The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1861-03-08
The Bonaparte. P atterson Case.

Ihere 10 TO tho multitude at large, the
world over, something extremely fascinating
in any personal relations, however vague,
with princes and poten,stes. and our fellow.
countrymen are not much behind other
poople in yielding to tho fascination. There
fore. no one nced be- astonished at tho alb
sorbing interest which many of ovon our
free aud enlightened fellow citizens have
always manifested in the Bonarpsrte .Pattor-
son case, or that we, in tho vocation of jour
nalist, should chronicle the outline of an
alliance and divorce which must necessarily
fnd place in history.
In 1903, Jerome Bouapartc, brother Of
Napoleon (thcn First Consul of France. J
went to America, and meeting in Baltimore
with Miss Patterson, married her. The
wedding was as public Ms possible being
performed BY the Catholic Bishop of Balti.
moro. and did not take place until it was
officially known in Baltimore. But after
Napoleon became Emperor, he "took shame"
for the lowly alliances of his brothers--for
Lucicn had also made mes dliiaRee--snd
ordered divorces. Jerome was weak, and
complied. He suffered his marriage to DO
declared "null in the ewes of religion and
the law" and in 1905 deserted his wife at
Lisbon, whoncc she made her way to En-
gland.
Tho Emperor Napoleon ondcsvored to
obtain divorce for Jerome from tho Pope,
but in vain. He intended the Kingdom OF
Wcstphsia for his brother, and wished 20
strengthen bis position by marrying him to
the daughter Of tho King Of Wurtemberg.
What the Pope refused to do was performed
with incredible meanness aud mondacity by
the then Archbishop of Paris. "And thus
Jerome became a bgauist, though q biga.
mist shielded by the law" ...
Tho mosuness of Jerome was, however,
made more apparent by his efforts to recon-
pense his frat wife, than it had been in frat
dvorcing her. He had the intolerabe and
Tuunstutal impudence to propose to her to
como and reside with him-or for tim-at
the palace OF Smalcaldcn in Germany, offer.
ing her rovenuo of 200 600 francs These
letters were unanswered, and Madame
Bonaparte, nee Patterson, a h,spirited
woman, and better adapted by nature 10 u
ttrono than her husband, treated these
offers with just contempt. and obtained q
divorce from tho Lcgislature of Maryland.
But time rolled on, and tho Bonapartes
| fell. When thoy wero broken down and
cIiled. Mrs. Elizabeth Patterson and her sop
jerome Bonaparte, received from thom
many tokens OF kindness and of recognition.
Louis Napoleon recognised Joromo as bis
cousin, by letter.
On tho l7tb April. 1883, Jerome va,
offered Corsican dukedom--a courtesy
which was declined. So, also, wore the mill
tary promotions extended to Jeromo's son
since they were simply addressed TO Mr.
Jerome Napoleon Bonuparte. About this
time, however, Jerome, the father, received
from the prcsent Emperor a formal instru
mont, signed by three ministers of state
declaring his Legitimacy. But Prinoe Ma
poloon and Matilda. tho children of ole
Jerome, by his second wifu Catharine, O.
Wurtcmberg would not submit to tho ncces
sary consequence of being declared bastard
by this recognition, aud is wns on accoun
Of their resistance that tho Corsican It'll,
was offered 10 the legitimate hoir if no woul,
not appear at Court
The descendants of Jerome might hav,
remained in proud privacv, stripped of thei
rights. and refusing dsgracefui and trick,
compromise. had not the question arisen II
tho courts OF law, of hoirship to tho propert,
of tho royal bigamist. This is to be dccldet
in Paris, on the Gath inst. When we con
slider that on the one side the evidences o
legitimacy are perfectly overwhelming. ant
that on the other Imperial influence weigh
entirely in favor of tho children by tn,
German marriage, it will be seen that ver,
in eresting contest is at hand. So far, tn
independent press of Europe is enthusiastic
in supporting the claims Of the children o
the first alliance, Frank Leslies Illustrate,
.Netrs