Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1851-06-23
From the Ncw Orle0ns Pi,oyunc.
4 Curious PrcfenSiCN.

Pretenders to the inheritance Of the eld-
or branch Of the French Bourbons have
not been uncommon. Every ybody is famil-
lar with the name of the so-caled Duke Of
Normandy, who claimed SO long to be the
son of Louis XVI. saved in miraculous
manner from the death which history gave
to him in 1872. There is now, or was re-
Gently, in the State of Wisconsin, a
Methodist preacher, with the very unro-
mantle name of Elcazcr Williams whom
many people believe to be the same
French Prince whom faithful royalist
saved in his infancy and brought for secu-
ritv into the wilderness ofNorth America,
and consequently the legitimate heir to the
| French throne, if there were IA French
throne to be inherited.
The Orleans family have prctendcrs to
their honors also. only that the head of the
family, the late Louis Philippe, is accused
Of having been an intrusive impostcr, pos
sessing the rank and fortunes belonging
rightfully TO another Lately but not for
the first time, an elaborate effort has been
made TO prove that the late king was no
| Burborn at all We have sometimes met.
in foreign papers with various statements
to the effect that Louis Philippe was an
Italian infant, substituted into the family of
Duke Of Orleans for weighty family rea-
sons. The inquiry has been included a
mong grave historical doubts, and recently
the grounds of the doubt, and the docu-
ments to sustaint, have been carefully col
lectcd and published in a volume iu Paris.
A summary of the case Is made in Rich
mond paper. from which we made up
some Of the leadirg facts and allegations.
The story, is told circumstantially, and
with an air ofpcrfcction of its truth, is, that
Louis Philippe was the son Of u .jailor at
Modigliana, a small towi. IN Italy, at which
his reputcd parents, the famous Egalite
and his wife, were staying during the win
ter of 1928, under the name of the
Count and Countess de Joinville. A male
heir was wanted to secure in the Orleans
family some immense estates and the infant
daughter, Of which the wife Of Egalite was
dchvered,was exchanged at his birth for The
son ofChiappini, the iailor. The boy was
brought up as the heir of Orleans-the
daughter as the child of the .iailor. She be
came remarkable for her beauty, wit,
and accomplishments, and became the
wife Of Lord Newburg, an English no.
bleman, and, after his death of a Russian
nobleman Baron Steinberg. 1t was after
this second marriage hat Chiappini, dis
closed to her the mystery of her BIRTH
1t had the effect Of making her spend the
remainder of her Eie In correspondence,
intrigues, and struggles to get herself ac-
knowledgcd as a true princess OF the House
ofOrleans, and Louis Philippe, then Duke
OF Orleans, as an imposter. She had pow
erful protectors in Paris who were able TO
secure her personal freedom, but never
made any impression unfavorable to the
security of Louis Philippc's title, and prob
ably never would. had her claim been
twice as strong. Her story had many be-
levers. and she was really revcrenced by
many Frenchmcn as the true representa-
tive of one Of the royal houses Of France.
belief which was much strengthened by
the remarkable fact, or extraordinary CO.
incidence that she had great likeness
to the Orleans family, and Louis Philippe
a strong likeness to Chiappini. 1t is but
few years since she died, fully believing
hcrselfto be an Orleans princess.
The array of documents in favor Of her
pretensions is long, and makes out plaus-
ible case. II is very curious story, and
if it be, as it probably is, case Of accidcn-
tai coincidence, ii is nevertheless one Of ro-
mantle interest, as there can be no doubt
OF the sincerity ofthe delusion under which
the lady acted to the end OF her life.