EMPEROR NORTON I: AMERICA’S FORGOTTEN DICTATOR

He reigned for 21 years - a monarch withabsolute power over one of the most powerful countries on earth.

Norton: absolute monarch

Emperor Joshua Norton I declared himselfsupreme ruler of the United States in 1859: his avowed intention was to restorestability and integrity to a country he felt was falling into ruin.

Emperor Norton might easily have beendismissed as a harmless eccentric, were it not for the fact that he soon had alarge number of supporters.

Aided by the newspapers of San Francisco,his decrees soon became known to vast numbers of people.

His reign began on 17 September, 1859, whenhe issued a proclamation to the Californian papers which read: ‘I declare andproclaim myself emperor of these United States.’

Imperial transport

He called for a public meeting ofrepresentatives of all the different states in America, signing hisdeclaration: Norton I, Emperor of the United States. (He soon added Protectorof Mexico to his title.)

His proclamation was greeted with wildenthusiasm by the people of California, who loved his bluntly worded decrees.Norton conferred upon himself the autocratic powers of an absolute monarch and,in the second week of October, 1859, formally abolished the House of Congress.

King of America

‘Open violation of the laws are constantlyoccurring,’ he declared, ‘caused by mobs, parties, factions and undue influenceof political sects… the citizen has not that protection of person and property[to] which he is entitled.’

The following year, Emperor Norton calledupon the army to forcibly depose the elected members of Congress, in order thathe might consolidate his tenuous grip on power.

Both the army and congress ignored Norton,but the general public did not. They found him endearingly eccentric and lovedhis quirky and colourful decrees - all of which were widely published inAmerican newspapers.

In 1862, he ordered the Protestant andRoman Catholic churches to ordain his emperor. (They ignored him). In 1869, heabolished the Democratic and Republican parties, Shortly afterwards, he issueda decree forbidding religious warfare.

Norton issued his own currency

Emperor Norton soon became a familiarfigure to the citizens living in his imperial capital of San Francisco. He worea navy military uniform with golden epaulets and a spectacular beaver-skin hatbedecked with rosettes and peacock feathers. Cane in hand, he’d patrol thestreets of his capital, inspecting the state of public buildings.

Emperor Norton was, in reality, a pennilessbankrupt, but he nevertheless regularly dined in San Francisco’s finestrestaurants. In return for free food, he’d reward them with an imperial seal:‘By appointment to his Imperial Majesty, Emperor Norton I of the UnitedStates.’

An imperial decree

Restaurants were desperate to get suchseals, as they provided a significant boost to trade. The emperor also had thebest seat reserved for him at the opening night of every show in his capital.

He had his occasional brush with the law,but he always got the upper hand. When, in 1867, he was arrested by the policein order to be committed to a mental asylum, there was a public outcry. It ledto his immediate release and an apology from the police. Norton, evermagnanimous, granted an imperial pardon to the officers who arrested him.

By the 1870s, Norton was issuing his owncurrency: the banknotes became widely accepted in San Francisco. He was alsogranted recognition of sorts from the US government: the 1870 census lists hisoccupation as ‘emperor’.

His reign was to last another decade beforecoming to a dramatic end: in January 1880, he collapsed in the street and diedshortly afterwards.

The San Francisco Chronicle announced the tragic news to the world. Under a banner headline,‘Le Roi est Mort’, it said: ‘In the darkness of a moonless night under thedripping rain..., Norton I, by the grace of God, Emperor of the United Statesand Protector of Mexico, departed this life.’

His grave is these days inWoodlawn Cemetery in Colma, California, recognisable by its large inscribedstone bearing the words: ‘Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector.'


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