The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-06-22
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De Relic to Soult,tthe presidential de-
cree Gs, bearing the date Of June g.
RMS does not mean. however that
these young men will have any right
whatsoever 10 their great grandfath-
ers title Of Duke of Dalmat tia. although
eonhdently expect, ere long. 70 see
airy dignities II he does this. II Will
pc without any legal warrant In the
nsst place. as ! have repeatedly point
ed out in these letters. nobiliary titles
IN France descend only In the male
line direct. and not In the female line.
rms Is especially stipulated in mon
archical laws sun In existence. and
two Emperors Of The French. and like
wise some OF the Kings OF France,
nave sometimes revived in men the
grandfather or maternal uncle. But
THIS has always been by means OF
patent, and as an act Of infrequent
grace and favor. The government OF
tured TO do anything of the Kind.
Some French people have got round
the lmpossibility of getting the govern
m neshas Of Z the e, republic to meet their
either to the Vatican or else to the
King Of Spain. as the only Bourbon
now occupying a throne. to revive In
their favor. By means Of patent, the
titles borne BY maternal forbears' But
these titles cannot be borne legally in
france without authorization. granted
BY the Keeper OF the Great Seal OF
France. that is to say. by the Minis
ter of Justice. and by the President of
the republic, and no such permits have
5een granted since the presidency OF
years ago; while between the down
fui! OF the empire in 1870, and Mac
nahon,s retirement nine years later.
only about six permits were granted
by Frenchmen. Nh.
While 1t Is just possible that the
young De Relies, now Soults. might
Obtain al patents as Dukes and Counts
would have no legal value in France,
and which they would not be Bile to
use without danger of fine. and even
OF Of Imprisonment, It Is tmproba BILE in
would do anything towards the revival
OF their greatgrandfather's honors in
their favor For If there Is one name
more than any other that is execrated
in Spain. it is precisely that OF the
French Marshal Soult, whose troops,
during the Peninsular War at the be-
ginning of the nineteenth century, won
for themselves as bitter a hatred as
Cromwelfs troops did in ireland, by
the ruin which they spread on every
side and especially by their looting.
Soult himself took a lead in the plum
dering, and after the restoration, his
mansion in Paris and his two country
seats were crowded from cellar to
garrett with paintings and art treas
uicb, Oh winch he ndO plunQeTeC nat
ional galleries. royal palaces. churches,
cathedrals, religious establishments
and private collections during his for
eign campaigns
Some of his baggage trains. however,
were captured before they reached the
| northern frontier of Spain. by the
Duke Of Wellington, and Soult's treas
ures, or rather plumber, were conveyed
Just as they were TO England, to APPS
| ley House. to await the Duke OF Well
ington's return. IT was some time af :
| ter the restoration of peace that the
duke bethought himself of having the
unopened cases and bundles examined,
and was made aware of what they con-
tanned. He then prepared to make
| restitution to King Ferdinand OF
debt OF gratitude that he owed to the
Duke of Wellington, who had con-
tributed more than anybody else to tho
| recovery of his throne, and to the ex-
pulsIon, of the French foe from Spa In,
begged him to keep all the pictures as
that of his people. of all that the duke
| had done for Them These paintings
now adorn the walls of Apsley House.,
the London home of the present Duke
| of Wellington. L g iEs. M
Just why the De Relies should wish
TO take the name OF Soult. in lieu Of
! their own, It Is difficult to understand,
unless they propose to assume, in the
! unWarranted fashion that ] have de-
scribed above. that famous Napoleonic
name OF De Relic Is an honora BILE one.
Their paternal great-grandfather was
also Marshal of France. and one of
his sons, brother of Colonel Baron
| in the CrImean and italian Wars
: Copyright 1911, by the Brentwood
Company