The daily gazette., 1879-04-05
l&adame BNmaparte's Remark.
able and Rom antic Career.

Elizabeth Patterson B0naparte, whose
death at the advanced age OF ninety-four
years IN announced, was the daughtereof
baltimore merchant, William Patter-
son, and the granddaughter of that Rob
ert Patterson Of whom Sir Walter Scott
has immOrtalized as "Old Mortality"
Her father WAS in early life, clerk to a
Philadelphia shipping merchant, ,and du-
ring the Revolutionary War acquired a
fortune of some $4,000 by importing
powder and ammunition, and Afterwards
by successful ventures in the West In
dian trade. With this cupital lie estab-
hshed himself in Baltimore as shipping
merchant, and by industry and prudence
swelled his fortune to at least 81 ,OO0, 900,
His daughter l,etsy,n she
was generally called in the days of her
youth and remarkable beauty-was the
r-igning belle in the highest social circles
Of Baltimore, when Autter was caused
by the advent, In 1903, of Jerome Bona
parte, youngest brother of the then First
Consul of France, who was then simply
a lieutenant in the French navy, and
came to this country in command of a
French man-Of war. OF the meeting be-
tween the French lieutenant and the
baltimore beauty, and the marriage en-
gagement which ensued, an account of
which was gwen in the GAZETTE few
days ago.
Before Jerome and his American bride
sailed for Europe the First Consul had
become Emperor of the French, and
when Mr.. PattersoD's ship with the cou-
pie on board reached the other side, the
young wife found every port closed
against her by reason of the Emperor's
order A message froW Napoleon that
his brother should come at once to Paris
to consult with his Majesty was convey.
ed to the ship, and, hoping all things, the
bridegroom departed, making sure he
could win his sOvereiRn's consent to his
marriage in q personal interview. He
never saw his wife again except by
chance. The Emperor forbid his return
to her, and she, after waiting him in
VAN, was taken to London by her
brother. She took up her residence at
Gam berville, near London, and there, on
the 7th Of July, 1905. gave birth to son,
Jerome Napoleon BOnaparta, who died
In Baltimore, on the 18th of June, 1870,
After the birth Of this son, her husband
sent her a thousand guineas, with which
she began like anew, as her father refused,
when two months later she returned to
Baltimore, to keep faith with her as to
her marriage settlement.
Hardship and poverty did not daunt
her spirit. When jerome, after bis mar
rlage with the Princess Catherine of
Wurtemburg, offeredjher the princlpaily
OF Smaicald and $4,000 year, she made
witty answer that "Westphalia was
doubtless considerable kingdom, but
not large enough to hold two queens" :"
an answer which so pleased Napoleon
that he asked what he could do for her,
gave her $50 600 and an annuity of S12,-
900 (paid regularly till his abdication), ,aud
promised to make her Duchess. Her
condition of acceptance was the singing
Of the receipt elizabeth Bonaparte"
Jerome complaining of her refusing aid
from him to take 1t from his brother,
received the retort that she preferred
"shelter beneath the wing of the eagle
to suspension from that Of the goose"
Nine. Bonaparte now applied to the
Maryland Legislature for . divorce,
which was at once granted action ~ a
matter of policy questionable, since she
could better have guarded her sons IN
teresis by ignoring Jerome's 8 alliance with
the PrDcsss, Pope Plus VII having
stostly refused to annual the previous
marriage, even at the command of the
Great Napoleon. The Emperor's request
to the Holy Father had been aecompani-
ed BY the present of magnificent TIARA
to win the Pope's compliance with its
prayer. Pope Plus VII refused TO de-
clare the marriage null, despite the gold
en- gift.