The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-06-23
THE PRINCES AS THEY ARE.
SKETCHES OF THE BONAPARTIsTs THE
REPUBLIC FEARS.


Plon.P Plon Too Much of Coward TO Ever Give
Bnttle--How Prince Louis and Prince Victor
Appeared in School Days.
The proposed French law for the ex,
pulsion of the princes of noble blood
draws the attention Of the world to the
strange political situation of France as it
is to-day and has been for six or seven
years. The republic established at the
close of the nco-Prussian war feels
insecure with the pretenders to the
throne within it's borders, and fears that
through some intrigue the present gov
eminent may be overthrown, though
none of the pretenders can actually count
upon a sufficiently large following to
dare to take any decisive step.
The Orleanist party is rich, but not
very numerous and far from active. The
monarchical party is in favor of king
by divine right, but has none to go to.
The members Of this party have been
brought up to hate and dospise the house
of Orleans, yet the elder branch having
fallen, the hated head of that family is
also the heir of Henry V. and of all their
kings. They prefer the republic, prefer
anything to having the grandson Of Louis
Philippe and the great-grandson OF
"Louis Egalite' profane the throne OF
St. Louis.
s'The strongest party, the Bonapart-
lists, want an empire, but are much IN
the same position as the Monarchists.
The heir of the great Napoleon is the
hated Plon-Plon, the most unpopular
man personally in all France. Besides
this, it is objected, his father married a
German princess, he an Italian. Many
ardent Imperialists say that they can
even place no hopes in the sons of man
like that until they have proven them
selves possessed Of the virtues that en-
deared the founder of their family to the
French. Had the young son OF Napo-
leon III. lived, they ssy he would surely
have become emperor, but the brave,
handsome boy went to his death In
Zululand to gain little glory, and by
his last acts endeared his memory to the
hearts of his countrymen.
1t is probable that if the bill expelling
the French princes should become law
the majority of the exiles will seek an
asylum in the United States. The Comte
de Paris, who served during our civil
war in the Army of the Potomac, has al
ready been cabled an invitation to come
over by some over by some Of his old
army comrades, and it is full y expected
that he Will come. The Comte has many
friende on this side of the Atlantic, and
his literary labors in the revision of his
history of the civil war would be faclli-
tated by coming here. Prince Jerome
Napoleon has expressed himself on sew
eral occasions during the past few years
as anxious to come to this country, and
will doubtless avail himself of the excel
lent opportunity for travelling offered by
a forcible expulsion from France. Prince
Jerome is, in his every tastes and char
acteristics as different from the first
Napoleon as one man can be from anoth-
er, His cowardice made him cut such a
ridiculous figure during the Crimean
war that the soubriquet of Plon-Plon he
won then has stuck to him ever since.
He takes after the founder Of his family
in but one respect, his personal appear
ance. Of this resemblance Prince Jerome
is very proud; he is rather taller than
the ''ittle corporal" and is just about as
aeshy as his famous uncle was in his lat
ter years. His cheeks and lips are close
Ly shaven and his features large and
rather handsome. No one who is
familiar with the pictures of Napoleon I.
would fail TO recognize his lneaments in
the face Of his heir.
Prince Jerome is a polished man of
letters, studious and thoughtful by ma
.ure, liberal in his religious views, ex-
.remely fond of good living and pleasant
company. He has an unusual aptitude
for languages, speaks well half dozen
idioms, and IS interested in anything ap-
pertaing to philology or etymology. He
has written several volumes. which have
met with uniform success, and has rank
ed among the leading savants Of his
He is fond of the company Of
literary men, and likes to walk along
he streets slowly, with his hands behind
oack, his head erect, discussing books
md authors. Though by nature an
easy going man, of pleasant disposition,
ne has never been able to get along with
he members of his own family. His
1uarrels with his wife, largely on reig-
Gus grounds, as she is a devout Roman
Catholic, attracted as much attention
some years ago as did his difficulty with
lis eldest son, Prince Victor, which re-
suited in a complete separation, more
.ecently.
Both of the sons of Prince Napoleon
nay come to this country when they are
expelled, and it IS certain that Prince
Victor, who is now making tour Of the
world, will be here soon. Some six or
seven years ago both of the young men
we're students at the Lycee du Fauves,
ormcrly known as the Lycee du Prince
situated just outside the walls
# Paris. The writer was at the time at
he Lycee, having been for four years in
he same class as Prince Louis. The
,lder PRINCE was tall, raw-boned boy
,s nearly six feet in height. He had
)een growing fast for several years, and
lie was rather clumsy in appearance, but
vas very strong physically and quite an
.thlete. His features were heavy and
ather coarse, his hair always cut short,
lis upper lip shaded by a slight dark
nuStache. He was scrlpulously neat in
is dress, and was inclined to hold him
eli aloof from his classmates who were
:ther inclined to ridicnle him. He did