The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-01-05
A Queens Death.

On the evening of the 18th of December, a
venerable old lady died, who has witnessed
and mingled among the great scenes of Eu-
ropean history, from the time of the French
Revolution. This was the DoWager q ueen of
Sweden the widow of Bernadotte 1t is men,
toned that she was just about to go TO he
Theatre TO witness CaIderon's play, Life is a
Dream" when the summons came. and her
own death pointed the moral of the drama.
This old lady, when a blooming and beauti-
ful girl OF fifteen, was courted, but not won,
by the young artillery officer, Napoleon b.
| naparte-so hat she had Il narrow escape from
| becoming Empress of France. If she had
| smiled on the young officer, married him, aud
borne him heirs that might have Survived him,
| the condition OF Europe at the present tire
| might have been very different. Joseph ne
| Beauharnais would never have figured in his
| tory, AID her grandson would mott now have
| been sovereign of France, and arbiter of the
| fate OF nations in Europe.
The late Queen DoWager of Sweden was
| known in royal calendars as Eugenie Bernar-
dine De>iree She was born i'll Marseiles,
| Nov. Sth, ISL SO that she was seventy nine
years old when she died. Her maiden name
| was Desires Clary and her father was rich
| merchant and banker Of Marseilles. When
| she was fifteen she touched the heart of Ma
| poleon, but nearly at the same time Gen can
Ber nadotte paid his addresses to her, and was
| accepted. They were married August 10Th,
| I79S, General Bonaparte having consoled him.
| self by wedding the beautiful widow Beau
/ harnais. An older sister of Madame Berna.
| dotte had previously married Joseph Bona
/ parte, and became affei wards, successiveiy,
| & Queen of Naples, Queen of Spain, and Conn-
| tess of Surviliiers. under which latter title
| she may be rememb bered by people of Borden
| town and Of this city. Madame Junot, in her
| Memoirs, speaks of her as San angel of good
| ness" "adored by all about her." and "fondly
| attached to her sister. the Queen of Sweden, -
| adding that the latter was "an excellent, in
| offensive creature, prodigiously fond of every
| thing melancholy and roma attic. She had very
| fine eyes and most pleasing smle.'
| The public need not be reminded how Ber-
nadotte, through his relationship to Napoleon,
! rather Than through any native genius, rose
| i'll the French army, and subseq uenlly to the
| crown OF Sweden, under the tile OF Charles
| XIV. John. He preserved his throne amid all
| the revolutionary storms OF Europe. and died
| in 1914. 1t is his widow who, after long
| and peaceful enjoyment of the honors and
| luxurIes OF royalty, has just died. Her son,
| Orcar l., succeeded to the crown iE lo44, aud
| her grandson is the reiguing King of Sweden,
| Oscar IL. She married in stormy days, but
| had little personal suffering from them. Most
| of her long life was passed III honorable ease
| and though the monarchs raised BY Napoleon
| all fell from their thrones, she and her hus-
| band retained theirs, and their dynasty seems
| 10 be as securely established as any other in
| the world Her marriage and her relationship
| TO Napoleon raised her above The rank OF Mr
| Clary, the banker, and she became his
| torcai parsonage in her life, she is entitled IL
/ 10 tinni hor6 6lnt