The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-01-16
She Wants the Throne of France
for Her Grandson.
AND THREATENS TO LIVE A HUNDRED YEARS,
Citizen Colonel Jerome Napoleon Bona
parte Stickler for Divine Right.
What He Says Of the Situation
in France.
HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN BONAPARTES.

HIS Iukv Ut Inc RWIEhlChN DUNhT hnIIO'
BALTIMORE, Nd, Jan. IA, 1874.
Now that he has been dead for i've days the de-
mise OF Napoleon III. ceases TO be news. The rush
and hurry of these busy times sweep even so
great an event into the sea Of oblivion more
rapidly than in olden times when village tale was
lost. Already, before the chemical change i'm
posed upon mankind has begun to crumble mon
arch into dust we are agltated with speculati0ns
- to who the successor will be to his glores If not
to his gloomy fate Napoleon dead In Chiselhurst,
the eyes Of all the world turned upon his genoa
logical tree, and the qualifications Of its roots and
branches are followed into foreign lands and under
foreign SKIES The seed was sown In Corsica 100
years ago; its flowers have bloomed on Mexican
soil, its fruits have ripened in the free States OF
America, and even here we have the possible sue
cessor to the throne, should the Empire ever rule
again the sunny fields Of France.
THE AMERICAN FAMILY OF BONAP ARrEs
who have their residence in this city, and whose
connection with its social history for nearly sew
enty years has formed the theme Of much Preside
and party gossip, have no mean pretensions to the
rights that naturally accrue to the successor OF Ma
poleon. Colonel Jerome Napoleon BOnaparte is
next to the Prince Imperial. declared to be the
legal heir to the throne Of France He is the Oldest
legitimate grandson Of Jerome Napoleon Bona
parte, the youngest brother OF Napoleon l.,
and consequently grand nephew OF the latter. His
grandfather Jerome came to this country In 1903 as
midshipman upon French man-Of-war. The
ship to which he was attached visited various
points in the United States and II tarried here for
some time. The officers were entertained hand
somely. both in private and public receptions by
the citizens Of Baltimore, which was then one Of
the greatest of American cities. The young Bona
parte was of course special Gavorite. Being the
brother of the great Napoleon, whose fame was
then nlling the whole world, he was courted and
feted by all the magnates of the city.
The belle OF fashionable society at that time was
ELIZABETH PATTERSON, DAUGHTER OF ROBERT PAT
TERSON,
a son OF that Patterson whom Sir Walter Scott i'm.
mortalized as "Old Mortality" Possessed of bril-
liant and fascinating talents, as well as great per-
sonal beauty, she held undisputed sway at that
time in the most select circles Of society. Young
Bonaparte met her at ball given in his honor, and
fell in love with her at first sight. After a short
acquaintance they were married on the oath Of
December, 1908, with great pomp and ceremony, by
Archbishop Carroll, in the Cathedral of Baltimore
Miss Patterson thus became the sister-in-law Of
Napoleon l., the Emperor Of France. Her family
were among the wealthiest citizens OF the place,
and this fact, united with her distinguished con-
nection, brought to the wedding the first people OF
the city and State. For nearly two years
BoNAPARTE AND HIS AMERICAN BRIDE
occupied themselves in travelling throughout this
country. Everywhere the royal couple were re-
ceived with distinguished consideration. In the
Spring of 1905 young Napoleon determined to take
his wife to Paris and present her to his brothers.
Court then graced by some OF the handsomest
women in Europe, Nine. Recamier, the Countess
nj
Bonaparte's wife, fitted out a ship of his own for
the voyage, and in the Fall they sailed. They first
touched at Lisbon and here the painful intelligence
awaited them that Napoleon had discountenanced
the marriage and had issued special edict that
Nine. Bonaparte, or any one pretending to be such,
should not be allowed to enter any OF the countries
over which he held sway. Jerome, confident in his
ability to appease
THE EMPERoR's WRATH,
sent his wife to Holland, where she could reside in
safety for the time, and himself fastened to the
French capital. Upon his arrival he found the En-
peror in a rage. "NOw,n SAID Taeyrand, the
Prime Minister. you've got yourself In for it,"
Aud, sure enough, he had. The Emperor INDUCED
in the most extravagant manifestations of dis
pleasure. Jerome declared he loved his wife; the
Emperor laughed at his youthful folly He told
his stern brother that she was young and beautiful,
and that she was his wife, 'No matter,n said the
Emperor, II decree DIVORCE" He begged his
brother that he be allowed bring her into his
presence, that he might Judge himself OF her rare
beauty and brilliant talents. The Emperor sterny
refused, and declared that he had heard enough of
her beauty, and that he feared that on seeing her
he might relent.
AN IMPERIAL EDTCr WAS ISSUED,
declaring the marriage null and void, and Jerome
was commanded, on pain OF instant punishment,
to break of his connection with his lawful wife.
Irresolute and mean-spirted to the last degree,
Jerome, urged by fear and tempted by the offer Of
a crown, did so, and the woman who had followed
him from her friends and native land was thus
ruthlessly cast aside, a marriage Immediately con-
tracted with Princess of Wurtemburg, and the
faithless Jerome rewarded with the crown OF West
phalia.
she first fairly refused to believe IL, and then in.
dulged In the widest reproaches at his utter faith
lessness. In order to appease her, II possible, and
thinking that she might be nattered by glitter1ng
Wallacha. She Indignantly scorned the PROPOSE
ton, and, overcome with sorrow and chagrin,
retired to privacy at Camberwell, near London,
where, on the 18th OF July, 1905,
SHE GAVE BIRTH TO SON,
whom she named Jerome Napoleon BOnaparte,
who afterwards became the father Of the present
Jerome Napoleon B0naparte, now resident In Balti-
more. Nine. B0naparte resided several years in
Europe where she formed intimate acauaintances
with the most distinguished people OF the times,
ana was great favorite In the most exclusive
and aristocratic society; and she has often
prominence whom she did not know personally
were Napoleon !. and Lord Byron, the former or
whom, says Madame, in her bitterest tones, al did
in Europe she met her husband but once onIy Il
was in Florence, at the Pitt Palace and he seemed