The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1894-11-28
TIE BCNAPARTE FAMILY.
=. Was Probably of italian Origin and
Was Patrician.

=. yy.s Probably of italian Origin and
Was Patrician.
7, the new life Of Napoleon by Pro-
fssso- W. N. Sloan Of Princeton in The
Century the professor, after describing
tha efforts of the Corsicans under the
lend Of one of the national heroes, Pas-
,,l psoli 10 resist Genoese encroach-
meats and tyranny, says: Curlonsly
longing in his exile for second Sam
MON, to have welded the physical pow
ar while he himself should have be-
s,ma the Lycurgus, Paoli's wish was
60 bs half way fulfilled in that war
rior greater than Samplero was aoouV
a, hs horn in Corsica, one who should
hy the very union so long resisted come
- the master Of France, to WELD pow
ar strong enough to shattsr both tyran-
nies and dynasties, thus clearing the
oronnd for a law giving closely related
O. pooli,s own lust and wise concep-
tions Of legislation. o,,,-
This scion was to come from the stock
vh:oh bore the name of Bonaparte' or,
se the hera,dic etymology later spelleo
n Rnonaparte. There were branches Oh
the same stock, or at least OF the same
name in many other parts OF ltaiy.
whatever the origin OF the Corslcan
Rnonanartes. it was neither royal from
the twin brother of Louis XIV, thought
tn be the Iron Mask, nor Imperial 1roh'
the Julian gems, nor Greek, nor Saracen'
nor in short, anything which some lae-
ar Invented and lying genealogles oe-
clared it to be. But it was really ltal-
ian and probably patrician' tor IN l!oo
a Tuscan gentleman Of SIDE ilne oe,
vised scarvy estate to his Cors.o'n
t;nsman The earliest home of the fam
ilv was probably at Sarzana' III US
csnv. where for generations men OF thao
name had exercised the profession o1
advocates.
Moreover, they were persons OF local
consequence in their latest Seats partly
because of their Italian connections,
nartly in their substantial possessions OF
land and partly through the official po-
sitions which they held in the city OF
Ajaccio. Their syInpathies as lowland-
ers and townspeople were with the coun-
try of their origin and with Genoa.
During the last years Of the sixteenth
century that republic authorized Jer-
ONE, then head Of the family, to prefix
the Distinguishing particle "di' to his
name, but the Italian custom was aVerse
to it's use, which was not revived until
later, and then only for short time.
Nearly two centuries fed before the
grand duke Of Tuscany issued formal
patents attesting the Buonaparte nobil-
ity. Itwas Joseph, the grandsire Of Ma
poleon, who received, them. Soon after
ward he announced that the coat of
arms of the family was a counts coro-
net, or two cherrons and two mullets,
with the two letters B P, signifying
Buona Parte, the tincture gules, the
charges azure, etc.
Such heraldic cant shows that either
the sovereign or the receiver was poor
herald. This was ia 1757. In 1859 the
same sovereign granted further the title
of patrician Charles, the son of Joseph,
received a similar grant from the arch
bishop Of Pisa in 1869. These facts have
a substantial historical value, since by
reason of them the family was recognlz-
ed as noble in It'll by the French au-
thorities, and as a consequence the most
illustrious scion Of the stem became
eight years later the ward Of France,
which was still mcnarchicaL Reading
between the lines of such a narrative, it
appears as if the slcrt lived family Of
Corsican lawyers had some difficulty in
preserving an influence proportionate to
their descent, and therefore sought to
draw all the strength they could from a
bygone grandeur, easily forgotten by
their neighbors in the moderate circum-
stances Of the later day.
No task had lain nearer to Paoli's
heart than to unite il one nation the
two factions into VIII ch he found his
people divided. Accordingly, when at
his request Carlo de Buonaparte, the
single slender stem on which the con-
sequential lowland family depended for
continuance, appeared at Corte, the
stranger was received with fattering
kindness and probably, as one account
has it, was appointed to post of emol-
ument and honor as Paoli's private Sec
retary. The new patrician, according
to a custom common among CorsicianS
of his class, had already studied at both
Rome and Pisa, and in 1859 he was
made doctor Of laws by the latter uni
yersity. There are many pleasant anec-
dotes told to illustrate the good fellow
ship Of the young advocate among his
comrades while student on the main
land. There are likewise mythical mar
ratives Of his persuasive eloquence at
home and Of his influence as patriot
In short, an organized effort Of syco-
phantic admirers, who would, if posi-
bic, illuminate the whole family in or
der to heighten Napoleon's renown, has
invented fables and distorted facts so
that the truth as to Charles character
is almost unrecognizable.
A cup of muddy coffee is not whole