NECKER, JacQuEs, a famous financier and minister of France, was b. Sept. 30, 1732, at Geneva, where his father, a native of Brandenburg, but of Anglo-Irish descent, was professor of German law. He became a banker in Paris and acquired it large fortune during the seven years' war. After retiring from business he became the representative of his native city at the French court; and also acquired a high but not exactly a solid reputation by his publications on political economy and finance, particularly lira Ewa sec la Legislation el is Commerce de Grains (Par. 1774 In this essay he appears its the opponent of the wise Turgot's liberal measures in regard to the trattie in grain, and claims for the state the right of fixing its price, and if it thinks it necessary, of prohibit big its exportation. On the removal of Turgot from office in June, 1776, Neekcr was called to assist in financial affairs, nud after the brief administration of Cluguy he was made general director of finances in June, 1777. Necker could not conceal Ids elation. This was his weak point. He had all the vanity, egotism. and love of show that marked his brilliant but superficial daughter. Nevertheless he succeeded not only in meeting the exigences of the American war, but in restoring to some degree of order the general financial affairs of the country, though mainly by the perilous expedient of borrowing, which he was enabled to do to an almost unlimited extent, owing to the confidence reposed in his financial dexterity. Some years lie borrowed as much as 490,000,000 of francs. His Protestantism, however, and some retrenchments which lie made in the royal household, with his publication on the financial affairs of France (Compte lienda, which produced an immense sensation). made him an object of great dislike to the queen and court, and on May 12, 1781; he was suddenly dismissed. lie retired to Geneva, where he was visited, from motives of sympathy and respect, by the highest personages in the realm, the prince of Conde, the dukes of Orleans and Chartres, the prince of Beauvau, the duke of Luxembourg, mar6clial de Richelieu, the archbishop of Paris, etc.,
but returned to Paris in 1787, from which be was soon banished on account of an attack which he published on the financial management of the reckless and ignorant Calonne. In the financial and political crisis, however, which followed upon the financial admin istration of LomCmie do Brienne, Louis xyL found himself under the necessity of call ing Necker in Nov., 1788, to the office of comptroller general of finances and minister of state. Necker recommended the calling of the states-genefal, and thereby acquired the greatest popularity. He failed, however, in the difficulties which ensued, having no capacity for political affairs in other than their mere financial aspects. When the court, on June 23, 1789, determined upon nullifying the resolution of the third estate, Necker hesitated, and the king therefore dismissed hint on July 11, and required him to 1.ave the French dominions immediately. He obeyed, but the disturbances of July 12. 13, and 14 (on the last of which days the Bastille was taken) were the result of his dismissal, and the king was under the necessity of recalling him. He now allied himself with Moulder and other ministers for the introduction of a constitution like that of Britain, with two chambers or houses of parliament; but this caused a great diminution of his popularity, and he was unable to contend in debate with Mi•abeau and. other great leaders of the national assembly. On the rejection by the assembly of his scheme of a loan, and the adoption instead of it of Mirabeau's scheme of assignnts, lie resigned his office in Sept., 1790, and retired to his estate of Coppet, near Geneva, where he died, April 9, 1804. Besides the works already mentioned he published several on political and on religious subjects, particularly a work on the French revolution (4 vols. Par. 1796), which has been frequently reprinted. His daughter was the celebrated madame de Steal.