Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 34, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1887 — The Queen’s Necklace. [ARTICLE]

The Queen’s Necklace.

The disastrous episode in the career of Marie Antoinette, which, by associating the Queen’s name with the scandalous adventures of a diamond necklace, seems instinct with fiendish irony, has been so frequently and, in one or two instances, so graphically described, that only a few words of comment will be ventured upon here. If in this untoward incident it be possible to detect even a shadow of blame upon Marie Antoinette, it is referrable solely to her known infatuation for such costly trinkets. There existed ample proofs to establish the fact that the necklace had been stolen by a disreputable woman, who sought to implicate the Queen in the nefarious transaction in order to secure a very likely means of escape from the probable consequences of her crime. Her method of procedure was very ingenious. Being at the time on questionable terms of intimacy with the Cardinal de Bohan, whose position gave him access to the Queen, she cunningly contrived to convert him into a docile instrument for her purpose. Now, it is notorious that this man was ever conspiring’, either openly or secretly, against the Queen, and that he never enjoyed, nor was he ever worthy to enjoy, her confidence. By most of those who know him he was regarded as a mere scoundrel; and there is an opinion of him, expressed many years before the unfortunate event in question happened, the unfavorable character of which was surely not lessened as time advanced. It is thus that Maria-Theresa describes him when, in 1772, he represented France at the Austrian court: “The Prince de Bohan displeases me more and more. Without talents, without prudence, and openly depraved in manners, he sustains very badly the character of ambassador and ecclesiastic.” A man presenting such qualities would surely feel very congenially disposed to accept a part in the conspiracy suggested to him; not, it may be conceded, lending himself to the chief but concealed object contemplated by his temptress—the purloining of the necklace—but as a promising means of casting an ignominious stain upon Marie Antoinette. To this end he forged the Queen’s name to a document seemingly authorizing him to purchase the necklace, and thus succeeded in mystifying the jewelers to whom the diamonds belonged. When very conclusive evidence of guilt was brought home to the culprits the thief was, to a certain extent, punished, while the forger—the far greater criminal, the man who sought to befoul the fair ruputation of the Queen —was acquitted. This acquittal was brough about through the influence of a certain dominant court cabal and prolonged for some time because seeming to justify the triumph of malice.— Gentleman’s Magazine. It is shown by official returns that the production of anthracite coal in Pennsylvania the last fiscal year was nearly thirty-six millions of tons. Temperance is a tree which has contentment for its roots and peace for its fruit.