Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-01-02
DBATE OF THE KING OF BELGIUM.

The last returns from Europe announce the
death Of Il man whose name had been longer
before the world than that of any public man
whom he has left behind. LEoPnLD. King
OF Belgium, died Ia Brussels on the 9th day
Of December. When we saw the announce
mcnt, our mind seemed to be carried back
half century, to the days Of Napoleon |.
and George Ill, Of Francis Alexander and
Frederick William III, Of Wellington and
Mettcrnich, Canning and Castlereagh. the
Conference of Erfuth, and the invasion of
Spain, the invasion Of Russia. and the inva-
Sion OF France, the dow2tall OF Napoleon and
the Treaty Of Vienna, the formation of the
Holy Alliance. and the visit OF the Sovcrcigns
to England. All these mighty events he viii
messed in all of them he was deeply inter
ested, and Of all the actors who played their
part i'll the StupcndGus drama, he was the
last.
Prince Leopold, of Saxc-Coburg, was born
in the hereditary domnions Of his father
somewhere about the year 1885. When the
torrent Of Invasion swept over Germany, in
1906, he was man grown, and did the part
Of a man, and prince in resisting the inva-
der. To all appearances, Germany was sub
dUcd. 1t is probable, ut least, that he tI.o't
SO for we fad trom Napolcon'S ConvCrsa-
tions at St. Helena, that lie was at one time
dcsirOus to become one Of his aids. lie seems
to have been wr2tchcdly poor; for when the
allied sovcregns made their celebrated visit
to London. i'll 1914, after the downfall of
Napoleon, he was extremely dcsirous to ac-
company them, but would have been prevent
ed from the absolute impossbiiity of rigging
himself ont in the proper style had not his
wants been supplied by private hand. He
did 90, however, and there, for the first time
fell in with the Princess Charlotte of Wales
hciress of the British Crown. The hand of
this young Princess had been designed for
the Prince of Orange, but, after having seen
Leopold she could not be induced to marry
him. She seems, indeed. to have fallen in
love with Leopold at first sight They were
married; and Leopold, who, at one time. had
been living in very poor way at sixth>class
boarding house in London, had every pros
pcct of becoming Prince Consort of the most
brilliant crown earth, when his hopes were
suddenly blasted by the death Of the Prn-
cess in child bed. This event threw the
whole kingdom of Great Britain into mourn~
ing; for, loyal as the English generally are.
no prince or princess had ever been so popu>
lar as Charlotte who appears, indeed, to have
richly deserved all the affection so profusely
laviShcd upon her by the people. From that
time, for many years, the name of LeOpold
very rarely occurs in the history of Europe.
The crown of Greece was offered to him when
that country erected into a kingdom; but
he rejected it without the slightest hesitation.
The revolution of 1880 extended from Paris
to Brussels-the Belgans shook off the woke
of the Prince Of Orange, and separated from
IIolland. After war of short duration, be-
tween France and Belgium on one side, and
Holland on the other, the separation was
confirmed The Beleiars chose Leopold. who
had married daughter of Louis Philippe,
King of the French, for their King. and their
choice was confirmed by France and England.
From that time until his death, Leopold has
| been King Of Belgium, or rather, we believe,
King of the Belgidns.
/ 1t is conceded On all hands that Leopold
/ governed his little ki2gdom with consumat2
/ wisdom. 1t vas, at the time of his death, the
/ finest and most fourishing country on the
face of the earth. 1t is little remarkable
that he obtained it at the expense of the
/ Prince of Orange, whom he had already "cut
out " of his mistress, the PRINCESS Charlotte
/ He seems to have been Il rock ahead of that
/ potentate all his life. The subsequent history
Of the two men amply justified the sagacity
of the Princess Charlotte in making the choice
she did. Leopold proved himself the wisest
and best sovereign of the age Orange was
a stupid, bull headed, narrow minded prince,
who spent the greater part of his time, incog,
in the gambling houses Of Paris. He soon