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About The Sunday Oregonian. (Portland, Ore.) 1881-current | View Entire Issue (May 3, 1914)
8 NotBefirstioCall I VM GallersWho Have Visited Y1 V United Sloies W 4YV 7T ----- 1 f ' " (' V'l',,", i'Im i 1 n"h"i """I m ' I I X WASHINGTON, is excited by the prospect of receiving the royal party from Bulgaria. But the fact that its illustrious guests will travel incognito must rob their recep tion in the Nation's capital of most of Its blaze and glory. Its fuss and feathers. According to the official code of eti quette, binding enlightened nations. President Wilson would have to go all the -way to Sofia to return this royal ' visit, were it paid to our Nation offi cially. Inasmuch as American tradition forbids our President's going far over seas during his term of office, foreign monarchs, respecting that feeling, have refrained from paying visits of state to our domain. Visit Prom an Emperor. The only reigning monarch -who ever visited our shores hitherto came unof- ' flclally. This was the Emperor Com Pedro, of Brazil, who. with his consort, the Empress Theresa Christina, was welcomed at the New York quarantine' April 15. 1876. by Secretaries Fish. Taft . tthe ex-President's father) and Robe son; also Major-Generul Hancock and Vice-Admiral Rowan. Having lost his black slouch hat overboard, en route, the Emperor ap- i peared on deck in a black silk cap and black broadcloth frock coat. . Prefer ring to be received as a private per sonage, he refused to come into the harbor on the American sloop-of-war which awaited him at quarantine, where the local health officer uncere moniously . refused the Brazilian Min ister's request to go aboard, the vessel bearing his sovereign. Stepping into the Fifth Avenue Hotel almost unno ticed by the crowd which believe him to be aboard our sloop, this democratic ' Kt ousy at once in planning, amusements. That night he and the Empress saw "Henry V" played at Booth's Theater, and the next day af ter hearing- mass at St Patrick's, bom Pedro visited Central Park. heard Moody preach at the Hippodrome, vis ited a newsboys' lodging-house, a fire engtne-house and a police station, as well as the office of a metropolitan daily, at the late hour when it was go ing to press. And on the following day. after watching the European steamers load at Hoboken he visited public schools and hospitals prior to taking & train for San Francisco Returning across continent to Wash ington, the strenuous monarch after driving from the station in an ordinary cab. surprised the clerk of the Arling ton Hotel by registering there in the early morning of Sundav. May 7 im mediately after breakfast he put off for mass at St. Matthew's, following which devotion he visited the Capitol where despite his 250 pounds, he mounted the dome. Later he drove about the city, and the day following visited the Capitol again before calling informally upon President Grant and taking an afternoon train for the' Centennial Ex position, in Philadelphia. Although his Brazilian majesty thus far is the only reigning sovereign who ever crossed our threshold, one ex sovereign and quite a list of kings-to-be have put foot upon our soil. A century ago, soon after the battle of Waterloo, an American bark ran the gauntlet of two blockading British ships off Sandy Hook and brought into New York Harbor a distinguished-looking Frenchman, who had registered on the vessel's books as "M. Bouchard." Suspecting that his passenger was the great General Carnot, fleeing from the wrath of the allies, the skipper sent for the Mayor of New York and confid ed his suspicions. When the Mayor ad dressed the French gentleman as "Gen eral Carnot." M. Bouchard shrugged his shoulders and replied: "Your honor, here in America I can afford to disclose my identity, and have no hesitation in telling you that I am Joseph Bona-. parte." " Thus the ex-king of "Spain com menced his period of exile in the new world. Refusing to be wined and dined by New York's smart set, he bought a beautiful country seat at Borden town, N. J., after the New Jersey leg islature had passed a special act en abling him to hold real estate. By vir tue of similar acts he acquired a man sion in Philadelphia and a Summer place on the edge of Adirondack forest. His exile was shared by his two daughters and son-in-law. but his wife, a sister of the Queen of Sweden, remained an in valid in Europe. After remaining In America upward of 20 years he spent his last days in Florence. King of Westphalia Guest. But Joseph was not the first royal Bonaparte to know the United States. A dozen years before he commenced his exile here his younger brother. Jer ome, then a captain in the French Navy, had, during a visit to- our Atlantic seaboard, .wooed and won Elizabeth Patterson, daughter of a wealthy ship- owner of Baltimore. Jerome was only 19 at the time, and the match was de clared null by his brother, the Emperor Napoleon. As a reward for deserting his bride Jerome was made a prince of the empire and an admiral of the fleet. The French Senate named him as suc cessor to the imperial throne in the event that Napoleon should leave no male heir, and the next year he was created King of 'Westphalia. Soon af ter his coronation he married Cather ine Frederica, Princess of Wurttem burg. by whom he had three children. The first incipient king to put foot upon our soil was the youthful Prince William Henry of England, later Wil liam IV. When a midshipman of 16, on leave in London, this princeling fell in love with a girl of his own age whom he ardently de9ired to marry, but be cause she was not of royal birth bis stern sire. King George IV. cut short his holiday and packed him off to sea. Arriving in New York aboard a man-o-war in September. 1781, ne took up his quarters in . Hanover Square with General Clinton, the British commander-in-chief. Although the revolution was then at Its height the young prince went about New York unguarded and often unattended. This indifference to personal security tempted Colonel Og den. of the First New Jersey Regiment, to form & conspiracy to seize the future king and hold him as a hostage. This THE SUNDAY OREGOXIAX, PORTLAND, MAY 3. 1914. plan had the sanction of Washington, but an inkling of it reached Clinton, who augmented the guards about his royal highness and saw that he was safely conducted fjboard the warship that carried him back to his royal par ents. Prince William-Henry was described by the chroniclers in New York as "a fine, bluff boy." who was "frank, cheery and affable." He manifested a normal fondness for boyish pranks and it is recalled that he had a penchant for twisting off the door-knockers dis played by the residents of our metrop, oils. Vlult of LonlB Philippe. When Duke D'Orleans. Louis Phil ippe, embraced the doctrines of the French Revolution be performed bril liant services with the revolutionary army. Escaping from France at the close of that struggle, he taught school for a season in Switzerland and after his father was beheaded traveled un der an assumed name In northern Eu rope. In 1793 he took passage as a Danish subject on board the ship Amer ica, and landed In Philadelphia, during the Autumn. Here be was joined by bis brothers, the Due de Montpensier and the Compte de Beaujolais. These three princes toured the United States traveling through New England exploring the Great Lakes, viewing the valley of the Mississippi, surveying the future site of Washington and visiting lit il President Washington . at Mount Ver- non. This . was a generation before J. '"ce Znry of Prats Louis Philippe was elected King of France. ' His son. the Prince de Jolnville. paid us the honor of a visit in 1861 to place his son. the Due de Fenthievre. in the Naval Academy, at Annapolis. Then with his two nephews, both royal princes and grandsons of Louis Philippe the Comte de Paris and the Due de in New lorn on me rtussi&n irigate Chartres he joined the staff of Gen- Svetland. and was greeted in the harbor eral McClellan and took an active part by an American squadron and by Vice in the Chickahomlny campaign. Admiral Rowan, selected by President Among the functions at which the Grant to attend the royal guest while Prince de Joinvllle was guest of honor In this country. When the Grand Duke's was a grand banquet at the Aator frigate saluted with 21 guns the Rus House. New York. elan flag was at once raised by all of "It was a peculiarly French affair." our ships, which returned the cannon writes a chronicler of this repast- "The ade. Following the speeches of wel menus were printed in French and the come delivered down the bay. the Grand New York orators and aldermen tried Duke and his suite entered a proces- to talk French and fared about as well as did the Prince himself, when he tried to reply in English." Not to be outdone, the Prince ar- ranged a grand ball on a French frigate anchored In New jcork narDor. But such was the scramble for invitations that his highness saw fit to make a change for his sale arrival, ana tne same morn of base. He sailed La Belle Poule up to ing went aboard a gorgeously decorated Newport, whence the elite of New York ferryboat, which carried him to a spe journeyed to enjoy his hospitality. At cial train "elegantly fitted up." Annapolis, his sou. the Duke of Pont- Arriving in Washington, he was hievre.- shared none of his father's popularity in America, but was so se- .4 verely hazed by his brother midship men that he haa ever afterward en tertained a strong antipathy for things American. America's affectionate regard' for Ed ward VII, who always interested us far more than any other royal personage, resulted from the tact and utter lack of affectation displayed by him when. In 1860. he enjoyed the most intimate hospitality which we have ever extended to a distinguished foreigner. No other National guest has ever been quartered at the White House, and the fact that he had known President Buchanan when the latter was minister to Eng land made the mansion's hospitality all the warmer, ajthough Buchanan proved to be somewhat of a kill-joy, for when the royal visitor proposed a dance with the younger guests at a levee, the President, fearing the criticism of the "plain pee-pul," frowned upon the fri volous suggestion. But later, while the Prince was sailing upon the Potomac, during an official trip to Washington's tomb, near which he planted a horse chestnut tree the deck of the vessel bearing him was cleared for action terpsichorean. not military and his youthful highness gave each pretty lass aboard a merry whirl, which she has never forgotten. It is recalled that at all of the balls given in his honor in America he tactfully devoted his first attentions to the matrons, who after- ward, in confidence to a young belle, he designated as the "old chaps." At ,a Georgetown seminary he merrily played tennis with the fair students. After his arrival at the White House there was a grand reception followed by fireworks. Then there were two state dinners, at which the Cabinet and diplo matic corps were bidden in turn "to meet Lord Renfrew" for such was his incognito. The British Minister also dined with him. At the Executive Man sion he occupied the two northwest corner chambers of the upper floor, still known as the "Prince of Wales" rooms. At Philadelphia he heard Pattl sing, visited Independence Hall, attended the races at Point Breeze, and from the balcony of the old Continental Hotel witnessed the turbulent mob that crowded Chestnut street upon the elec tion night immediately preceding the outbreak of the Civil War. For use at a magnificenc ball given in his honor at the Academy of Music New York, fhere was prepared a special service of glass and china bearing his motto, "Ich dien." Two Unpleasant Incidents. The metropolis honored him also with a torchlight parade by the - volunteer fire department, and a procession by the state militia, in which latter an Irish regiment, the 69th, refused to take part, a course of conduct which, besides mak ing a stir on both sides of the Atlantic, resulted in the2 regiment, losing its colors. Another regrettable incident occurred during the procession which escorted the Prince and his suite from the station, at Boston. When an Eng lishman in his party remarked upon the red coats of some American troop- . ers. one of the Bostonlans replied: - "Yes, we took them In '76, don't you know." After sitting through a chorus of 1200 ' Boston school children the Prince went out to Bunker Hill and swapped auto graph! with a bona fide veteran of that battlefield. Despite the fact that be was a lad of only IS, and that his American hosts seemed to take peculiar pride in constantly dangling before him reminders of "the late unpleasant ness," his visit greatly strengthened the ties between Britain and her re bellious daughter. We all remember well the excitement caused by the visit of King Edward's brother, . the Duke of Connaught, to President Taft, January 25. 1912. Grand Duke Alexia Comes. Many of our citizens still living recall the flutter caused by the formal visit paid to the Nation in 1S71 by the young Grand Duke Alexis, uncle of the pres ent Czar, who came to America as the special representative of his father. Czar Alexander 1L After a long and stormy voyage he arrived November 1 sion of carriages and were escorted by a division of militia to the Clarendon Hotel, where his highness stepped out upon a balcony to review the 22 regi- ments of his escort. tie tnen nurnea to mo ureea tnurcn, on Second avenue, to offer up thanks taken to the Arlington Hotel, where he occupied the whole south wing, known aa the Johnson House. The next morn ing Secretary of State Fish called on his highness, who. at 10 o'clock, drove up to the White House, whose portico swarmed with cheering people. After a formal exchange of felicitations in the blue parlor, where President Grant and his Cabinet received the Nation's guest. Secretary Fish escorted- Alexis to the red parlor, and presented him to Mrs. Grant and other ladies there assem bled. Following a trip to Annapolis, Philadelphia. New ' York. Boston and Niagara Falls, tile Grand Duke made an extensive tour of Denver and New Orleans, ending his visit -at Pensacola, whence his frigate took him home by way of Havana. He later became High Admiral of the Russian navy, and died a bachelor in 1904. Our next royal visitors, the Mahara jah of Kapurthola, the Duke of Vera gua and the Infanta Eulalia of Spain, who came to view the World's Fair at .Chicago, also allowed themselves to be ceremoniously received, and we all dis tinctly remember the visit to America made by the present King of the Bel gians, when he was the Crown Prince Albert. Belglaa King Tlememfeera IT. S.- We were just upon the eve of our war with Spain when tnis visit was paid to us by the present King Albert, then only 22 years old. Arriving in Wash- ington early in March, 1898, he made an Informal call upon President McKin- ley, at noon, accompanied by the Bel gian Minister and Colonel Theodore A. Bingtram: the White House master of ceremonies. After this reception had been concluded in the red parlor of the White House President McKtnley ac companied the royal party upon a drive about the city. .That same evening the President gave in the Prince's honor a state dinner, served In the east room, the old state dining-room being too small. Pre vious to the dinner the President re ceived his royal guest in the east room. which was lavishly decorated for the occasion. Before returning home Prince Albert visited aleo Philadelphia, New York, Hartford. Boston and Harvard University. The warmest welcome which we have ever extended to a royal guest was that given Prince Henry of Prus sia, the German Emperor's brother, in 1902. Loaded with presents. Prince Henry reached New York February 23. Having been received at the metrop olis with official honors, he proceeded the next day to Washington, where he Immediately . called upon President Roosevelt, . who returned the call at the German embassy within 15 min utes. The same night the Prince was tendered, in the . East room of the White House, the most elaborate din ner ever given by a President of the United States. From Washington the Prince then commenced a month's tour -of the United States upon a special train of seven Pullmans, placed at his disposal by our Government. The Prince himself, with' Admiral "Bob" Evans, his official chaperon, oc cupied a private car previously used by President McKlnley. One parlor car was reserved exclusively for the par ty's valets. The menus for the meals served en route were printed a week in advance, and the train carried spe cial telegraphers, stenographers and barbers. It is said that Prince Henry's visit cost Germany $350,000, 116,000 of which went for gifts distributed here. Present Kins Oan Gust, - The present King of Slam is another ruler who, like King Albert of Bel glum. Louis Philippe and Edward VII. visited us before ascending to his throne. With his younger brother a prince with name unpronounceable and well-nigh unspellable he arrived in New York in October. 1902. and after being formally met in the harbor, was carried by special train to Washing ton, where several . troops of cavalry escorted him to the White HoiiFe to receive formal welcome from President Roosevelt. A special White House re ception was held in his honor. Secre tary Hay dined him, a cavalry drill was given for him at . Fort Myer, and the President's yacht Sylph took him to Mount Vernon, where he placed a huge wreath on Washington's tomb. Then our Government sent him upon a tour of the country. covering six weeks, during which lime Herbert Peirce. our Tnlrd Assistant Secretary of State, acted as his guide and spokes man. The last royal personage to visit us was Albert Honors Charles. Prinro of Monaco, who after a tour of the United States was received by President Wll son last October. Like Jerome Bona- parte, this prince bad contracted an unhappy union with an American wo- man. In 1889 he married the widowed xucness ae Kicnelleu. formerly Mar guerlte Alice Heine, daughter of Mich ael Heine, a retired New Orleans bank er and a Christianized Jew. She bore the full title of princess for 13 years, at the end of which period their ro mance ended in a divorce. (Copyright, 1914, by John Elfreth Wat-kins.)