Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1893-1895, 1895-07-23
AZ was Probably Of italian Origin and
Was Patrician,


In the new life of Napoleon by Pro.
fessor w. M. Sloan of Princeton in The
Century the professor, after describing
he efforts of the Corsicans under the
rad OF one Of the national heroes. Pas.
al Paoli, to resist Genuese encroach-
ilents and tyranny, says. Curiously
longing in his exile for second Sam.
piero to have welded the physical pow
er while he himself should have be-
come the Lyourgus, Paoli's wish was
TO be half way fulfilled in that a war
rior greater than Sampiero was about
10 be born in Corsica, one who should,
by the very union so long resisted, come,
as the master Of France, to WELD a DOW.
er strong enough to shatter both tyran-
MES and dynasties, thus clearing the
ground for law giving closely related
to Paoli's own Just and wise concep-
tions of legislation
This scion was to come from the stock
which bore the name of Bonaparte, or.
as the heraldic etymology later spelled
it, Buonaparte. There were branches of
the same stock, or at least of the same
name, in many other parts of Italy.
Whatever the origin of the Corsican
Buonapartes, it was neither royal from
the twin brother of Louis XIV, Thought
to be the Iron Mask nor imperial from
the Julian gems nor Greek, nor Saracen,
nor, in short, anything which some lat
er invented and lying genealogies de-
clared it to be. But it was really Ital-
ian and probably patrician, for in 1880
a Tuscan gentleman of a side line de-
vised scanty estate to his Corsican
kinsman. The earliest home of the fam
lily was probably at Sarzana, in Tus-
cany, where for generations men of that
name had exercised the profession of
advocates.
Moreover, they were persons of local
consequence in their latest seats, partly
because of their Italian connections,
partly in their substantial possessions of
land and partly through the official po-
sitions which they held in the city of
Ajaccio. Their sympathies 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 its use, which was not revived until
later, and then only for short time.
Nearly two centuries fled before the
grand duke of Tuscany issued formal
patents attesting the Buonaparte nobil-
ity. twas Joseph, the grandsire of Ma
poleon, who received them. Soon after
ward he announced that the coat of
arms of the family was counts ooro-
net, or two ohevrons 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 in 1857. In 1859 the
same sovereign granted further the title
Of patrician. Charles, the son of Joseph,
received similar grant from the arch
bishop of Pisa in 1869. These facts have
q substantial historical value, since by
reason of them the family was recogniz-
ed as noble in 1771 by the French au-
thorities, and as consequence the most
illustrious scion of the stem became
eight years later the ward of France,
which was still monarchical. Reading
between the lines of such narrative, it
appears as if the short lived family of
Corsican lawyers had some difficulty in
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 in one nation the
two factions into which he found his
people divided. Accordingly, when at
his request Carlo dc Buonaparte. tho
single slender stem on which the con.
sequential lowland family depended for
appeared at Corte, the
stranger was received with hattering
and probably, as one account
has Il, was appointed 20 post Of emol
ument and honor as Paoli's private sec
rotary. The new patrioian, according
10 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 lattor uni
yersity. There are many pleasant anec'
dotes told 90 illustrate tho good fellow
ship Of the young advocate among his
while a stndent on the main
land. There are likewise mythical mar
ratiyos of his persuasive eloquenee ~
home and of his influence a. q patriot
la short, An organized effort of syoo'
phaniie admirers. who would. " pohsi'
bic, illuminate the whole family In or
der 20 heighten kspoleop's Tenown, haa
Invented fables aud distorted facts ~
hat tho truth ~ t0 ChaEles' character
10 almost uDTeoogniEable
Ths cisnisF ciFis.
Miss Aida ChAnleT, the last young