The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-02-01
The American BOnaPartes In Europe
and the Prince Of Wales In America.

From the London Times, Jan. It.
When the Prince of Wales was in the United States the
American journals amused themselves with specializing
the chcc Of his being onsiaved by the beauty the
American ladies' and as precedent for such noble cap
they reproduced the story of jerome Bonaparte and
Miss Elizabeth Paterson That tsle perfectly true.
Jerome youngest brother OF Napoleon T. did the year
mored Of the daughter Of william Paterson Esq an
honorable and worthy citizen OF Baltimore To that lady
Christmas of the same year he was married and
a named also Jerome, the issue OF the union.
All this reads like bygone affair, but 1t happens to
possess very present and immediate interest indeed
Elizabeth Paterson is still living she is at this moment
in Paris with her son, and the 25th OF this month of
January she Will claim before the French SHIRE
of the property left by her late husband What gives
the question extraordinary interest the fact that
another wife and another son Of .utrious rank compete
for precedence jerome Bonapare, the simple officer OF
the French navy became afterwards King OF Wcsphaa,
and in that capacity married the Princess Catherine,
daughter Of the King OF Wurtemberg from which union
Issued the Princess Mathilue, she wife OF Prince
Demidon and Prince Napoleon the husband Of the
Princess Clode OF Savoy. As no Christian, however,
Can have two wives at time, the question is under
what conditions jerome Bonaparte became entitled TO
take a second during the lifetime OF the hrst
The actual substance Of the case can be very simply
stated aud will, at any rate by Englsbmen, be very
easily understood Mr. Froudes History OF Englan has
recently revived the famous career OF King Henry VIII
refreshed our memories with the arguments avaa
BILE for the dissolution of nconvenent marriage. In
1908 Jerome Bonapare was but private gentleman, In
1906 he was member OF an imperial family aud brother
OF OF the most powerful sovereigns in the world With
this change his condition all other things were changed
ALSO and IT became desirable in the interests Of the
dynasty that the Bonaptes should ally themselves with
royal houses after royal fashion The chief of the farn
" was not long in recognizing these political obligations
lie himself regulated his wife Josephine 10 make way
for an Austrian Archduchess; he urged his brother
Lucien to annul his marriage, and he impressed
the like duty on Jerome Lucien refused but Jerome
yielded to the pressure II was true that he and ELIZA
beth Paterson man and wife, but There never yet
lacked pretexls ior complying WIN .ne rcqu,5.ons %
pronounced by the Archbishop OF Paris TO be null aud
void the LIST OF June 1905 and the released husband
contracted matrmony afresh on the 18th Of August,
1907.
1t will be readily imagined that such transactions
could not be accomplished without opposition.
Elizabeth Paterson protested stouty Queen Kath,
rne herself against the proceedings OF her spouse
Indignantly refused admit the alleged iegally OF her
marriage Afterwards indeed when her husband had not
only forsaken her, but had raised another wife her
place, she made matters even by obtaining divorce;
but In doing she exp essly reserved cher rights
and thoee of her SON. With the restoration OF the NJ.
poleon dynasty these dormant claims naturally
vved, and Madame Bonaparte and her then
enabled to appeal TO many kind recognition from the
present Emperor OF the French II IL clear indeed that
the Paterson family watching with great
lctse, for in the spring OF 1852 NJ Jerome Bonapirtc
addressed letter from Baltimore 70 the ors OF w.
Theirs "History Of the consulate and the Empire, and
requested that note explanatory OF the nigh. be
inserted in the next volume OF haswork This request
complied WITH the editors, according 10 the para
graph with which the note Is introduced, did not pre-
sume 10 decide for themselves question OF state
From this document and the memoir lately compiled
Par the public be informed OF the points ostensby
In dispute.
II is alleged then on behalf OF those who mpeach tho
nrst marriage that Jerome Bonapare minor at tho
parent was not obtained and that the young lady
fro.es,ant while he Catholic These appear the
mo,e proauooie clauses Of the plea, though IL has been
sso uIgeo on various occasions that there was due
Puooaon " bans, that the ceremony was soiemni1ed
iore'gn priest IN foreign land, and that il could
tbereiofe ~ presumably regarded and null
To these allegation Is rcoined nrs thai NJ argnrnent
can De founded ON the bridegrooms minority II a eyen
declared at the outset that Jeromes c,n nsi, ~ ~
republican navy makes him out 10 have been tysntv
two years of age at the time IN, a. III,
sons note above mentioned gives him ouiy rI.,,na
years we suppose those figures may be accepted M
that Is above the age at which, by the French t
code, man s competent to matrmony so maj
we must needs suppose this point 10 be demolished
Next regards the mothers consent istrle enoIph
that, though neither the American law nor the canon
law exacts such condition. the French aw does but
that same law, rs also said, requires the protest OF the
mother 10 be made within yoar after Der knowledge
the facts, whereas neither within that peroi nor al any
time whatever did Jefomes mother imp~arh The Va.
Iidy Of the act As 10 the brides rel sDu, doss o.
tanly seem strange to found any argument on such
r0la, seeing that the second wife whom Prince Jerome
took the place Of the first Was Pfoestlnt also.
But tho American case Is not confined ~ those rcioin
defs taecep eVuu The less debate arguments derive
FROM the privilege II EerVEns aud rebuts them b.
appeal u dates. Aduiiti .is rcsniug house Is en-