The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-11-15

IN Harper's Magazine for November IS
 printed for the first time the manu- II script of an interview between Joseph Bonaparte and James K. Fauiu- ing. a prominent New Yorker of his oay. The facts in regard to Lafayette brought o,,t in their conversation place the great Frenchman in a curious position and one moi easily explained. MT. Paulding tells first of a dinner given by the mayor or New York:
 "The conversation at table turned on the political situation or France oii which subject MT. Golden, who sat near T.afavette. requested information or the panera, protesting at the same time his inability to comprehend 1t. La1ayette then entered very frankly into the state of political parties in that country. the ran,,blicans, carlists, and lastly the or leans party. to which. said he, pe- long, It will be recollected that during his progress through the United States Lafayette had uniformly announced him- self a. republican, and Knowing as oio that the Orleans party had no pretensions to an affinity with republicanlsm' tnls frank ayowal excited my surprise at the time and often recurred to my recoiiec- ton. I thought I must have misuhoer- stood the general, and. meeting MT. MOT gan shortly afterward, took occasion 10 compare notes with him. Ills recollection nerfecay corresponded with mine, and he was equally surprised as the iriconsis- tenov of Lafayette's public with his pri-
 
 vate declarations.
 "Not long afterward I was somewhat surprised at receiving message rom Joseph Bonaparte expressing particular des;ra to see me, and requesting that would designate the hour for an inter- view at my house. compiled with his wish. and about 12 o'clock the next day ha came alone. After the usual com pliments, he proceeded to state the object of his visit. General Lallemand had com municated to him the declaration of La fayette at my brothers table. and Joseph had called to ascertain If the statement was correct. Perceivins that was a lit- tle surprised. he added. I will afterward tell you my reason for particularly wish ing to know.
 q complied with his request. and he then gave me the following curious de- tails:
 .He stated that not long after La fayette came to this country he paid him a visit at his chateau in New Jersey. and while there had requested a private interview. in the course of which he pronounced France to be on tho eve of revolution which would be fatal to the Bourbon dynasty. and distinctly and pos itiyely proposed to Joseph that If he would advance him $2,oo0.0o0 he would make his nephew Napoleon King of France.
 "T confess.' continued Joseph. that I did hot believe him at the time. knew the situation of France was pre- carious, but had no idea that the revolu' tion was SO near at hand, or that Ia fayette had the power to direct It SC completely as has since appeared. Be sides. had not at my disposal tne means he required, for, though ricn' tne support of various members of my fam fly, together with the perpetual applica' ton of my brothers exIled friends. lef' me little beyond my necessary persona expenses. This last was the reason gave for declining the proposal. It seems however, that at the moment he was an nouncing himself to. the people of tht United States as q republican. and a your brothers table as an adherent ol the Duke of Orleans. he made me the of fer of placing my pephew on the throne of France for the sum of $2,000,000.
 hava long believed Lafayette devoid o