5 July: 164th anniversary of the first sign that bankrupted businessman Joshua Norton had gone a bit funny — because he published in a San Francisco newspaper a 58-word manifesto for the United States, and then declared himself US Emperor two months later.
He’d arrived in San Francisco in 1846 (or 1849), already wealthy, and did well for many years, but a speculation on the price of rice undid him. He declared insolvency in 1856, still trading here and there, but never at the same level.
Then, on 5 July 1859, an advert appeared in San Francisco’s Daily Evening Bulletin:
He had announced he was running for Congress the year before — and then not done it — but this seemed to be something new, or at least on a different scale. The day after Independence Day, he was declaring that Something Should Be Done about the whole country.
Not an idea one can find all that much fault with today. Anyway, perhaps there wasn’t much response from his fellow citizens, because on 17 September, he went further. That day, an article appeared which opened with a blurb from the editor…
Have We an Emperor among us? The world is full of queer people. This forenoon, a well-dressed and serious-looking man entered our office and quietly left the following document, without saying anything further.
…before Joshua launches into his announcement:
At the peremptory request and desire of a large majority of the citizens of these United States, I, Joshua Norton, formerly of Algoa Bay, and now for the last 9 years of San Francisco, declare and proclaim myself Emperor of these United States; and in virtue of the authority thereby in me vested, do hereby order and direct the representatives of the different States to assemble in Musical Hall, of this city, on the 1st day of February next, then and there to make such alterations in the existing laws of the Union as may ameliorate the evils under which the country is laboring, and thereby cause confidence to exist, both at home and abroad, in our stability and integrity.” NORTON I., Emperor of the United States. 17th September, 1859.
The following month, he announced that he had taken his first decisive action (reproduced in Norton I, Emperor of the United States by William Drury):
CONGRESS ABOLISHED! TAKE NOTICE, THE WORLD! His Imperial Majesty, Norton I, has issued the following edict, which he desires the Bulletin to spread before the world. Let her rip! It is represented to us that the universal suffrage, as now existing throughout the Union, is abused; that fraud and corruption prevent a fair and proper expression of the public voice; that open violation of the laws are constantly occurring, caused by mobs, parties, factions and undue influence of political sects; that the citizen has not that protection of person and property which he is entitled to by paying his pro rata of the expense of Government-in consequence of which, WE do hereby abolish Congress, and it is therefore abolished; and WE order and desire the representatives of all parties interested to appear at the Musical Hall of this city on the first of February next, and then and there take the most effective steps to remedy the evil complained of.
In January, Congress met, so it was obviously going to be necessary to grab hearts and minds:
PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS, a body of men calling themselves the National Congress are now in session in Washington City, in violation of our Imperial edict of the 12th of October last, declaring the said Congress abolished;
WHEREAS, it is necessary for the repose of our Empire that the said decree should be strictly complied with;
NOW, THEREFORE, we do hereby Order and Direct Major-General Scott, the Commander-in-Chief of our Armies, immediately upon receipt of this, our Decree, to proceed with a suitable force and clear the Halls of Congress.NORTON I,
Emperor of the United States.
Yes, the idea of a delusional person ordering armed men into the Capitol does sound faintly familiar, does it not? Thankfully, no one took Norton seriously.
In the February, the assembly he had called of all the States’ representatives was attended by precisely no one, and the Bulletin newspaper didn’t hear from the presumably despondent Emperor for five months. But then…
WHEREAS, it is necessary for our Peace, Prosperity and Happiness, as also to the National Advancement of the people of the United States, that they should dissolve the Republican form of government and establish in its stead an Absolute Monarchy;
NOW, THEREFORE, WE, Norton I, by the Grace of God Emperor of the Thirty-three States and the multitude of Territories of the United States of North America, do hereby dissolve the Republic of the United States, and it is hereby dissolved;
And all laws made from and after this date, either by the National Congress or any State Legislature, shall be null and of no effect.
All Governors, and all other persons in authority, shall maintain order by enforcing the heretofore existing laws and regulations until the necessary alterations can be effected.
Given under our hand and seal, at Headquarters, San Francisco, this 26th day of July, 1860.NORTON I.
Well, if you’re going to have supreme power, you may as well use it. Dissolving the United States seems only sensible. The following year, Napoleon III invaded Mexico, so Norton declared himself Protector of Mexico, too.
He did wonders for newspaper sales, because everyone wanted to know what he would decree next. In 1862, he suggested that his status be made a bit more formal, which seems only fair.
As the Emperor Norton Trust — one of the best sources of information on him — says: he “wasn’t just humored. He was beloved.” A comic opera was written about him, and theatres reserved their best seats for him on opening nights. When a ‘special officer’ arrested him for vagrancy, newspapers printed outraged editorials, and the police chief released him with an apology. The Emperor issued an imperial pardon, and after that police officers saluted him in the street.
The de Young Museum in San Francisco owns a statuette of him, which is sadly not on display
Finally, legend has it that he owned two famous San Franciscan street dogs. He didn’t, but they were depicted in a cartoon together, and apparently seen in each other’s company. I mention them only because one of the dogs was called Lazarus…
