The Grant County herald. (Big Stone City, Grant County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1883, 1879-09-13
TIE Elfe and Letters OF Elizabeth
Patterson BOnaparte.

THESE letters, with their Sigh; thread
Of biographical story, have already made
a good deal Of noise In the world They
present to the reader i picture Of :. most
unloyciy character through cheQuered
career Il IS impossible to imagine any
thing more rcpulsivo than the conduct Of
the Bonaparte family toward this unfor-
tuaato American woman, unless II he her
snobbish and silly adherence, ia spite Of
it all to them and tatl- congencrs On the
Other side Of the Atlantic. Tie reader
laughs alternately .. The wit, the worldly
wisdom, the deceit, amt the folly of the
heroine Of this shor. tai. Il 6 long life
Elizabeth Patterson w%s born IN 1856
and lived until 1873, more th&n ninety
foGr years. iIel fs.the- seems to have
boon wise and good man, aWorthg ! IA
the OF other children who were il comfort
to him, Which such 1 aagghtec ~ Eliza
beth never could BE- lie partially lisin-
herited her II his VIII, with some severe
remarks on har undautQl behaviour. lie
died in 1885. lie was tie last gentle
man In Baltimore who Wore small-c.othcs
ami cue. Elizabeth - 20 years old
could repeat by hear. he favoritc books.
Young's Night Thoughts and Roche
foucaula's .maAims. u IS she was tie
most beautiful woman iG Baltimore, a
CITY always famous forts beautiful WON
en-. IL 1so3 Jerome Bonap&rte- young.
est Drothe, af NAPOLEON. then First Con
sul-came, saw, and conquered, and,
again>t her father wishes, married the
ambitious young belle. Under the com
mands and threats ot Napoleon, the Door
sneak eft her in the spring o1 500. As
areward for his pusilanimity, Jerome
was created !. Prince Ct the Empire, and
raised 10 the rank Of Admira. of' the
French navy" How disgusting is rank
recruited from such materials
Her first and only child was porn IN
England, July I, 1905, aftes her nus
band had left her and she had been for
cibly driven away from France. This son
possessed al his life I. fine and strong
character refreshing contrast to that
Of his brillian, but silly mother. tic
studied for knowledge, married for love,
and worked toc money. lie MAS never
foolish enough, even under the greatest
temptations. 10 prefer the tarniSh gliding
Of court life a The solid gold af repuhh-
can liberty.
# ANYBODY cares u Know whether
Madame Bonapartc's descendants ale le-
gitimatc,- because, II ,hey are, they are
now next IN succession - The shadowv
..imperial throne of France, his mind
my hc assured of thai taet from the toll
loving extract
When Napoleon declared Iaatl erome's
marriage was null, both IL Il religious
and legal poin, OF view. ise WIS express
ing his ewn wishes rasner tilan stating
the facts y the time ot Jerome's mar
riage to Miss Patterson, Napoleon was
only first Consul Of France, and could
have no control over the members OF his
family. Jerome's mother and eldest
Brother, Joseph, We're the only persons
whose consent were Necessary, and they
cpncurred in approving the marriage
The marriage had been celebrated accord
ing to the prescribed rites Of the Catho-
lie Church, Of which Jerome profcsscd to
be member and the ceremony ha1 been
performed by the highes, algnitary of
that church in America
.ss Pope Plus VII. also passed upon this
question when he wrote the letter (pp. 81
and 35) refusing Napoleons request tha,
the marriage might be declared null
He says. 1T has not been possible to
find one impeachment which, in the pres
dnt case, and according to the principles
Of the Church, can authorize US to declare
the nullity Of the marriage contracted
and already consummated.' In 1907
Jerome married daughter Of the King
Of Wurtemburg; their son is now known