JEROME BONAPARTE.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 304, 18 September 1860, Page 4

JEROME BONAPARTE.

Prince Jerome was exceedingly esteemed, not only for the great historical name he bore, but on account of bis personal qualities, for he was gracious and amiable. It seems so far back since the termination of the reign of the First Emperor that people can hardly believe Jerome had not reached his 76th year, for he was born the 15 th of November; 1894. Forty-five years have elapsed since he cemmanded a division at Waterloo with marked destinction. The attack upon Hougoumont, one of the most signal events of the day, was conducted by the youngeßt brother of Napoleon, and the fall of 7000 men of his division says enough of the character of the contest. The Prince, although severely wounded, never quitted the fields and displayed to the last a firmness which was truly heroic. . ,

His whole career was of a romantic character, the leading features of which are indeed generally known ; especially from the exceeding curiosity excited by his first marriage with a young American lady, which served from the singular circumstances attending it, to fix upon it the attention of Amerioa and England as well as of his own country. The story has been lately revived by a recital which appeared in M. Thiers' last volume of the " History of the Consulate and of the Empire" and which led to an authoritative correction on the part of the Imperial family, shewing, by reference to the legal documents, that the marriage was illegal according to the laws of France, and was invalid from the moment of its taking place! At that time Jerome was an offioerjn the navy, and had put into New York to avoid a superior force of British cruisers. This was in 1803, shortly after the rupture of the Peace of Amiens. Upon: his return lb~Tranee the Emperor refused to recognise the marriage, and orders were sent to prevent Madame Bonaparte from disembarking; 'in consequence of which she landed in England, where she gave birth to a son, a gentleman who is at present 55 years of age, and much distinguished for his scientific attainments. If he compromised his position with the Emperor by an act which the latter refused to sanction, he could not remain long out of favor, for liis grace and gaiety appear to have been irresistible. It is told of him that, unable to endure the short allowance on which it was thought prudent to keep him, he called on his uncle, Cardinal Fescb, and failing to soften bis heart to the extent of inducing him to open his purse, he assailed the Cardinal's weak point his passion for fine pictures, by pointing his sword at the face of a Van Dpck, when his eminence capitulated. The story was not without important oonsequences, for it so much amused the Emperor that he could no longer treat the young etourdi with severity. Jerome's promotion in the navy was rapid, but his career was not of long continuance; for although raised to the rank of Admiral, with the command of a squadron, in 1806, he quitted the navy the same year. The next found him a General of Division, driving the Prussians before him in Selesia, to the great satisfaction of Napoleon, who forthwith bestowed upon him the Crown of Westphalia^ and the King of Wurtemberg gave him the hand of his daughter. Previously to the marriage with the Princess, the Court of Borne had confirmed the decision of the French tribunals as to the illegality of the union with Miss Patterson. ; By'this marriage he had four children—-of whom two are living— the Princess Mathilde and Prince Napoleon Jerome: and it is acknowledged that, whatever may have been the public yicissitUides of Jerome's career, he has enjoyed more than an 'ordinary share of domestic" happiness; The good; .Queen Catherine adhered to her husband during the days of his ill-fortune with untiring affection! On the breaking out of the war of i 812; _ the King of Westphalia took: the field, but after a distinguished opening retired in disgust; upon a difference with Marshal Devoust, touching points' of precedence, which the former would not yield to the " elder soldier, not the better." As a consequence of the disaster of the Russian campaign and the rising up of Germany, Jerome waß obliged to abandon his kingdom; and his next' appearance as a soldier was at Waterloo, where he conducted himself in a manner worthy of his name.

The Revolution of 1848 opened, tlie doors of France to: the surviving members sof ;the Im* peijial family. When his nephew became invested with supreme power by the auflfragea of the people, he at once^ mar^p^lii^ reyer^nqe for

his uncle Jerome by conferring upon biin the. dignity of Marshal; of. France' witK t|e/'Gio«; vernorship of tba IpyalideS'-ran appoiu.tmept[ peculiarly gratifying to his feelings, on account of its being the final resting-place of Napoleon, whose ashes were then as it were placed unf|er< his guardianship.' It was at one time rumored j that the present Emperor proposed to have the coffin of Napoleon transferred to St. Penis, the place of sepulture of the Kings of France*' but that Jeromej as head of the family," would not consent to the removal duririg'his own lifetime.. There is a rumor now that ths body of Jerome himself will be interred at St. ©enis, but if is not likely that any decision can as yet have been taken on the subject.->;; • ~;.. During the summer season the Prince fre« quently repaired to his fayorite residence near Havre, for it was, at Havre he first; embarked when only fifteen! years of .age, a little naval oflicer. Thus he had been a member of both services.; had experienced the joy of victory and the sorrow of defeat; 'had been a Sovereign; ruler and an exile; had lived to see his family, restored, and the renown of his name revived. A year ago he accompanied his nephew to the railway station, and wished success to the destined conqueror of Solferino; and before he breathed his last, seven German Sovereigns met at Baden him who delivered Italy- from Austrian oppression,-to proclaim the inauguration of an era of peace. He saw hostility with England set at. rest by a Treaty of Commerce: '—virtually meaning a Treaty r of Peace; so that, regarding the affairs of the world from .his death'b^d, he 'everywhere' beheld, tranquil: appearances, and his last days were peaceful. • • In reference to the last phases of Prince Jerome's illness, we le&ra— !

When the Emperor went to Villegenis on Saturday .afternoon; the Prinoe was tranquil, but so weakened that no hope could be entertained of any permanent amendment. Prince Napoleon and the Princess Clotilda, who have been in constant attendance on the illustrious patient, were supported in their work of affee-: tionate duty by the other members of the Imperial family, all of whom bad assembled at the Prince's residence. In the evening, the Prince, although exceedingly enfeebled, was in. the possession of his faculties, and received the last consolations of religion from, the hand of the Cardinal Archbishop of Paris. Towards night, however, his Imperial Highness sank into a kind of lethargy, nature seeming to have worn herself out. In the morning, as the same insensibility still continued, bis Imperial Highness's medical attendants saw that all hope was over, and announced in their bulletin that the Prince was not only reduced to the greatest degree of weakness, but had become insensible. The Prince, however, still held on during the day, until, at a quarter past; five he expired calmly and totally exempt from pain.— Morning Chronicle. ~,.. ~ . ; .

New Caledonia. — The following is translated from a letter lately addressed to this paper {Sydney Empire) from the French colony in the Pacific :-—• If my opinion is. asked [on New Caledonia, I will not conceal the fact that the country might doubtless become very flourishing; would have to be well governed: up to this time it has been governed only by soldiers. The French Government have, not yet made any reasonable attempts to render the colony prosperous. Capital too is necessary; but the island seems to have been occupied merely as a military position. Agriculture is neglected, and the few inhabitants that now are there cannot of their own accord effect an improvement. The Sfate must sow if it.wishes |o 'reap:,- that is, it must make some pecuniary, sacrifices j and, instead of establishing a military commission to govern it, they should intrust the administration to a civil commission consisting of people tolerably enlightened in agriculture. They are. far .from encouraging the immigration of Frenchmen. They think they have enough there for the civil service^ and that the thing will take of. its; own accord. I advise French mechanics not to go there; if they do, they wilL.repent of it. Most of those who are there wish they had never gone. It is true, : they have land of more or less value, but they have neither money nor arms to work it. One very absurd thing is, that the military commission have had the cunning to establish a mayor and corporation, and all this to drag people there.'

Mary Stuart.—-Of Mary Stuart I have dot much to say; but something -must be said, as her sad, dark history is inwoven with that of the confederation of the continental powers. Her execution is generally regarded as the great blot on Elizabeth's character and reign. All students of history have now given up the romantio view of Mary Stuart's fate. Of course, it is painful to dry up the fountain of those pathetic tears with which nascent orators are wont to beweep her doom. But this writer must at any rate express his conviction, which has grown stronger with each fresh examination of the subject, that her execution was a most righteous and necessary deed, the inevitable result of her own treacheries, and the fair defence of England against otherwise overwhelming foes. Had she been alive When the armada reached the narrow seas, England and the: world might have had a different history. She fell under the stroke of imperative necessities. She played for a great stake, and lost it; and, in an age of such dread peril to religion and to liberty, our statesmen would have been traitors to both and they suffered her to play it again. In the nineteenth century we could have afforded to spare her, a3 we spared Napoleon; but in the sixteenth there was but one safe, prison-house for such conspiritors against the religion and liberties of a country. Elizabeth's great statesmen understood that well. Burleigh, W^lsinghanV, and the ablest men in England, and not the jQueen, pressed on the execution. -Tbieir own letters are extant to prove it; and how hardly the Queen was brought to it let those melancholy mutterings—",Aut fer, aut feri," and "Ne feriare, feri," and poor Davison's fate, declare. Of Mary Stuart then, wanton murderess, and reckless conspirator against the religion and liberties of England, I say that she was slain righteously and not an hour too soon. She was executed February Bth", 1587. Philip's vast preparations had already awakened the alarm of the country. Mary had written to Philip's ambassador, Mendoza, her intention to make his master her heir if sbo could[obtain the crown ; while, as long as. she lived a powerful party in the country waa pre-

pared to 00-operate with the invader, and give -totheArmada!a success"l which, in-fair- -fight-it. could j never I win. The r d^ep anxiety '■■ which; Elizabeth's hesitation awakened in her Council, is abundantly evidenced; as they-sawAthe] cloud of invasion gathering.it pressed on them: more heavily ; and we can appreciate, if we cannot admire,. the kinfl : of .artful stroke by* which they terininated .the perplexity at last. It may appear to some that I have spoken, tooi strorfgly of the? life'1 ancl fatel of! this unhappy! woman. Let us hear' Yon Raumer'a words—"a man who has a right to be heard with deep respect on all matters of history—and who, remote from the influences which among us bias judgment, thus states the conclusion at which he has arrived:--" I know that many Will still continue to deny her guilt.' As far as far as-I myself am concerned, .■ a mathematical problem is hardly more clearly demonstrated than ithe historical one,, that. Mary.rwas not innocent of the death of her husband, nor ignorant that she was marrying his murderer, and that she "was the author, of the fetal letter to. Babragton," in which she became substantially a sharer in the plot to murder the Queen.— Eclectic Review.