“ENCORE UN LOUIS XVII.! A letter from Calais tells us that a strange
personage lately landed from England (from Bedlam we believe) has been
giving himself out to be the son of the unfortunate Louis XVI. This is
the twenty-fourth pretender of the species who has asserted that his
father was the august victim of the Temple. Beyond his pretensions, the
poor creature is said to be pretty harmless; he is accompanied by one
or two old women, who declare they recognize in him the Dauphin; he
does not make any attempt to seize upon his throne by force of arms, but
waits until heaven shall conduct him to it.
“If his Majesty comes to Paris, we presume he will TAKE UP his quarters
in the palace of Charenton.
“We have not before alluded to certain rumors which have been afloat
(among the lowest canaille and the vilest estaminets of the metropolis),
that a notorious personage--why should we hesitate to mention the name
of the Prince John Thomas Napoleon?--has entered France with culpable
intentions, and revolutionary views. The Moniteur of this morning,
however, confirms the disgraceful fact. A pretender is on our shores;
an armed assassin is threatening our peaceful liberties; a wandering,
homeless cut-throat is robbing on our highways; and the punishment of
his crime awaits him. Let no considerations of the past defer that just
punishment; it is the duty of the legislator to provide for THE FUTURE.
Let the full powers of the law be brought against him, aided by the
stern justice of the public force. Let him be tracked, like a wild
beast, to his lair, and meet the fate of one. But the sentence has,
ere this, been certainly executed. The brigand, we hear, has been
distributing (without any effect) pamphlets among the low ale-houses and
peasantry of the department of the Upper Rhine (in which he lurks); and
the Police have an easy means of tracking his footsteps.
“Corporal Crane, of the Gendarmerie, is on the track of the unfortunate
young man. His attempt will only serve to show the folly of the
pretenders, and the love, respect, regard, fidelity, admiration,
reverence, and passionate personal attachment in which we hold our
beloved sovereign.”
“SECOND EDITION!
“CAPTURE OF THE PRINCE.
“A courier has just arrived at the Tuileries with a report that after
a scuffle between Corporal Crane and the 'Imperial Army,' in a
water-barrel, whither the latter had retreated, victory has remained
with the former. A desperate combat ensued in the first place, in a
hay-loft, whence the pretender was ejected with immense loss. He is now
a prisoner--and we dread to think what his fate may be! It will warn
future aspirants, and give Europe a lesson which it is not likely to
forget. Above all, it will set beyond a doubt the regard, respect,
admiration, reverence, and adoration which we all feel for our
sovereign.”
“THIRD EDITION.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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