Custer County Republican. (Broken Bow, Neb.) 1882-1921, 1905-06-29
THE FlOUSEoFB BERN IA!AtD|,lyOI TH

the Chicago Record Herald. From the
time of its founding by the distin
guished marshal of France, the Prince
of Ponte-Corvo, whose title came
through the empiric power Of the
great Napoleon, the house of Berna-
dotte has been one which has ever
commanded the highest respect and
admiration.
The ruling house of Sweden is now
in its third generation, the present
king being the fourth of the Berna-
dottes. The line is modern, beginning
with Charles XIV, who was succeeded
by his son, Oscar l., who in his turn
bequeathed the crown to his son,
Charles XIV. This Charles, dying
without issue in the kingly line, his
brother, Oscar H., the present mon
arch, came to the throne.
His father, a brief1ess lawyer, Jean
Baptiste Jules Bernadotte, was born
at Pau in Bearn, Jan. 26, 1854 Des-
tined for the law, he followed his ma
tural bent and chose the profession of
arms, enlisting in 1880 as a private in
the royal marines Of France. When
the arbitrary distinction of classes was
swept away by the revolution, open
ing the path of preferment 20 all alike,
the abilities of Bernadotte secured
speedy recognition. He had seen two
years of garrison life in Corsica, but
his nine years of service had brought
him nothing more than the chevrons
of sergeant. From this time on his
rise was rapid, and in 1892 he was
colonel in the army of Gen. Cuisines.
The year following he served with
Kleber and demonstrated his ability
so thoroughly that he was promoted
general of brigade and almost imme-
diately afterward became general of
division.
In the campaigns of the Rhine and
Of Italy his brilliant work furnished
the foundation for his soldierly repu-
tation. During these years he avoided
rather than sought the favor of young
Napoleon. Each instinctively distrust-
ed and disliked the other. 1t is said
that after their first meeting Berna-
dotte remarked. 81 have seen a man,
26 or q years old, who wishes to be
thought so; this does not augur well
for the republic" a judgment which
In the light of later history proved his
sagacity as a prophet and the keen
ness of his perception in reading men.
"He has a French head and a Roman
heart" said Napoleon after the inter-
view. "He has iron blood in his
veins" proving himself not inferior
TO Bernadotte in his reading of men.
During Bonaparte's absence in Egypt
Bernadotte was appointed minister of
war. He reorganized the army and
prepared the way for the conquest of
Holland. His popularity was so great
that the directors became alarmed,
fearing that he might dismiss them
and reconstruct the government. They
removed him from the ministry, an &C.
ton by which they doomed themselves,
for there is no doubt that distrusting
Bonaparte, whom they wished arrest
ed for abandoning the army in Egypt,
he would have gladly protected the |
directorial government had he been |
placed at the head Of a sufficient body |
of troops. Though he had no share in
the revolution which established the |
consular authority, he shared in it's
advantages, accepting the position of |
councillor of state and general in chief /
Of the army of the West.
So brilliant was the work of Berna- |
dotte that jealousy conspiring against |
him led to his displacement. Never |
theless, when the imperial dignity was |
assumed by Napoleon, the reputation
or Bernadotte was so firmly estab- |
lished that even the emperor could |
not ignore it; with other distinguished |
officers he received q marshal's trun-
cheon. and in 1906 was invested with
the principally of Ponte-C orvo for his
services at Austerlitz. |
AS prince, the government of Fionia |
and Jutland were intrusted to him,
and the mildness of his administration
Won for him renown as statesman
and ruler.
In 1910 the death Of Prince Angus
tenburg of Sweden left the throne of
that country without an heir. The
Swedish states in council nominated |
Bernadotte as successor to Charles !
XIII, who adopted him as his son. In
the campaigns of 1913 and 1914 Ber-
nadotte, as Crown Prince of Sweden.
Joined the coalition against Napoleon
and 1t was his Swedish contingent that
decided the battle of Leipsic.
On the death Of Charles XIII, in
February, 1918, thirty-eight years after
his enlistment as private soldier in
the army of France, Bernadotte was
crowned King of Sweden and Norway,
with the title of Charles XIV. John,
His coronation as King of Sweden
took place in Stockholm May IL; as
King OF Norway, at Drontheim, Sept.
/.
Dying at Stockholm March 8, 1874,
the man who had been called from
sunny France to the snowy throne of
the fair-haired Harold was succeeded