VOICE ONE:
I’m Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Robert Cohen with the VOA Special English program, PEOPLEIN AMERICA.
Today we tell about the man whodeclared himself the emperor of the United States.
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VOICE ONE:
The small city of Colma, California is just a few kilometerssouth of San Francisco. Many people visit the city each year to seethe burial place of one very unusual man in Colma’s WoodlawnCemetery. These visitors come to see a memorial stone placed on hisgrave.
The writing on the stone says in large letters , “NORTON THEFIRST, – EMPEROR OF THE UNITED STATES AND PROTECTOR OF MEXICO.”Under this, in smaller size letters, is, “Joshua A. Norton Born inEighteen-Nineteen. Died January Eighth, Eighteen-Eighty.
VOICE TWO:
Anyone who has studied American history knows that the UnitedStates is a democracy. The president and other political leaders ofthe United States are elected to office by the citizens. There is noroyal family, no king, and no emperor.
Yet, Joshua Abraham Norton declared himself to be Emperor of theUnited States on September Seventeenth, Eighteen Fifty-Nine.
He sent an announcement to the newspapers of San Francisco sayinghe was Emperor Norton the First of the United States and theProtector of Mexico. The newspapers did not publish it.
VOICE ONE:
Many people in San Francisco knew Joshua Norton. He was born inEngland in Eighteen-Nineteen. He moved to San Francisco from SouthAfrica. He arrived with a lot of money. He later lost all his moneyin a very bad financial deal. His many friends knew that thisgreatly affected him.
Joshua Norton no longer was the same man. Most of his friendsbelieved the shock of losing all his money had taken away hisability to reason and to live in the real world. Poor Joshua Nortonwas not dangerous or violent, but he no longer knew what was realand what was only imaginary.
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VOICE TWO:
Soon after he declared himself to be the Emperor of the UnitedStates, Joshua Norton began wearing blue military clothing. Asoldier at the army base in San Francisco gave him the gold coloredbuttons and gold cloth. It made his uniform seem as if it belongedto a general…or perhaps a king…or even an Emperor.
Emperor Norton the First soon became the best known man in SanFrancisco. He always wore his uniform and a tall hat. When peoplesaw him they would show the respect given a king…or emperor. EmperorNorton usually did not have any money. But he did not need any. IfEmperor Norton went to an eating place, he was served a meal…free.If he needed something little from a store, that was also freelygiven. Sometimes he paid with his own kind of money. It was papermoney with his picture on it.
Many stores began placing a small sign in the store window. Thesign said, “By Appointment to his Majesty, Emperor Norton theFirst.” The sign meant the store or eating-place had been approvedby the Emperor of the United States. Stores that had the signs notedthat their business increased.
VOICE ONE:
Emperor Norton began sending royal orders…called decrees…to thenewspapers of San Francisco. The newspapers began publishing them.Many people thought they were funny. Some people bought thenewspapers just to read about the latest decree from the Emperor ofthe United States.
Many of the decrees, however, made people think. For example,Emperor Norton said that Governor Wise of Virginia was to be removedfrom office by royal decree. Emperor Norton said this was necessarybecause Governor Wise had ordered the death by hanging of JohnBrown. John Brown was a rebel who had tried to start a war to freeslaves.
Emperor Norton said John Brown had tried to capture the state ofVirginia with only seventeen men. That was evidence, Emperor Nortonsaid, that John Brown was mentally sick and should have been put ina hospital for treatment.
Emperor Norton said John Brown never should have been executed.Many people in San Francisco agreed with Emperor Norton. Theexecution of John Brown was one of the many issues that led to theAmerican Civil War.
VOICE TWO:
Another Emperor Norton decree had to do with the name of thecity. Some people often use a short name for city of San Francisco.They call it “Frisco.” Emperor Norton did not like this short name.He decreed that anyone found guilty of using the word “Frisco” mustpay a penalty of twenty-five dollars. Even today many citizens ofSan Francisco warn visitors never to call the great city “Frisco. “
Perhaps Emperor Norton’s most famous decree ordered the citygovernment to build a bridge from the city of Oakland to a smallisland in San Francisco Bay. It said the bridge should extend fromthe little island to San Francisco.
City leaders did nothing about building the bridge. So EmperorNorton ordered them removed from office. Nothing happened, ofcourse, to the city leaders or about the bridge.
Many years later, after Emperor Norton’s death, a bridge wasbuilt extending from San Francisco to the city of Oakland. It wasplaced almost in the exact spot that Emperor Norton had decreed. Itis called the Bay Bridge. Thousands of cars pass over it every day.
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VOICE ONE:
San Francisco has always been home to many Chinese people. Itstill is today. One story about Emperor Norton involves the Chinese.In his time many people did not like Chinese people. One group ofpeople organized an anti-Chinese committee. They believed too manyChinese lived in San Francisco. They decided to cause violence inthe Chinese area of the city.
Many people knew about the committee’s plans, but no one didanything to stop the planned violence. One night, members of thecommittee left a meeting and walked toward the area of the citywhere most of the Chinese lived. As they got close to the area, oneman stood in the street blocking their way.
He said nothing. He did not move. His head was low on his chestand he seemed to be praying. The mob of troublemakers stopped. Theylooked at the old blue uniform with its gold colored buttons. Theysaid nothing. They did nothing. Slowly, the mob turned and walkedaway. Emperor Norton had prevented the planned violence.
VOICE TWO:
Emperor Norton had two dogs. They were named Bummer and Lazarus.They were with him all the time. If a San Francisco theater waspresenting a new play or musical, Emperor Norton, Bummer and Lazarushad three seats at it. If the San Francisco Science Academy wasmeeting, the three might attend to listen to a discussion of thelatest developments in science.
One night, a new member of the San Francisco police departmentarrested Emperor Norton. The young policeman thought anyone whoclaimed to be the Emperor of the United State might be a danger tothe public. Very soon a judge and the chief of police arrived at thepolice station. The judge said, “The Emperor has hurt no one that Iknow of.” He quickly ordered the Emperor freed and apologized forthe mistake. From that time on, the San Francisco policemen showedrespect to Joshua Norton by giving a military salute.
VOICE ONE:
On January Eighth, Eighteen-Eighty, Emperor Norton was walkingalong California Street inspecting his city as usual. People in thearea saw him fall down. Several rushed to his aid. Moments later itwas clear that Joshua Norton was dead.
The next day, the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper printed fourwords in French across the front of the paper. They were “LE ROI ESTMORT.” They mean, “The King is dead.”
The newspaper reported the death of the city’s most famouscitizen. The report said that Joshua Norton had no real money…noteven enough to pay for his burial. Almost immediately, wealthymembers of a San Francisco business group collected enough to payfor the funeral.
Businesses closed in San Francisco the day of the funeral.Newspapers reported that more ten thousand people attended theburial ceremony for Emperor Norton. One newspaper said that theworld would be a much better place if all kings and emperors were askind and as honest as Joshua Norton.
VOICE TWO:
Today, some stores and eating places in San Francisco still havesigns which say, “By Appointment to His Majesty, Emperor Norton theFirst.” And each year a group of citizens meets at Joshua Norton’sburial place to honor the first and only Emperor of the UnitedStates.
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VOICE ONE:
This Special English program was written and produced by PaulThompson. Our audio engineer was Wagner Roberts. I’m Steve Ember.
VOICE TWO:
And I’m Robert Cohen. Join us again next week for another PEOPLEIN AMERICA program on the Voice of America.