Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1879-04-11
Madame BOnaparte.
THE CAREER OF \ NOTABLE WOMAN.
From the New York Evening Post,

is THE CAREER OF 4 NOT ABLE WOMAN.
l. From the New York Evening Post
t. Il would rather be the wife of jerome Boni
r parte one hour than the wife of any other ma
d for life So the estimablc Madame Bonapartc
of Baltimore, is reported 10 have said when
soon after her brilliant marriage 10 the brothe
y Of the first Napoleon, her friends SugseStc'
u that perhaps trouble was in store for her. Th
! trouble came. II was on the 2ith Of December
= 1893, that jerome Bonapartc, commander off
; French frigatc, was married in Baltimore Il
Miss Elizabeth Patterson. the beautiful daush
; ter of the wealthy ship-owncr. William Patter
son. Before the marriage her father opposed
it, and sent his daughter 10 Virginia 10 get hel
, away from the fascinating foreigner. After the
, marriage the Emperor Napoleon opposed it
and ordered that the vourS fTt should not he
permitted TO set foot on the soil of France.
Betsey Patterson was eighteen years old
when she first saw jerome Bonaparte. Her
beauty was remarkable, and so were her ac-
compliShments. Nobody was surprised that
the Young Frenchman, then ON a visit 10 Cap
tain Joseph Berncy. of Baltimore, with whom
he had served in the French navy, should sur
render to her charms of person, of mind and of
fortune. Indeed, the fact that at an evening
party his gold watch-chain became entanglcd
somehow or other in her hair was very gene
rally mentioned aS 4 pretty and favorable
omen. He seems 10 have loved her with
Gallic ardor, and even TO have resolved TO give
up all hope of prcicrment under the empire. in
order that he might stay in this relationship 10
her. Napoleon'S animosity, however, was on
| ia, fI.n In Gsp in
France and plead their cause before him.
Meanwhile Jerome, supply Of money was cut
OIL and the following communication was re-
ceived from his imperial brother:
| i will receive jerome If. leaving in America
| the Young person in question, he shall come
| hither 10 associate himself TO my fortune.
| Should he bring her along with him, she shall
not put foot on the territory of France. If
he comes alone shall recall the error of Il
moment and the fault Of YOUTH Faithful ser
| vices and the conduct which he owes 10 himself
and to his name will regain him all my kind
| ness.
At the same time the youthful bridegroom
was informed that, so far as France was con-
| ccrncd, his marriage had been annulled by de
cree of the French Senate.
| Commander and Mrs. Jerome Bonapartc
| nevertheless tried TO set sail for France. They
| were unsuccessful. At length they embarked
| in a ship bound for CadiZ, Spain. and were
/
| his Young wife being saved with difficulty. Not
in the least dauntcd. they finally. on the llth of
| March, 1905, about fifteen months after their
| marriage. took passage in the Erin, one Of Mr..
| PattersonS packets. for Lisbon. After various
vici>situdes, they arrived at that city. found Il
| French man-Of-war in waiting, and learned
that its captain had been forbidden 10 receive
| '-ihc young person 10 whom Jerome had at
| tached himself.
1t was critical hour in the lives of the
| travellers. They resolved 10 separate for a
time. jerome TO 20 To France and appeal TO the
mercy ol the Emperor; his wife 10 proceed 10
| Amsterdam and await the result of hi> mission.
| They never saw each other again. The Erin
proceeded to Holland. but was not allowed to
| land her passenger, French mcn-of-war again
| being in the way. She put back 10 Dover,
| where the young wife. about 10 become 4
mother, diScmbarked and went 10 Cam6crwell,
near London. Here, on The 1th of July, l>li.
her son, Jerome Napoleon Bonaplrtc. was
born. His fathers cntrcaty was >purned by
the Emperor. The first Napoleon had name
To make. and did not propose 10 see hi- brother
allied to an untitled American damscl. 'lour
marriage he wrote to jerome, "i> null. both
in Il religious and legal point of view. | will
never acknowledge il. Write TO Miss Pattcr-
son 10 return 10 the United States. and tell
her il i not possible 10 give things another
turn. on condition Of her going TO America
Will allow her pension of sixty thousand
francs per year. pro yido,! she docs not take the
name Of my family, 10 which she has no right,
her marriage having no existence.
Subsequently he granted Jerome an inter
view. so, sir" said he, on seeing him, "you
are the first of the family. who has >hancfuly
abandoned his post, II will require many
splendid actions To wipe oil that stain from
your reputation. As 10 Your love affair with
your little girl, do not regard it,!
The husband communicated 10 his wife the
Empcror'> irrcvocablc decision. lie advised |
her To 20 home 10 her father. with the hope |
that her Obedience and his own might perhaps |
\1Itplgpp'- In uup ntl
his letters he SAYS: My dear and wcll-beloyed |
wife, life is nothing 10 me without thee and my |
son. BE tranquil; thy husband will not |
abandon thee In another. TO leave thee. |
my good wife, have never had that fatal |
thought. act aS man of honor. Il a brave |
and loyal soldier. | love my country; love |
glory; but love thee a. 4 man who. accus- |
toned 10 fear nothing. never forges that he i |
the father of jerome Napoleon and the husband |
of Elsie. | embrace YOU a. love YOU, and |
love You INV lie" lie tells her that - lar |
a. he i concerned she l. preferable TO 4 crown.
and adds: believe me, my Elsie, my first |
thought on awakening, a> well as my last on |
falling TO sleep. i always Oithcc; and if were
not sure Of the blessed happincs. of rejoining |
my well beloyed wife ! should cease To live |
Madame Bonaparte and her returned 10 |
Baltimore. The husband, whose temporary |
affection for her there seems 10 be no reason 10 |
doubt, yielded 10 the solicitation of his brother,
the Emperor, and in about two wears married |
the Princess Frederick CathIrina. of Wurtcm-
burg.
Madame Bonlpartc made several visit, 10
Europe after the second marriage of her hu>-
band. ON one occasion, in Florence, she met |
him IN picture gallery. The encounter agi-
taed him more than her. lie whispered To the
Princess Frcdrica. who accompanied him,
That is my former wife, and disappeared In
spite Of persistent efforts on her part, her mar
riage was never recognized in France. The
case was formally tried after the accession of
Napoleon Ill, but the Judgment went against
her. That sovereign. however, instructed hil
Council of Ministers to issue decree that the
Madame> son. Jerome Bonaparte, wa, "a
legitimate child of Frmrc-w whatever tl'
words NAV mean.
The failure Of Madame Bona partc did no,
c0nducc to sweetness ot temper. She became
noted for her opiniOnativcne>~ avaricc atheism
and general ccccntririty. Of late her pen has
been busy, and The Memoirs of Madame
Bonapartc, Written by Herself will doubtle>,
soon aston>h u world that will consider
Grevillc'> Memoir, tame 10y the side of them.
The death of Madame Bonapartc occurred
last Friday in Baltimore. She was nincty-iour
years OLD.