The Nevada Democrat., 1858-10-27
Claimants to Royalty.


The recent death of Eleazor Williams, claim
ant for some years past to the style and dignity
of French Prince, naturally enough suggests
to us rememberance of many other names, as
those belonging to individuals who have pro-
mulgated their own near connection with
thrones, if, indeed, they have not insisted on
being the legal occupants of thrones them
selves.
The first is one who claimed precisely the
same dignity rs the deceased had done since the
year 1858. Passing under the title of Duke Of
Normandy, he was known to the European pub
lie for loog time between the restoration of
the Bourbons to the throne of France aud the
thirteenth and fourteenth year of I.suis Philip
pes reign. He, too, claimed to be the son Of
the unfortunate Louis the Sixteenth, and Marie
Antoinettc--Dauphin of France by birth, and
legitimately Louis the Seventeenth, king from
the date of his fathers beheading.
By the many, the claims of this idividual were
ridculed, but there were some whom ii was on
ly reasonable to suppose better Informed on
The subject, who accredited this Duke of Nor
mandy just for what he assumed to be. In per-
son and feature he bore strong resemblance
to Louis and Marie; in age he was the same the
bona fde prince would have been, if spared he
also had various marks about his body, which,
In challenging an examination into his claims,
he said would identify him with the son suppos-
ed to be dead, in the eyes of people who had
been made acquainted with the same in the days
OF his Infancy. To several of the French royal
family he pointed. indicating them as the wit
nesses he desired to be called to the stand in o
court OF justice. But useless were all his en-
deavors. There was no court of competent
jurisdiction for his case, and so he continued in
obscurity. He was man of high scientific ac-
qulrements, and at the date of his death was
busily employed on the perfecting of machine
that must have put an end, it was supposed, to
war forever. He left large family, in power
ty, TO mourn his loss; and what may be instanc-
ed as some evidence Of the justice Of his claims
his life has been often imperilled by an unknown
hand
But France is not singular among European
nations for its claimants to royalty. England
has taken her part in that game. Going on fur
ther back than the commencement of Queen
Vctoria's reign, we find first, an elderly gentle.
man anxious for recognition as King, on the
assumption that he was the only son of George
the Fourth by marriage pre-dating that of
the monarch while Prince of Wales, with Caro-
line Of Brunswick. Then up starts another,
who prefers claim to the paternity of the Duke
of York. And then third, who claims to be
the Queens brother himself, and therefore enti.
tied TO the purple in precedence of her.
Instances Of this kind could be multiplied,
aud of course never gained convert AT the
same time others have risen of complexion 10
inspire shrewd suspicion that n crown is often
diverted from its proper head and placed upon
one not legally entitled to wear it. An example
occurred some years ago in the case of one
Caspar Hauser, youth freed from dungeon
through the benevolent excrtions of Earl Stan.
hope. British nobleman. Everything connect.
ed with this young Hauser--his Imprisonment
what he could reveal, the efforts made to get
him back a prisoner-poiDted to one plain hy
pothesis; il was that in him Baden would have
recognized her Grand Duke and ruler, had the
many outside the curtain of State politics been
as wise as the few inside-N T. Mews.