The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1876-01-13
Brunswick,. EEsir.


A correspondent Of the Boston Adssrtise'
writes; my readers have doubtless heard
of the Duke of Brunswlck, and perh ps re
member the noise which his eccentric will
made through Efrops few years since.
he left only one recognized child, the
Countess Elizabeth Wilhelmine, of Bruns-
wick. of Blakenbeurg, and Of Colmar, sup
posed to be the issue of . morganatic mar
riage. but at all events being tue one child
brought up by her father with every pros
pect of inheriting q part Al least Of his large
fortune. II Was under these circnmst tances
that she married Comte de Civry, and eight
children were born 10 them. They had al
ways relied upon her fathers promise, and
no legal settlement was made upon her and
when one fine day the eccentric old gentle.
man refused to continue her allowance she
found herself forced to 90 to law on see heI
children starve. The result OF this lawsuit
in France was his beng Obliged to pay
so, 600 francs a year $4,000 for her support,
q drop in the ocean when compared 10 hi,
royal revenue; but the Duke OF Brunswick
was testy old gentleman, and resolved e
be revenged upon the law, and stopped al
40 expense which the transformation Of hi;
property necess tated in order 70 disinherli
his daughter. He died believing this OBJ
ject attained, as be left 20, 600, 900 francs
\ "a, 600, OO0) TO the town of Geneva and uo
one cent TO her. Up TO the present tim,
this will has been respected; but the eldes
| son of Comte and Comtesse de Civry, Ulri,
Guelfe de Civry, has just addressed an elo
quent protestation to the city Of Geneva, II
which he vindicates the right of his family
to the inheritance of one-fourth of the sum
left by his grandfather. The letter is toe
long to be entirely translated, but the fol
lowing extract will give sufficiently cleal
idea OF Its force and its purpose:
II do not to-day come forward to contest
| your rights or to reproach your illus,rioui
city for having received in return for thre,
years hospitality the generous donation OF
my grandfather, since such was his desire,
were il only during the space of one day
1t is my duty to respect 1t, but this on the
condition that your city on her part respect,
the duty of parent towards his child and
does not outrage the sacred rights of family
ties. The rights OF my mother and hei
children are limited to one-fourth of the in
aeritance. The lions share will still be lef
TO you, and instead of reprcaches and re
grets you will hear only the kindest wishe
fall from my lips. The first will be 70 SCI
this large part of the Guelfe treasure beccml
in your hands what it was during SO man,
centuries with Others, Q source of progress
of prosperity, and of good works. Th'
last will be to know the name of Brunswick
honored and blessed in your beautiful coun
try as it has been In so many other place
on earth. But to render legal and honorabl,
the possession of this unlocked for fortune
the first and last condition is to make restl
tuition of the fourth part to those whom, by
ties of blood, by inalienable right, by i'm
prescriptible right it belongs, and TO whom
it is the only source OF existence. II, OF
the contrary, this small portion reclaimed
by the children of the donor be unjustly re
tanned in spite of every civil, natural and
| divine law, the entire Inheritance will be
come on the part of Geneva but an usurpa
ton and spoliation."
As no reply has as yet been made to thii
cry for justice 1t is impossible to predic
what the republican city of Geneva will do
And as possession is nine points OF th,
law" it Is probable that lawsuit will pre-
| cede solution to the question, ITO be o
not to be-" In the meantime know th'
claimant Is backed by influence and money
So his chances are good even against city
Did not the Princess de Beauveau-Croan
after twenty years of lawsuits, gain her in
heritance Of the Chateau de St. Ouen, give
to her mother, the Countess du CaylR, b,
/ Louis XVIII, and that against the city o
Paris with Baron Haussmann at its head
And yet the rights of the Princess de Croa
were nothing like rs clear as those of Coun
Uric Guelfe de Civry.