Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-04-23

Prince JEROME Boaaparter and His Tive
Consorts-IThe Prince DecIatea HIMSELF
Proud Of His Apnerican Citizenship and
His American wife. poo '-s
A family council, presided over by the
Emperor, and comprising Prince Jerome,
Prince Napoleon, the Princess Mathilde, and
two OF the cabinet ministers, is said 10 have
been held at the Tuileries recently, to hold
conference concerning the proper steps TO be
adopted in the affair Of Jerome Paterson,
which Is beginning to give great annoyance
to the imperial family. The publication Of
the particulars Of the iirst marriage Of Prince
Jerome Bonaparte, at that time merely
Lieutenant Bonaparte, in the service Of the
French Republic, with Miss Paterson, an
American citizen, as detailed in the last
volume Of Theirs HistoTy Of the Consulate and
Empire, has reused ingenuity as we'll as sense
of Justice in the bosom Of Jerome Paterson;
and upon reading the account rs given by
Theirs, he Immediately sent in his protesta-
ton with copy Of the letter written by Plus
VIII, on the occasion Of the second marriage,
wherein his Holiness refuses TO annul the
first, there existing, according TO the Roman
law, no reason whatever for SO doing The
Emperor Napoleon, then, taking advantage
of the old imperial privilege claimed by every
royal or imperial house in Europe, OF sane
tioning or annulling marriage contracted
by any of its members by the will of the chief
of the family alone, Immediately declared
that the marriage was void, and that his
brother Jerome must forthwith marry the
Princess Charlotte of Wurtemberg.
Now Jerome, who has been quietly enjoy
ing a country life, with the wisdom and dig
nifty of man, little caring for the greatness
which he beholds as the affliction of his FAM
lily, is suddenly awakened to the idea that it
is the second-not the first-marriage which
is illegal. Napoleon Bonaparte, when he
proclaimed his brothers divorce, had, indeed,
become Emperor of the French nation-a
mighty conqueror, powerful law-giver, and
| a ruler of many peoples; but not even all this
glory and greatness, however much it might
| lift him above his fellow-men, could change
| bis birth one title, nor make him the head Of
\ his family after all. Madame Letitia Bona
parte was still living, and so was Joseph Bo-
naparte, the eldest brother. 1t was Madame
Bonaparte's consent which had been consid-
cred necessary, in order to legalize the first
marriage. She had been considered on that
occasion, as she was, according to French law,
by the death of her husband the head of her
family. This was, therefore, the act by which
| the Paterson marriage was dissolved, with
out consent of the widowed head of the Impe-
rial family. AS a civil formality, and in ac-
tual defiance of the Pope's decree as a reli-
gious necessity it must naturally be regarded
as contrary to the jurisprudence of the coun-
l
J void-he who contracted it unconsciously
guilty of bigamy, and the issue of such mar
riage to stand second as recognized children
not of right the heirs of the contractor.
: The summons sent by hiaSseer to the pub
Usher of the second edition of the volume
, was, of course, complied with, the law pub
, fishers having recently been made more strin,
5 gent than ever on this point; and the conse.
S quence was the seizure of the whole edition
before it had left the printers Office, and tn,
|. expunging of the letter from the Pope, witt
! Jerome Paterson's protestation. Notice o
l protest was Immediately served upon tn
publisher, and his application to the ministe
e resulted in an address to the throne itself 70
9 advice in this dilemma. Jerome Paterson
d defense of his conduct is independent an
noble. "For myself | seek nothing. am a
n proud of my glorious title of an America
y citizen as should be of that of Prince In
e perial of France. During Prince jerome
IS lifetime no measures shall be adopted to re
d store those who are dependent on my love
their rightful position, but this protestatio
is necessary for their security in future years.
n II has been decided that the volume must aI
:. pear with the letter and the protest-anothe
c protest to come before the public, by way {
1t answer, Immediately afterward.-Pdris Le
e ter in the London Star.