Washington telegraph., 1853-03-09
VOL. XIII.
Louis XvII--Is He still Living I

The elaborate article which lately appear
ed in g Putnam's Monthly" concering the
authenticity of the claims of an aged cler-
gyman, the Rev. ELEAzAK WILLIAMS, now
living at the North to be considered as the
son of the unfortunate Louis XVI, has ex-
cited wide and deep sensation. We pub
lish two articles concerning it. one review
ing the article in tie t tMoRthly," and giving
a summary of its contents the other put
ting forth some statements which are, apps-
rently, as well authenticated as those i'll IA
ror of Mr.. Williams but which advocate
the claims of another person. altogether.
NeW Orleans Picayatne.
From the Philadelphia Bulletin, January 29h.
Our readers are, perhaps not ignorant
that there lives in the State of New York
person protesting to be the son of LOUIS
XVI, His claims have frequently been as
serted in the newspapers, but heretofore in
so vague way that few individuals of sense
have paid much regard to them. The Feb
ruary number of Putnam's Magazine, how
ever, contains an elaborate article upon the
subject, from which it would appear that
the case really presents some curious fea-
lures, proving the whole affair to be either
one of the most remarkable impostures in
history. or one of the most amazing iEstan-
ces on record Of romance in real life'
This alleged heir to the Bourbons is now
venerable clergyman vergimg upon seven
ty years of age, with an irreproschable
character, who has been missionary among
the Indians. He bears tae name OF the
Rev Eleazar Williams, and populsrly pass
es for half-breed, having Il reputed Indian
mother living But, strange to say, though
the baptisms of all his pretended brothers
and sisters are dul ly recorded IL the Roman
Catholic register Of their native parish, for
his alleged parents, it seems, were members
Of that denomination, yet Of his own birth no
such notice is taken. Strange to say, this
nominal mother refuses TO say whether he
is her child or not, her lips being sealed, it
seems, by some former promise or VOW
Strangest of all, he himself bears no resem-
blance to an Indian but has the f.ll husiri-
an lip and other characteristics of Bour-
bon; indeed, to the late Louis XVIII, he is
said to bear striking likeness.
1t is not, however, on slight things like
these that his claim rests; for if it did, it
would deserve to be laughed at for absuriity.
The case in his favor rests on infinitely
stronger grounds. A Mr.. Beranger, who
died lately in Louisiana, declared on his
deathbed that the son OF Louis XVI. did
not die in Paris, as has generally been sup
posed, but was brought to America he him
self having been an agent in the transaction.
L. Al, n.
Frenchmen, likely to know such State Sc
cret, have also declared at various times du-
ring the last fifty years, that the Dauphin
lived. and was somewhere in America. 1t
seems, likewise, that all the indications
point to the locality where Mr. Williams
was brought up. as that in which the lost
heir to the French crown was concealed-
Moreover. on the person Of this gentleman
are marks Of the scrofula, which it is known
afflicted the Dauphin, and the marks are in
the exact place where they would have been
on the Dauphin, had he survived More
extraordinary still, the face of Mr, Williams
has two sears similar to two received by the
. Danphin from blow given by his jailor ST.
mon.
These condolences are fortified BY others
less striking. The case in his favor is
strengthened by still other circumstances,
the truth Of which appears probable, though
yet requiring to be fully established The
most important of these is that Mr.. Will
liams has received, on more than one occa-
sion, oyertures of an extraordinary charac-
ter, all emanating from abroad, and all
pointing to him as some person OF high line
age, whose claims it was desrous to buy of.
or extlngulsh in some other way. The weak
part of the case, as regards these overtures,
is, that the evidence of them consists chief
ly In Mr. W.'s own assertion, the papers
substantiating them, having with but one or
two exceptions, been DESTROYED, as he saws,
by the confagration of his dwelling But
though in one sense this is the weakest as
pect of his case, in another it is of much
strength, at least temporarily. Gentlemen.
known to us, for example, and who know
him well, say that they would take his word
as soon as any other mans OATH Nor is it
likely that any man would begin. at seventy
years, career of lies and fraud Moreo-
YER, the assertion of these overtures has
been made with such particularly and di-
rectness that nothing will be easier than
refutation, if Mr.. W. has violated truth;
and as he is an ordained minister in the
Protestant Episcopal Church, his degra-
dation will evidently follow his exposure
Either therefore, he is the most foolish of
impostors, because detection is now certain,
or he has stated truth when asserting the
fact of these overtures.
For example. he declares that when the
Prince de Joinville came to America, in
ls4l' one of the first things the Prince did
was to inquire him out At that time Mr..
w. processes to have had no knowledge of