The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-03-25
ANXIOUS FOR A
NEW PRETENDER
BONAPARTISTS DECLARE THAT
THEIR PRESENT LEADER is NOT
HEROIC LOOKING.

A number of well-known Bonapartist
leaders, including Prince d 'Esslng, the
Due de Rivolli, Prince de la Moskova,
Prince Murat and the Due d. ElChingen
have recently conferred in Belgium with
the pretender, Prince Victor Napoleon
concerning certain impending changes
in the Bonapartist party, and particur-
ly Prince Victor's abdication in favor
of his brother, Prince Louis, general in
the Russian army.
1t was pointed out some weeks ago
that the rumor of Prince Victor's "ab-
dication" was again current in Brussels
This report, it will be remembered, fol-
lowed closely upon the petition signed
by the members of a Paris Bonapartist
committee calling upon Prince Victor
to renounce his claims in favor of his
younger brother, whose prestige has
been enhanced by his promotion to the
rank of general in the cars service.
Prince Victor, and the fact is well
known to his friends and associates in
Brussels, has no desire to reign or
even to play an active part as preten-
der.
The political heir of Napoleon l. Ma
poleon Ill, and of the prince imperial,
is of an easy-gOing and happy DISPOSE
ton, quite content to lead the life of
a good bourgeois" in this hospitable
Belgium capital, the mecca of political
exiles.
The prince who is a familiar figure to
the Brussels "boulevardiers, is not of
the cut that heroes, and particularly
French heroes, are made of. OF medium
height, slightly bald, and inclined to
embonpoint, Pion-Pion's elder son has
nothing in his features or appearance
to indicate his Bonaparte ancestry.
AS the prince is quite content to con-
tinue in his present mode of existence,
there is nothing improbable in the an
nouncement that he is prepared to &C
cede to the wishes of the Bonapartists
at home and renounce his claims in
Prince Louis favor. The truth is that
the French imperialists are fully aware
that a change must be made in the
party ranks to prevent the complete
disruption of Bonapartism.
A first step looking to the regenera-
ton of the party was made recently
by the imperialists of the Paris 10th
ACCOMPLISHMENT" in an open letter ad-
dressed to Prince Victor. This letter
though couched in respectful terms,
strongly blamed the prince for his in
action and called upon him to rouse
himself from his state of lethargy; the
entierly different attitude of the Due
dOrleans was mentioned, and the Or
leans pretender pointed out as an eX-
ample and a warning For" it was
stated in this open letter, 1.-The French
people, whether Bonapartist or royal
lists, will not hesitate to follow the
prince who displays the greatest
amount of energy when the time for
action is at hand"
The members of the committee fur
Their stated in their letter that the Bo-
napartist followers remain firmly at
tached to the principles of government
l tod h,
tinued by Napoleon III. and ratified by
the prince imperial. In conclusion
| Prince Victor is advised to read over
the history of his family and to see
how, through energy and persistency,
a throne can be Won" it is, moreover,
characteristic of the French people,
so runs the letter, to plebiscite the
prince who has imposed himself as the
nations chief executive.
In the course of an interview with
one of the BOnapartist leaders now in
Brussels, says the Brussels cOrrespon-
dent of the New York Times, this gen
his exile, had done little or nothing in
his role as pretender, this being to
such an extent true that in some OF
the more remote country districts OF
France his very existence is unknown
There have been many reasons" con-
tinued the gentleman in question, who
bears one of the best-known names in
/ the Bonapartist aristocracy, 'for the
! rapid falling away of adherents to the
/ Bonapartist cause. Chief among these
may be mentioned the conversion OF
many imperialists to republican prin-
ciples, change which in their case
! was easier than for the royalists, as
the imperial form of government was
nominally, at least, founded on the
! sovereignty of the people. So it hap.
! pens that one finds many well-knowr
republican statesmen of today who
/ were officials under the empire, among
others NJ. Ribot, ex-prime minister
and Launes de MontebellO, recently
ambassador to st. Petersburg, and des.
cendant of the great marshal, Due de
! Montebello."