Amos Lawrence was born April 22nd, 1786. He was a weak child,
consequently could not attend school, but his mother did not neglect
him. When only thirteen years old he became a clerk in a country store.
In this store was kept everything in the hardware line, from a plow to a
needle; in the textile line, from a horse-blanket to a pocket
handkerchief; then you could buy the productions usually found in a
vegetable garden,--everything was kept, even to Jamaica rum and drugs
for the sick; a good place, indeed, for a bright, active boy to gain new
ideas. Each country store, in those days, had its bar, and the clerks
were as likely to be called on to mix drinks, as they were to be asked
to measure off dry goods, and it was considered as honorable. Not only
this, but it was customary for clerks to take a drink themselves, but
young Lawrence determined to neither drink nor smoke. True, he liked the
taste of liquor, and enjoyed a quiet smoke, but he argued that such
pleasures, not only eat up profits already earned, but left the system
in a poor condition to earn more. When we consider that he was a mere
lad of thirteen, or at best fourteen, when he had decided upon this
honorable course, and when we think that at least, for the time being,
these luxuries would have cost nothing, we are constrained to say, no
wonder he became a rich man.
If our young men would only save the money they yearly smoke up and
spend for other needless things, we would have clearer headed and much
wealthier men. Our young men all desire to gain wealth and the highest
enjoyments possible in this world, but are not willing to pay for them.
If they would examine the lives of a great many of our most wealthy and
influential men of to-day, they would be surprised to learn how few even
smoke.
If you see a man with a high hat, gaudily dressed, smoking and seemingly
inviting your attention at some horse trot, where he is making a great
display of wealth in the way of bets, you can set it down as pretty
certain that that man is a clerk working for $10 or $15 per week, or at
best, a mere curb-stone broker who will never rise to anything higher.
Real wealth and distinction never invite your attention. One would
hardly take that plain old gentleman, walking along the street yonder,
for other than a country deacon, yet the check of Russell Sage will be
recognized and honored to the amount of millions. Jay Gould never enjoys
himself more than when at home.
We spend as a nation now, every year, NINE HUNDRED MILLIONS FOR LIQUOR
and THREE HUNDRED and FIFTY MILLIONS for TOBACCO. Total, ONE BILLION,
TWO HUNDRED and FIFTY MILLIONS. One billion, two hundred and fifty
millions thrown away. More than twice what we use for bread and meat.
Then look at that vast waste of unearned wages. Man can't do two things
well at one time. In our large cities we have, of late, seen drunken
men, with pipes in their mouths, carrying about the streets a banner
inscribed, "bread or blood." They propose to make those who have worked
intelligently for money, now divide. Would it not look far more sensible
if the banner bore the inscription, henceforth, I will boycott the
tobacconist, and will vote for no man who is not pledged to suppress the
saloon oligarchy?
Amos Lawrence had not the benefit of the philanthropic teaching of our
age, but he had a common sense, and a sense of taste and judgment far in
advance of his time. These were the principles with which he laid the
foundation to that great fortune and enviable reputation which he lived
to enjoy, and which his name will ever recall. We have seen that good
habits were the foundation of his success. He also improved his
opportunities. He became perfectly familiar with the drug department of
the store. He determined early in life to become a wealthy and
influential man. To determine to do anything is half the battle. "Doubt
indulged becomes doubt realized." "To think a thing impossible is to
make it so." "Courage is victory, timidity is defeat." Men who
understand these maxims are men who invariably succeed. I say
invariably--a man may think he understands when he is groping in
midnight darkness. A young man who really is destined to succeed, not
only INTENDS to become a rich man, or whatever he aspires to be, but
lays plans to that end, and is not discouraged if they are blasted. He
only recognizes that he is foiled, for the time being, and never doubts
his ability to succeed ultimately. There is a difference between a
blustering braggadocio and a quiet, unassuming confidence in one's self.
One leads to certain victory, the other, to as certain defeat.
Young Lawrence had served his seven long years of apprenticeship, and
had no better opportunity presented itself, he would have succeeded, for
he had his plans carefully laid to remain in Groton, and if he had, he
would have succeeded. But a merchant who had seen him at the store of
his employer, no sooner learned of his release than he immediately
hired him to come to Boston to enter his store there. "Seest thou a man
diligent in his business, he shall stand before kings, he shall not
stand before mean men." Thither he went part of the way on foot; the
rest of the way with an accommodating neighbor who was driving in that
direction. He determined to make for himself here a record for honesty,
and so well did he succeed, that the next year he started business for
himself, his principal capital being his reputation and acknowledged
ability. He developed a system in his business; he paid every bill on
the spot; if he could not pay cash, instead of the regular custom of
book accounts, he gave his note, thus no complications could arise to
embarrass him. He knew when the money was expected on every bill, and
made his calculation, and was never known to be taken by surprise. He
was reasonably cautious--he never would promise to do what he might
possibly be unable to accomplish. He prospered--of course he would. Such
business principles, pushed by system as Lawrence pushed them, must
bring success to any young man.
Another thing, to any one who may now imagine he, perhaps, entered
business on the tide of prosperity, we desire simply to say, on the
contrary, from 1808 to 1815 was one of the dullest periods our
mercantile history can recount. No, "luck" did not favor him, but
"pluck" did. He pushed his mercantile business for years, amassing an
immense fortune. Our country was then new, and he had to import most of
his merchandise from England, but as he ever made a study of his
business, concluded that he would start manufacturing industries here,
which would prove not only profitable to himself, but of inestimable
value to us as a nation. In accordance with these motives, he was
largely instrumental in connection with the Lowells in building up the
flourishing cities of Lowell and Lawrence.
He never speculated in stocks. Young men, there is no money in stocks to
the average man. Not even in legitimate stock dealing, to say nothing of
the numerous watered concerns. We were looking over a paper recently
when our attention was attracted to a paragraph which explained that in
a transaction which involved 8,000 bushels of wheat, it was found that
the odds against the buyer was over 22 per cent. While wheat is not
stocks, still a good rule would be never to go into anything unless the
chances are at least equal.
Amos Lawrence once said: "Young man, base all your actions upon a sense
of right, and in doing so, never reckon the cost." What a glorious
principle for any young man--a principle he would find hard to follow in
many stock speculations. "Even exchange is no robbery." It is not even
exchange to bet and take a man's money; and it makes little difference
whether you bet on a horse's gait or the grain he will eat next month.
At another time he said: "Good principles, good temper, and good manners
will carry a young man through the world much better than he can get
along with the absence of either." His sayings are numerous, yet every
one is worthy of attention; all of them have a golden thought for old
and young.
Mr. Lawrence did not give away in large amounts to institutions of
learning, but he kept two rooms in his house wholly for the storage of
articles designed to relieve poor people. One contained clothing of
every description; the other, food and other necessaries of life. He
gave away during his life, over $700,000, and when he died people
mourned that he had gone, for there were none left that could take his
place. Ah! this is success. He died December 31st, 1852.