Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1905-08-18
VACANT THRONES.
Crowns and seepters That Have Been
Offered Without Takers.

ut is q privilege" wrote Disraeli, a |
good many years ago, ito live in this
age Of rapid and brilliant events. 1t
is one of infinite romance. Thrones
tumble down and crowns are offered
like fairy tale" and one is reminded
by the fact that Norway is at the mo-
ment Of writing on the lookout for a
king, and has already encountered one
refusal, that our own generation Is no
whit behind its predecessors in this
feature Of romance.
When Disraeli wrote these words 1t
was the crown Of Greece that was go
ing a-begging. Greece was thoroughly
sick Of Otho and his pampered Bava-
rians and determined to have a king
who understood at least the elements
of fair government. Otho was dismiss
ed, and the choice of his successor fell
on our own Prince Alfred, Duke OF
Edinburg, to whom the crown was Of
fered. But, the three protecting Pow
ers, England, France and Russia, had
bound themselves not to allow any
one connected with their ruling fami-
lies to become kings Of Greece, and
the prince was thus obliged to decline
the alluring bait.
The Greeks then transferred their
offer Of sovereignty to Lord Stanly,
son Of the great statesman and brother
of the Earl Of today. 1T is dazzling
adventure for the house Of Stanley"
wrote Disraeli at the time; "but they
are not an imaginative race, and l
fancy they will prefer Knowsley to
the Parthenon, and Lancashire to the
crown. I think he ought to take the
crown, but he will not Had l his
youth would not hesitate, even with
the earldom in the distance" But the
young lord refused to be tempted and
after further refusals king was found
for Greece in Prince William Of Schles-
wig Holstein, second son Of the king
of Denmark, who as King George / Is
reigning to-day. A generation earlier
still the Grecian throne was refused
Iby Prince Leopold, Of Saxe-Coburg,
father of the present king Of Belgium.
When Isabella II was driven from
the throne Of Spain 1t was almost lit
orally. hawked around Europe In
search Of a prince willing to sit on II.
1t was offered first to one scion OF roy
atty and then to another-only to be
declined by all. Its offer to Leopold
of Hohenzollern- -Sigmaringen was the
cause Of the terrible war between
France and Prussia: and 1t was only
when Amadeus, second son Of the King
of Italy, was approached that an oc-
cupant was at last found, in 1870.
Amadeus, however, found the crown
too burdensome for his tastes, and he
resigned 1t thankfully after having
worn 1t for three years, when 1t was
accepted by Alfonso XII. the young
son Of the exiled Isabella.
In 1866, when Prince Cara man OF
odious character, was found to aban-
don the throne of Roumania, 1t was
with the utmost difficulty that sue
cessor was found. Prince Jerome, who
had an eye to that much more valuable
prize, the crown of France, would not
even look at 1t, In spite Of the pleading
and pressure Of his exalted relatives;
other polite, but decided refusals fol-
lowed, until 1t began to seem probable
that the crown would never get head
to wear it. At last, however, Prince
Charles Of Hohenzollern wavered and
yielded, and was proclaimed hospodar
Of Roumania in April, 1865. Fifteen
years later he was promoted to king
ship and wore a crown made from the
captured cannon of the Plevna re-
doubts.
The crown Of Bulgaria has also suf-
fered the indignity Of refusal on more
than one occasion. When Prince Alex
ander, Of Battenburg, after his brief
and troubled tenure Of the throne, was
comp lied to resign 1t, 1t was offered to
PrinL. Valdemar, Of Denmark, brother
in-law Of the Gear, who declined 1t
with thanks, whereupon a deputation
went on a tour Of the capitals Of Europe
with the object Of finding a prince
who wouldn't mind accepting a crown
The journey was fruitless; but finally,
in 1887. the perseverance Of the Grand
Sobranye was rewarded, when Prince
Ferdinand, Of xe-Coburg- Gotha sig
nified his willingness to take the de-
spised emblems Of sovereignty.
These are but a few examples Of
crowns that have gone a-begging, only
to have the cold shoulder Of refusal
turned on them; one Of the most re-
cent cases being that of the Duke of