Original sentence: It can be argued that any person who humored Norton by choosing to follow his edicts, accept his "currency", or acknowledge his chosen title as "Emperor" did so only by volition and not because it was legitimate or legal.More than a century after Norton's death, some people argue that Norton was in actuality, the "Emperor of the United States"
Edited sentence: Even today, more than a century after Norton's death, some persons argue that Norton can seriously be considered to have been, in some sense, "Emperor of the United States".He had no subjects.It remains the case that Norton had no empire, subjects, authority nor political power; any person who humored Norton by choosing to follow his edicts, accept his currency, or acknowledge his chosen title did so only by volition and not because it was legitimate or legal.Norton had no direct control over any person