The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-21


to me this indignant exclamation seems very natu
raj one as it is evident that the old squaw knowing
she was the mother, supposed they meant to make
her son great man, by persuading her TO confess
that his father was king, who had visited the tribe
and that his mother therefore, was an adueress and
himself bastard The is otherwise destitute of
all meaning Butthere is spice of disngcnuousness
here as well az elsewhere, in this account, for the
narrative expressly asserts that the mother, when
enumerating her children, and the dates of their
birth, "brings in his name at particular place.. 1t
Is difficult to perceive how it can be asserted in the
face Of these facts that his reputed mother does
not acknowledge him to be her child
Is. That boxes Of clothing and medals of Louis
XVI. and Marie Antoinette were left with the child
one Of which is in Mr.. Wiliamss possession. So says
Mr.. Williams.
why he recollects this incident of the boxes being
left with him. when in his state Of idiocy, while he
has forgotten everything else neither the hero of the
story nor his biographer has told In the meantime
we are asked to believe that murderer, escaping
for his life, and idiotic boy carried of with them
boxes of clothing and medals, in the midst of the
most vgant police In the world who probably never
lost sight Of the Dauphin, except for very brief
interval, and who would have raised hue and cry
after him, which would have resOunded throughout
France
For myself, am sorry 10 be obliged to consider as
apocryphal the account OF the magnificent brocade
dress, against whose siken folds Mr.. Williams had
fondy rested when the living loneliness Of Marie An
toinette was within it," because fear the casket
never contained the treasure; and it taxes my imag
nation beyond its capacity when am asked to pic
turs to myself my old Indian acquaintance fondled in
the arms of that beautiful queen, whose splendid
panegyric, dictated by poetic fancy rather than by
truth is one Of the most magnificent efforts Of the
genius of Edmund Burke
l6 That an unknown Frenchman wept over him
H. That his tuition must have been paid for by
some other person, because he does not believe his
reputed father had the means the inclination to de-
fray the expense. So says Mr. Williams.
Ia fho nf q hp hear h.
tween Thomas Williams and his wife about French
hoy. So says Mr.. Williams.
10. That he recognized the portraits Of his jailor
and Of his aunt, the sister Of Louis XVI So says
Mr.. Williams
20. That Mr.. Williams was idiotic at the age of
thirteen or fourteen. So he says 1t may have been
go and it would be charitable to hope that his pre-
sent attempt is the result OF mental delusOn to be
traced to that misfortune instead of worse motive.
81. That the Dauphin at his age was reduced to
the condition of mental alienation by ill treatment.
1t may be that two children Of the same age, even
in different hemispheres, may have had similar dis
orders But what does that prove, and more espe-
ciay there is not the slightest evidence that Mr.
Williams was in state Of idocy at that time of his
life.
%. That since the instantaneous recovery Of his
reason in Lake George-(wonderful waters those
far exceeding the waters Of the Pool Of Sloan,
which cured only the body)-since then he has had
some dreaming remembrances corresponding TO
known scenes in the Dauphns history The in
quiring community has nothing to do with Mr.. Will
lfams's dreams, even if they are as magnificent as
those of his predecessor in the Arabian Nights Enter
tainment. 1t wants facts, not assertions.
3d. That decree for the Punishment Of the son OF
Louis XVI passed the French Convention Of 1894.
l have no time to turn back to the legislative or
historical records Of France to ascertain if this be
so. Such decree, If passed, would not bear in the
slightest manner upon this subject No man, not
even the most eredulous believer in Mr.. Wiams's
descent from Hugh Capet and St. Louis pretends
that the DauphiR was banished by virtue of such q
decree. 1t is contended that he was carried OF
by his keeper, secretly, Of course, and strangely
too for we are told that the keeper was compelled to
flee, in consequence of his having committed muir
der. And we called upon to believe that in such
an emergency, life or death depending upon the is
sue, and surrounded by the French police, he took
with him an idiotic boy in the very last stages of
terrible disorder, with trunks Of medals and rich
clothing. A strange arrangement, and one well cal
culated both to impede his journey and draw upon
him the public attention wherever he might pass
This is not the way in which criminals seek to es
cape the penalty Of DEATH And how happened it
that the escape Of the Dauphin never discovered
by the French government and the police of Parisy
Nobody doubts their activity vigilance or their
disposition to secure this State prisoner Were they
imposed upon by supp0sititious child Did he es-
cape before his reported death or after ii The
Fore Cutting s branch The Subject there is one
proof Of identity worth adverting to for its novelty
If not for its importance. We seriously told that
tics Of MI Williams. curoupy Correspond s with what
the Dauphin would probably be if alive" &c. Com
ment upon such process OF reasoning cannot be
necessary.
"a That the President and ecclesiastical digni-
taries' Of France have written to Mr. Williams,
making inquiries concerning his history. So says
Mr.. Williams. and his biographer put this down as
one OF the links in his chain of evidence. Louis Ma
poleon and the French dignitaries have something
better to do than to make inquiries about Mr.. Will
iams, unless, indeed, they were powerfully dream
ing as he was.
u.s. That there have been various attempts to per-
senate the Dauphin. There is no answer to such On
argument but It suggests that our country has now
added to the number.
rs. Nothing to the purpose. Some loose state
ments about the Duke de Lianc0urt and the travels
OF Louis Philippe in this country.
"a. That Mr.. Williams is a respectable clergyman.
Though good character weighs, and should weigh,
much in doubtful cases yet we should contradict all
human experience if we assumedthat men bearing
good characters cannot do wrong, and egregrious
xrong too. Mr.. Williams has Voluntarily placed
himself in no enviable position. He must stand or
fall, not by his character, but by his proofs. The
Remains said Of the departed, "He has lived" am
afraid we shall have to say Of Mr.. Williams he has
been respectable clergyman.
There Is in existence letter, written by Mr.. Will
liams to person Of his acquaintance, some three
years ago, In which he alluded to prevailing rumor
of his being connected with the Bourbons and ask
ing the person to whom it was addressed, whether
there was any foundation for the story He made
not the most distant allusion to his interview with
the Prince de Jonvile, TO his letters to the other
facts he now states, which would have rendered
his inquiry wholly unnecessary.
He was informed that there was not, in the opin-
ion Of his correspondent, the least foundation for
such an idle story. And there the communication
dropped His letter utterly inconsistent with
any knowledge Of the facts he now asserts to be
true
There is report that the Prince de Joinville has
written letter to the editor Of Putnam's Magazine
upon the subject Of this story II requires but little
sagacity to pronounce that if such letter has been
received it will be found to contain direct contra
dction of Mr.. Williams statement OF his interviews
and conversations with the Prince, far they re-
gard this ridiculous pretension. It surprises me,
however, that the Prince should think it worth the
trouble TO contradict such absurd and ildgssted
experiment upon the public eredulity.
ST.. CLAIR.
Superior Court-Genernl Term.
Chief Justice Oakley and Hon Judges Duer Campbell,
Bosworth, Paine, and Emmet, presiding.