The Sun.
London, England, 1861-01-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY EVENING, JANUARY 16, 1861.

THIRD EDITION.

THE BONAPARTE _FAMILY.

Paid,

Closing
Price.

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73 75
91& 92}
2 11 d:
411 sdi

A most interesting case will come before the Tri-
bunal of First Instance at Paris on the 25th of the
present month. Madame Bonaparte, first wife of
the late Prince Jerome Bonaparte, ex-King of
Westphalia and uncle of the Emperor Napoleon,
and her son by her marriage with the Prince, claim
to inherit their part of the personal property left by
the Prince. Madame Bonaparte, who I believe is
now in Paris, was, as you are aware, an American
lady named Paterson, and the real object of the
present suit is to re-establish the perfect legality of
her marriage. "By attempts renewed during the
last few years," says the printed memoir drawn up
by Madame Bonaparte's legal advisers, M. Berryer,
advocate, and M. Legrand, avoue,

6 7
75 80
67 72
6S 70
i pr

" By means of writings recently published it has been
tried to annul the character and validity of the most solemn
acts, in spite of the sanction they haVe received and the
positive prescriptions of our laws. The best established
facts have been denied or misrepresented, and an attempt
will be made before the Tribunal to cause the illegal acts
of arbitrary power, and the opinions servilely repeated by
men without any judicial authority,* to prevail over the
fundamental principles of law and of social order "

A short sketch of the early career of Jerome
Bonaparte is then given. He entered, the naval
service in 1803—his brother, the future Emperor,
being then lirst Consul—and proceeded from Mar-
tinique on board of a merchant vessel to the United
States. If he were born, as stated, in 1784, he would
then have been only 19 years of age ; but from a
communication of General Smith, uncle of Miss
Paterson, his commission as officer showed him to
have been 22. He was introduced in the month of
May to the family of Mr. Paterson, " one of the
richest and most respectable citizens of Maryland."
Jerome became enamoured of Mr. Paterson's
daughter, and after some time proposed marriage.
After due inquiry as to whether any difficulties,
legal or otherwise, existed, the suitor was accepted.
Jerome announced to his family in France his
approaching marriage. The French Charge
d'Affaires to the United States communicated to his
Government the particulars of the negotiation, and
the despatches containing them are still in the
archives of the French Foreign-office. The cere-
mony took place with great solemnity at Balti-
more, on the 24th of December, 1803, and the con-
trat de 7nariage was signed by Jerome, his wife,
and his wife's father; and witnessed by Mr. J.
Carrol, of Baltimore, by the V ice-Consul of France,
by M. de Camus, a French citizen, afterwards
Minister of Foreign Affairs in Westphalia ; and by
Commodore Barney, of the United States' navy.
The ceremony was performed by the Roman
Catholic Bishop of Baltimore, who delivered the
following certificate :

" Baltimore, Dec. 24, 1803.

" With licence, I this day united in the holy bonds of
marriage, is conformity with the rites of, the Holy Catholic
Church, Jerome Bonaparte, brother of the First Consul of
France, with Elizabeth Paterson, daughter of William
Paterson, Esq., of the City of Baltimore, and of Dorcas
Spear, his wife.

"1- J., Bishop of BALTIMORE."
This certificate was verified by the French Vice-
Consul, Henry Vernet.

" Such were the solemnities of the marriage of M. Jerome
Bonaparte with Miss Paterson," observes the memoir.
" No opposition was sent from France, when the projected
union bad been known many months before. The whole
year 1804 passed over without protest, or any sign of
discontent disturbing the quiet and honour of the Paterson
family, or troubling the happiness and mutual affection of
the young couple."