OF AEW YORK CITY.                     223
 

CHAPTER XXVII.

In the last chapter, when speaking of Mr. George A,
Ward, I alluded ,to his having been a partner In the
house of Low, Harriman & Co., and that when that
house dissolved in 1836, Mr. Ward retired with the
large sum of $100,000. The book-keeper of Low, Har¬
riman & Co. was the celebrated Chevalier George C. de
la Figaniere, then merely the Portuguese consul, but
now the full Minister of Portugal. The store of Low,
Harriman & Co. was in William street, opposite the
Exchange. They had a counting-room, and a private
office attached. When any one called on business con¬
nected with the Portuguese consulate, (captains of ves¬
sels, or merchants with papers to be certified,) Mr. Fi¬
ganiere would retire into the private office, where he
kept his uniform, sword and cocked hat, and array him¬
self In the paraphernalia of Portugal — then come out
with all the dignity of a King's representative, sign tha
paper, administer the oath, attach the seal of Portugal
and take his fees. He would then undress and resume
his old office coat, and return to private life as book¬
keeper.

Yet who is there In our midst that does not rejoice
that we have such a man as this De la Figaniere among
us ?    He is an honor to the merchant class.