The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-12-15

of the family af1iction- -.insanIty-or the Duke
of Edinburgh, who has the reputation OF being
as dlssouLe as his older brother, would be
made regent. This unfortunate combination
of things, Mr.. Clews Is represented by tue
interviewers to th1nk; would giEe.the grow
ing Republican movement tremendous
Impetus. s.r.-.. .ft,-.:. IN
Writing of the dying heir to the British
throne reminds me that I had the misfortune
yesterday to meet the legitimate heir thereto,
u Mr.. Oracle, Of Long Island, who represents
himselfto be the direct llneal descendant OF
James the Second. / remark, misfortune
nngracious as 1t may seem to say IT, the last OF
the young Pretender, he who failed to recover
the crown at Culloden, had son, whose ex-
Istence was concealed from the world to pro-
tect it against the daggers of the partisans OF
The House of Hanover. The pretender died in
1888, the son was secretly conveyed from
Italy to America, and, assuming the name OF
Oracle, lived until the time OF his dea'h on
Long Island. The present Mr. Oracle IS his
son, and the grandson OF the young Pretender.
He Is tall, stout man of sixty years, with
gray hair, and eyes that are nnmistak-
ABLY Wild He dresses well, and Is evident
ily man of education, though ne falls
TO express his thoughts with tconsecll-
itiveness. He infests the newspaper offices,
.buttonholes the editors, reporters and
If he is hurnored In his fantasy goes into par
oXysms disagreeatle to the victims. He writes
necessarily to Queen Victoria demanding her
abdication in his favor, and 10 Mr.. Gladstone
upbraldinQ him for his disioyalty, and 10 the
President and Secretary Fish begging them to
send the United States army and navy over to
England to enforce his claims. He went to
Washington when The high jolnt commission
was In session and bothered the Joints 30 that
nal; hoH fO hQ lid pn-
Lion. The most curious feature of the matter
is that Mr.. Oracle possesses documents, appa-
rently ancient and genuine, which would seem
to substanllate his claim that his father was
the heir of the Stuarts. Like The late Amerl-
can Bourbon, Rev. Eleozar' Williams, there Is
some striking circumstantial evidence 10 his
favor. That his brain is unsettled, there IL,
however, sill more satisfactory evidence.
George Wilkes, of the Spirit Of The Times,
has undertaken The Job OF defeating his old,
but unfahlul friend, U. S. g., for the Presi-
dency. The intimacy between Wilkes and
Grant used to be- one OF the most marked OF
the Presidential friendships. The men had
Two qualities In common; neither knew apy-
thing Of politics, and both loved horses.
Wilkes Was the marty who brought about The
reconciliation of Grant and Butler. II seems
that the President has been unmindful of hi'
promises to his jockey friend. In o moment
of gushing affection, lie agreed 10 appoint him
mlIister to France or Something equally as
good. Mr.. Fish, who has q kcener sense OF
propriety, persuaded The President to reconsld.
er this determination. Hence, the attitude OF
the Spirit of the Times towards The Presidents
Mr.. Wllkes's leader. In the last number Of his
paper, has been widely reprinted. He urges
a rather impracticable plan, OF his own lnven-
tion, to compass the defeat OF Grant. He
wants general uprising of the people in favor
Of Inc ole-term principle. expression TO their
feelings being given ''bS means OF resolutions
to be. offered In every variety OF public meet
ingn that shall be- held prevl6ustO the meeting
of the next Republican Convention. The
unanimity of the people thus exhibited. Mr..
Wilkes thinks, would lrlghLens the politicians
and office-holders Into nominating new man.
The trouble with Mr.. Wilkes's project is that
The Democrats would decline To. play into his
hands. since he Insists that the candidate
shall be pronounced Radical, and that oil
the Republican meetings are manipulated by
Just The class of people WHO will run the Ma
tional Convention. r7 y 2 z fNYN.