Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1900-09-18
DECLINED A CROWN.
MANY HAVE DONE so SINCE Ju-
L1uS CAESARS TIME.

Some of the Persons Who Have Re-
fused TO Become Kings-Throne of
Greece Went Begging for Some Time
-Similav Experience an Ronmania.
It is no mean distinction 20 have re-
fused crown. There is probably not
one man in million who would decline
4. kingdom if it were offered him, in
spite of the restless nights and fearful
days that are commonly supposed to be
the lot of King. Even Cromwell is
said to have refused the crown of En-
gland more from fear of others than
from any other motive.
But there have been many men since
Cromwell who have refused Il wear 3
monarch's crown Thirty-hye years
ago, when the throne of Greece was
vacant, more than one great English
statesman might have ruled over the
destinies of that classic country, but
the difficulties in the way were formid-
able. Mr. Gladstone's name was freely
mentioned in connection with the
crown of Greece, though, as Mr.. Glad
stone was a member of the government
at the time, the proposal never took
definite shape.
The late Lord Derby, however, who
had strong sympathies with Greece,
was offered the crown and refused II,
throwing away $4,000 a year and a
kingdom. 1t was not the first time a
man had declined to sit on the throne
Of Greece-Prince Leopold, the father
of the present King of the Belgians.
having refused the crown when Greece
was declared Kingdom, in 1880. Prince
Leopold's reason for refusing the crown
was that the boundaries of the country
were insufficient, the exclusion of Crete
especially influencing his decision.
One of Queen Victoria's sons, the
Duke of Edinburgh, has also been Of
fered the Grecian crown. He was APP
pealed to in the COS, at the time Lord
Derby declined the crown, but was
compelled to refuse the Office, owing to
the attitude of the powers, who strong
" declared their opposition to Prince
Alfred. being crowned King of the
Greeks. The throne was then offered
to the present King, on whose behalf
it was accepted by his father, the King
of Denmark
The crown of Austria-Hungary was
refused in the middle of the century by
the Archduke Franz Karl, the father
Of the present Emperor. King Ferdi-
nand l. abdicated in December, 1S4S,
the throne then descending in the or
binary course to Archduke Franz Karl.
The Archduke, however, declined the
crown, which he handed over to his
son, who still wears it.
Another crown which has been more
than once refused is the crown of Rou-
mania. When Roumania was declared
q Kingdom it was settled that the
throne should descend to Prince Leo
pold, the eldest brother of the then
reigning King. The Prince, however,
voluntarily yielded his rights to the
crown in favor of his son, Prince Will
helm, the remuneration being registered
in the Senate in October, 1880. Prince
Wilhelm remained heir apparent for
eight years, but toward the end of 1SSS
he formally refused to accept the
crown, and his brother became heir ap-
parent, being now Prince of Roumania.
The Prince has since married Princess
Marie, a granddaughter Of Queen Vic
toria.
Not many years ago nephew of the
great Napoleon died in exile, after re-
fusing a crown. Prince Napoleon, nick
named "Plon-Plon," son Of brother
of Napoleon Bonaparte, was invited to
sit on the throne of Roumania as the
first King of that country, but he de-
clined the offer, believing at the time
that he might ascend the throne of
France. So the bird in the hand flew
away, and the bird in the bush was
never caught. The man who had
hoped to be crowned King of France
died out of that country in solitary ex-
lie. He had sacrificed one crown in the
hope of receiving another, and lost
both.
Early in tie present century Ferdi-
nand VII. renowned the crown Of
Spain in favor of his father, who again
refused it in favor of Napoleon. The
great conqueror had to face nation
in arms, however, and never took the
throne.
The story of Lord Beaconsfield's gold
en- crown provides us with another in
stance, though there was no throne
with this strange crown. The man in
whose brain the idea of browning Lord
Beaconsfeld originated is now dead,
but as long as he lived he never recov-
cred from the blow of Lord Beacons-
fields refusal of this tribute. Tracy
Turnerelli received subscriptions from
$4,000 people toward his gold laurel
wreath, but in June, 1879, wher he for
mally offered the crown to his idol, it
was refused. Philadelphia Times.