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* BONALD. 265 BONAPARTE. pelled to emigrate iluiing the French Revolution and went to Heidelberfr, where he wrote politieo- philosopliic works in support of uionarehy. His iirst important work, Theorie dit pouvoir poli- tique et rcligieux (3 vols., 1796), was seized by the Directory. It prophesied the restoration of the Bourbons. He returned to France about ISOU, won the favor of Xapoleon. and in 1S08 was appointed Minister of Instruction. In 1815 he was elected to the Chamber of Deputies, and there, as well as afterwards in the Chamber of Peers, was conspicuous by his opposition to all liberal projects, notably the freedom of the press. In 1823 he was elevated to the peerage by Louis XVIII. The July Revolution brought his public career to a close, as he refused to take the oath of allegiance to the new dynasty. His most im- portant writings are: Legislation primitire (3 vols.. 1802), and Recherches philosophiques sur Its premiers objets des connaissances morales (2 vols.. 1818). BONAN'ZA (Sp., fair wind or weather, pros- perity, from Lat. bonus, good). A term ajjplied in the mining districts of the United States to the discovery of a rich vein or body of ore. When a vein of rich ore has been struck, the mine is said to be a 'bonanza.' In the celebrated Comstock Lode in Nevada some ten bonanzas were found, the most famous of which, known as the 'Big Bonanza,' was discovered in 1876. The word bonanza has a pojiular application also to a successful enterprise or to any piece of good luck. BONAPARTE, bo'na-part ; in Ital., BUONA- PARTE, bo'na-par'ta. Family of. The Bona- parte family originated in Italy, and may be traced in the records of Florence, San Miniato, and elsewhere. The Corsican branch, the only one of historical importance, went to Corsica from Sarzana, in Genoese territory, about 1610, and its representatives took up their residence at Ajaccio, where they occupied a respectable position as patricians, padri del eomniune or cit- tndini, without especial prominence until the rise of the great Xapoleon. The Grand Duke of Tuscany in 1757 issued a formal patent of no- bility to Joseph, the grandfather of Xapoleon, and a coat of arms described as: "A count's coro- net, the escutcheon with two bends sinister and two stars bearing the letters B. P., signifying Bnona Parte, the field of the anns red, the bend and stars blue, the letters and coronet yellow" The title of patrician was also granted by the (Jrand Duke two years later. In the Eighteenth Centiry the following representatives of the family resided at Ajaccio; the archdeacon, Lu- cien Bonaparte; his brother, Xapoleon Bona- parte; and their nephew. Carlo. — Carlo Boxa- PARTE. father of the Emperor Xapoleon, was born March 20. 1746; studied law in Pisa, and married, in 1767, a beautiful young pa- trician, named Letizia Ramolino. In 1768, with his uncle Xapoleon, he joined General Paoli in defending the island against the French in- vaders. Wiien resistance was shown to be use- less. Carlo Bonaparte attached himself to the French interest, and in 1771 was included by Louis XV. in the list of 400 Corsican families chosen to form a nobility. In 1773. through the influence of Marb<puf. Governor of Corsica, Carlo Bonaparte was appointed royal counselor and assessor of the town and Province of Ajaccio. In 1777 he was a member of the deputation of Corsican nobles to the Court of France. In this capacity he resided for some time in Paris, where he gained for his son, Xapoleon, through the interest of Count ilarbceuf, admission into the military school at Brienne. In 177'J he returned to Corsica, and in 1785 went to Montpellier, for the benefit of his health, but died there February 24, 1785. He was a man of prepossessing exterior and amiable character. By his marriage with Letizia, he left eight children; Joseph, King of Spain; Napoleon, Emperor of the French; Lucien, Prince of Canino; Maria Anna (after- wards named Elisa), Princess of Lucca and Piombino, Grand Duchess of Tuscany, Countess of Campignano, wife of Prince Baceiocchi ; Louis, King of Holland: Carlotta (afterwards named Marie Pauline), Princess Borghese; Annunciata (afterwards named Caroline), wife of Murat, King of Xaples; Jerome, King of Westphalia. By a decree of the French Senate, X^ovember 6, 1804, the right of succession to the Imperial throne was restricted to Xapoleon and his brothers Jo- seph and Louis, with their offspring. Lucien and Jerome were excluded on account of their unsuit- able marriages. X'apolcon intended to give the right of succession also to Lucien, by the addi- tional act of April 22, 1815; but this never tool, effect. .As Joseph, the eldest brother of the Emperor, had no son, the descendants of Louis became nearest heirs to the throne. — jMaria Letizia Ramolino, mother of Xapoleon I., lived to see the rise and decline of power of her family, and met them with equanimity and dig- nity. She was born at Ajaccio, August 24, 1750. After the death of her husband, she lived for some time in Corsica, and in 1793, when the island came under British rule, removed with her family to ilarseilles. where she lived in pov- erty, mainly supported by the pension given to Corsican refugees. After her son became First Consul she removed to Paris, and when he was crowned Emperor, in 1804, received the title of Madame M6re. She never cared for the brilliant surroundings of the Imperial Court, and, remem- bering former adversities, she was prepared for all that followed. After the downfall of Xapo- leon Letizia lived with her stepbrother, Cardinal Fesch, in winter in Rome, and in summer in Albano. She died February 2. 1830, leaving con- siderable property, the result of saving liabits during prosperity. Professor Sloane, Xapoleon's latest American biographer, describes her as "of peasant nature to the last day of her long life — iiardy, unsentimental, frugal, and sometimes un- scrupulous." Joseph, the eldest brother of Napoleon, was born at Corte, in Corsica, January 7, 1768, and was educated at Autun. On the death of his father he returned to Corsica, exerted himself to support the younger members of the family, and removed with them to Marseilles in 1793. In 1797 he was elected a member of the Council of Five Hundred, and in the same year was sent as ambassador from the Republic to Rome. In 1800 he was chosen by the First Consul as pleni- potentiary to conclude a treaty of friendship with the United States of Xorth America. He signed the treaty of Liim'ville, February 0, 1801. and that of .iniens, 1802; and with Cretet and Bernier conducted the negotiations relative to the Concordat. After the coronation of Xapoleon Joseph was made commander-in-chief of the Army of Naples, and in 1800 King of Naples. He