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18 Dr. John Coleman<br />

Inspector Savagner and his men arrived <strong>the</strong>y found old Mayer<br />

Amschel in bed, and a search failed to turn up anything<br />

incriminating. Although Napoleon's Trade Boycott inspectors had<br />

come up empty-handed, Amschel was never<strong>the</strong>less still fined<br />

20,000 francs, a mere pittance, but he escaped going to prison,<br />

which would have happened had <strong>the</strong> contraband been discovered<br />

by <strong>the</strong> inspectors.<br />

When <strong>the</strong> fuss had died down, Amschel tackled <strong>the</strong><br />

problem of restrictions on <strong>the</strong> number of Jewish families allowed<br />

to reside in Frankfurt. He approached Dalberg, who still owed<br />

him <strong>the</strong> principle sum of <strong>the</strong> loan.<br />

By law, each Jewish family had to pay an annual fee of<br />

22,000 gulden to remain in <strong>the</strong> city. Amschel and one of his<br />

partners, a certain Gumprecht, persuaded <strong>the</strong> Grand Duke to<br />

accept one lump sum that would give <strong>the</strong> Jews citizenship rights<br />

in Frankfurt, <strong>the</strong> very thing so strongly opposed by <strong>the</strong> Christian<br />

majority. More than that, Amschel demanded not only equal<br />

citizenship, but in addition, <strong>the</strong> Jews would be allowed to<br />

establish <strong>the</strong>ir own ruling bodies and councils.<br />

The greedy Dalberg demanded that <strong>the</strong> lump sum<br />

proposed by Amschel be twenty times <strong>the</strong> total annual fee.<br />

Amschel and his friends met <strong>the</strong> demand with 294,000 gulden in<br />

cash and <strong>the</strong> balance in bearer debentures.<br />

In a letter to <strong>the</strong> Grand Duke confirming <strong>the</strong> arrangement<br />

and terms, Amschel showed that when humble obsequious<br />

behavior was necessary he was a master of <strong>the</strong> art:<br />

If I could be <strong>the</strong> messenger of <strong>the</strong> good news, as soon as it<br />

has been signed by His Royal Highness our most<br />

excellent Lord and Great Duke, in favor, and that I can<br />

inform my nation of <strong>the</strong>ir great joy, you will graciously<br />

inform me of it through <strong>the</strong> post, confess I abuse your<br />

goodness and grace, but I do not doubt that your<br />

Highness and your honored family have to await great<br />

heavenly rewards and will receive much happiness and<br />

blessing because in truth our whole

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