The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-07-17
MEN WHO MISSED CROWNS.
Some of Those Who Could Have Been
Kings ifThey Wished.

The English crown has been rejected
only once. and then Cromwell was the
man who refused the honor. Neverthe-
less practically as much power was at
facned to the protectorship, though il
was without the regal emblem.
The crown of Greece has been re-
fused more times than any other.
Lord Derby, one Of the greatest states
men of the Victorian era, might have
worn 1t had he chosen, for 1t was Of
fered to him 3S years ago upon the ex-
pulsion of Otto and owing to the
friendly feelings he exhibited toward
Greece. After some consideration,
however, he decided that his position
as a British statesman prevented his
being a monarch, SO he refused the
throne and the $1,000 pounds attached
to ii.
Englishmen seem to have found ia
vor in Greece at that time, for no
sooner had Lord Derby refused the
throne than it was offered to the Duke
Of Edinburgh, the queens second son.
He would in all probability have ac-
cepted it had it not been for the objec-
tions of other European sovereigns
who considered that a son of Queen
Victoria as king Of Greece would make
that country an ally Of Great Britain
in the event of war, although the for
mer's military strength was as insig-
nificant as it is now. The Duke OF
Edinburgh was therefore obliged to be
content with his British title, so the
throne was then offered to an accepted
by the present king, George of Den
mark, brother of the Princess of
Wales.
Garfbaldi, the great Italian patriot,
might have been king of Sicily had he
not refused the proffered throne. Vic
tor Emanuel thought that nothing
short of a kingdom would be sufficient
reward for the great services he had
rendered to Italy, so he resolved to cut
off Sidily and make it kingdom un-
der Garibaldi, but subject to the Ital-
ian government. Moreover, the great
soldier was the idol of the Italian peo-
pie, and it was feared that Victor
Emanuel himself would easily be de-
posed In his favor if a rebellion were
organized Garibaldi however, dis
liked Honors as he did riches. and, re-
jecting the offer, retired into obscurity
as soon as he had done what he con-
sideredtto be his duty.
Much as the Great Napoleon loved
power he once refused the monarchy
tive time it had been declined. Ferdi-
nand VII first of all passed it on to
his father, who, in his turn, rejected it
in favor of Napoleon. The Little
Corporal" would undoubtedly have re-
signed as king of Spain as we'll as en-
peror Of France, only the Spaniards
showed every inclination of rising if
he attempted to do So
Another man who might have been a
1yi inc hod ho WI
only did Prussia crush Austria in the
great war of 1885, but several minor
states as we'll, and for his services in
bringing the campaign to a successful
issue Bismarck was offered the throne
Of one of those kingdoms, which now
came under Prussian surveillance.
The throne of Austria was refused in
1S4S by the father Of the present en-
peror Joseph. He was the Arch Duke
Carl, and when Ferdinand abdi-
Gated on account of internal strife in
the year mentioned he absolutely re-
fused to have anything to do with the
monarchy, though he was the rightfuI
heir. The crown was then offered to
his son and accepted, but the father
remained archduke for years after
ward.
Some years ago Prince Napoleon.
nephew Of the great Bonaparte died in
exile after refusing the first offer of
the crown of Roumania when it was
converted into kingdom. He was a
man of great ambitions and fully be-
lieved that at a future date he would
be offered the monarchy of France so
he declined the former in the hope
that he would get better things. By so
doing he lost his chance Of ever be-
coming king and died a few years at
terward an outcast.-Lohdon Tit-Bits.