short time to
restore to Philadelphia its old commercial importance, and he was
satisfied that his leases would be the best investment he had ever made.
The result proved the correctness of his views. His profits on these
leases were enormous.

About this time he entered into partnership with his brother, Captain
John Girard, in the West India trade. But the brothers could not conduct
their affairs harmoniously, and in 1790 the firm was dissolved by mutual
consent. Stephen Girard's share of the profits at the dissolution
amounted to thirty thousand dollars. His wealth was greatly increased by
a terrible tragedy which happened soon afterward.

At the outbreak of the great insurrection in St. Domingo, Girard had two
vessels lying in one of the ports of that island. At the first signal of
danger, a number of planters sent their valuables on board of these
ships for safe-keeping, and went back to their estates for the purpose
of securing more. They never returned, doubtless falling victims to the
fury of the brutal negroes, and when the vessels were ready to sail
there was no one to claim the property they contained. It was taken to
Philadelphia, and was most liberally advertised by Mr. Girard, but as no
owner ever appeared to demand it, it was sold, and the proceeds--about
fifty thousand dollars--turned into the merchant's own coffers. This was
a great assistance to him, and the next year he began the building of
those splendid ships which enabled him to engage so actively in the
Chinese and East India trades.

His course was now onward and upward to wealth. At first his ships
merely sailed between Philadelphia and the port to which they were
originally destined; but at length he was enabled to do more than this.
Loading one of his ships with grain, he would send it to Bordeaux, where
the proceeds of her cargo would be invested in wine and fruit. These she
would take to St. Petersburg and exchange for hemp and iron, which were
sold at Amsterdam for coin. From Amsterdam she would proceed to China
and India, and, purchasing a cargo of silks and teas, sail for
Philadelphia, where the final purchase was sold by the owner for cash or
negotiable paper. His success was uniform, and was attributed by his
brother merchants to _luck_.

Stephen Girard had no faith in luck. He never trusted any thing to
chance. He was a thorough navigator, and was perfect master of the
knowledge required in directing long voyages. He understood every
department of his business so well that he was always prepared to survey
the field of commerce from a high stand-point. He was familiar with the
ports with which he dealt, and was always able to obtain such
information concerning them as he desired, in advance of his
competitors. He trusted nothing of importance to others. His
instructions to the commanders of his ships were always full and
precise. These documents afford the best evidence of the statements I
have made concerning his system, as the following will show:


_Copy of Stephen Girard's Letter to Mr. ----, Commander and
Supercargo of the ship ----, bound to Batavia._

PHILADELPHIA, ----.

SIR--I confirm my letters to you of the ---- ult., and the ----
inst. Having recently heard of the decease of Mr. ----, merchant at
Batavia, also of the probable dissolution of his house, under the
firm of Messrs. ----, I have judged it prudent to request my
Liverpool correspondents to consign the ship ----, cargo, and
specie on board, to Mr. ----, merchant at Batavia, subject to your
control, and have requested said Liverpool friends to make a
separate invoice and bill of lading for the specie, which they will
ship on my account, on board of the ship ----, and similar
documents for the merchandise, which they will ship in the same
manner; therefore, I request that you will sign in conformity.

I am personally acquainted with Mr. ----, but not with Mr. ----,
but I am on very friendly terms with some particular friends of the
latter gentleman, and consequently I give him the preference. I am
sorry to observe, however, that he is alone in a country where a
partner appears to me indispensable to a commercial house, as well
for the safety of his own capital as for the security of the
interests of those who may confide to them property, and reside in
distant parts of the globe.

The foregoing reflections, together with the detention of my ship
V----, at Batavia, from June last, epoch of her arrival at that
port, until the 15th of September, ----, when she had on board only
nineteen hundred peculs of coffee, are the motives which have
compelled me to request of my Liverpool friends to consign the
specie and goods, which they will ship on my account, on board of
the ship ----, under your command, to said Mr. ----, subject to
your control.

Therefore, relying upon your activity, perseverance, correctness,
zeal, and attention for my interest, I proceed in pointing out to
you the plan of conduct which I wish you to pursue on your arrival
at Batavia, and during your stay at that or any port of that
island, until your departure for Cowes, on the Isle of Wight, to