Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-02-17
The Crown.jewels Of France.

For ten years France has been ruled
by crownless heads. Public opinion de-
clares that It Is not seemly that the Pres
ident of Republic should wear anything
more ornamental than q silk hat. Mean.
while, the ancient jewels which adorned
the diadems of French Kings and En-
perors in other days, have been gather
ing dust In huge safe, In d building
called the /" Garde- Meuble, "on the DUAL
d'Orsay, in Paris. Now these gems arc,
as may be guessed, of very great value.
Their worth Is variously. estimated. 10
Is certain that. they are worth at least .
million dollars and n the splendid Pitt
diamond Is reckoned among them, their
value can scarcely be less than three
millions.
The Republican authorities, II appears,
have come to the conclusion that France
will have NO more need of crowns OF
crown-iewels; that Kings and Queens
have been dispensed with forever; and
that it Is not necessary TO keep the royal
regalia, which are no longer destined 20
blaze in the drawing-rooms Of the Tuile-
ries. or to be paraded through the streets
of Paris in gorgeous royal professions.
In q word, it has been decided 70 sell
these crown-jewels, and with the goodly
sums thus realised 20 endow and fur
nish museums for the recreation Of the
people. lrf. ...e,JL bHa srtW s.lf,
From sentimental point Of view, Il
seems pity that these historic gems
should be thus scattered to the four
winds. We like TO see and scrutinize
what has belonged to, and even what
has been worn BY, famous historic char
acters; and these jewels have adorned
the brows Of two Louis, Of the first Ma
poleon, and of Marie Antoinette. Sew
eral of them an" very celebrated pre-
cious stones. The Pitt diamond, for in
stance. IL the fourth diamond in size in
the world. 1t was bought in India, two
centuries ago, by Thomas Pitt, the
grandfather Of che great Earl of Chat
ham; and was sold BY him for over
half million Of dollars to tho French
Regent Orleans, who had it set in Q
crown for the sy-cheeked infant King,
Louis XIV. The First Napoleon had Il
set in the hilt Of his sword and IL reap.
peared In the GROWN of ths last French
sovereign who was ever formally CROWN
ed-the unfortunate Charles the Tenth.
Another famous stone among the crown
certain cirelet of Oriental pearls APP
pcofb ou1Ou8 SucAuS WOhSus ~ - B1Aos Ou0
hundred thousand dollars. ,,,s.dr LII.
It Is probably wise and prudent to sell
these Jewels and convert their value
into practical use. A matter Of fact.
they have been stored awsy for over
fifty years. Neither, Of the two last
sovereigns Of France--Louis PHILIPPE
and Napoleon the Third-was ever
crowned. Neither Of them, Il u
thought, dared 10 70 through the
ceremony of coronation, for fear of .
popular outbreak. and. il n certain that
neither was ever seen 70 wear . royal
diadem on any State occasion.
The Government WIN not find Il hard
perhaps 70 sell oven the magnificent
Pitt diamond. There h more than one
potentate rich enough 70 buy it, even at
a million; and there win be lively bid
ding for It by royal bidders.
The French Republic has little
reverence for history or HISTORICAL
associations, especially those relating to
the crowned tyrants Of the ration; and
with the CROWN Jewels viii pass away
almost the last visible vestige OF the
DAYS of monarchy and empire. The
Tuileries IL in ruins; st. Cloud no longer
exist; the Palsis Royal 10 . bazaar.
and the Luxembourg . ure-gauery.
The crown-jewels converted into popular
museums win only be one more transfer
of monarchial 1uxurfcs 20 the Sess
sovereign of Frauce-the people,.
Youths C0D.panssa.