Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1853-02-09
A strange Tale, True or Untrue.

| A strange Tale, True or Untrue.
| Our readers are, perhaps, not ignorant tn:
there lives in the State of New York pei
son protesting to be the son Of Louis XVI
His claims have frequently been asserte
in the newspapers, but heretofore in so vagu
way that few individuals of sense hav
paid much regard TO them. The Februar
number of Putnam's Magazine, however
contains at, elaborate article upon the sub
liect, from which it would appear that tn
case really presents some curious features
proving the whole affair to be either one Q
the most remarkable impostures in history
or one of the most amazing instances Of
record of romance in real llfe."
This alleged heir to the Bourbohs is not
a venerable clergyman [of the Epi.copa
Church, yerging upon seventy years, 9
age, with an ifreproachable character, VIII
has been long missionary among the In
dians. He bears the name Of the Rev. Z
leazar Williams, and popularly passes for
half-breed, having reputed Indian moth
er living. But, strange to say, though the
baptism of all his pretended brothers ant
sisters are duly recorded in the Roman
Catholic register of their native parish, fol
his alleged parents, 1t seems, were mem
bers of that denomination. yet of his own
birth no such notice was taken. Strange
to say his nominal mother refuses to say
whether he is her child or not, her lips be-
ing sealed, it seems, by some former PROM
Use or VOW. Strangest Of all, he himself
bears no resemblance to an Indian, but has
the foil Austrian lip and other Characters
cs-of Bourbon indeed, to the late LOU
is XVI he Is said to bear striking like
ness.
1t is not, however, on slight things like
these that his claim rests: for if 1t did, il
would deserve to be laughed at for absurdi-
ty. The case in his favor rests on infinite
ly stronger grounds. A Mr.. Beranger, who
died lately in Louisiana, declared on his
deatirbed that the son of Louis XVI did
not die in Paris, ,as has been generally sup
posed, but was brought to America, he him.
self having been an agent in the transac-
ton. 1t appears further that various i.,au-
ental Frenchmen, likely to know such a
State secret, Aave also declared, at varioas
times during the past fifty years. that the
dauphin lived, and was somewhere in A
mefIca. 1t seems likewise that all the in
dications point to the locality where MIR.
Williams was brought up, as that in which
the lost heir to the French crown was con-
cealed. Moreover, on the person of this
gentlemen are marks of the serofula, which
it is7known afflicted the dauphin, and the
marks are in the exact place Where they
would have. been on the 'dauphin's person,
he had survived. More extra
ordinary still, the face of MIR. Williams has
two scars similar to two received by the
dasphin from blow given by his jailor ST.
mon.
These condolences are fortified by oth-
ers less striking. The case in his favor is
strengthened by still other circumstances,
the truth of which appears probable, though
requiring yet to be fully established The
most important of these is that Mr.. Will
liams has received, on more than one oc-
casion, 'overtares of an extraordinary char
acter, all emanating from abroad, and all
pointing to him as some parsonage of high
lineage, whose claims it was desirous to
buy off, or extlnouish IN some other way.
For example, he declares that when The
Prince de Joinpille came to America, in
1841. 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
his real parentage. In ain interview, how
ever, sought by the Prince, and held in the
Princes apartment, de Jolnville revealed
the secret of the Missionary's birth, pro-
duced document intended for an abdica-
tion in favor of the House of Orleans, and
made magnificent promises of an almost
re gal establishment wherever Mr.. w. might
desire tjprovided the parchment was sign
ed. Absurd as all this may seem at first,
yet the date, place, and exact time of the
alleged interview are given. Now here is
q complete issue on which de Joinvilfe can
meet Mr.. Williams. The latter has stalk
ed everything. 1t will be seen, by raising
the question of veracity.
One fact against him, on first view, is,
that he recoifects nothing Of his childhood,
asserting that up to his thirteenth year he
was almost idiotic, at which time he sud-
denly came to his right mind in conse-
quence of severe confusion received in
play. Yet his advocates seek to tern this
very circumstance to his favor, by declar-
ing that the dauphin is known to have been
reduced to comparative idiocy, by the saw
age treatment Of his jailors. 1t can scarce
ly be expected, even if Mr.. W, is really
the son of Louis XVI, that he will ever be
able to establish his identity conclusively,
FOR all those persons who could be wftnes-
ses in his behalf are probably dead before
this, and his relations,if aware of The truth,
will certainly make no confessions. The
result of the public controversy, which The
article ia Putnam's Magazine is intended
to challange, will lead to no results, proba-
bly,, except to add another to those mystic
,soas stores, of which history is full about
lost and banished princes, such as Nero,
Richard of York, the Emperor of Germa-
N.Y. and other half-apocryphal persons
Philade lphia EUeming Bulletin.
rrrrr
A REMARKABLE MANA gentleman
writing from Monaghan county, Ireland, to
an acquaintance of ours in this district, gives
a remarkable instance of longevity. Owen
duffy when one hundred and sixteen years
old, lost his second wife; he subsequently,
married third, by whom he has son and