Emperor Norton, Political Independent, Gives a Speech in 1875
Public “No Party” Forum at the Mercantile Library
Given that Norton I was “on the scene” for more than 20 years as Emperor, there are relatively few contemporaneously documented episodes that place him in a specific location at a specific time doing a specific thing. This is something that has made it a real challenge for any historically minded screenwriter to script a biopic of the Emp. There are many blanks to fill in.
So, it’s always gratifying to be able to present what appears to be an unreported episode.
What follows was new to us…
One the better-known newspaper Proclamations attributed to Emperor Norton has him writing, in August 1869, to abolish the Democratic and Republican parties. We’ve not seen any image of such a Proclamation in the original. But, the sentiment is “of a piece” with many documented Proclamations of the Emperor that have him weighing against the actions of specific party organizations and, indeed, casting a wary eye at political parties in general.
By the mid 1870s, this attitude was becoming more widespread. On 17 May 1875, the San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin newspaper ran a brief editorial under the heading, “The Tendency to Independence in Politics.” The editorial began:
Opening paragraph of editorial, “The Tendency to Independence in Politics,” San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin, 17 May 1875, p. 2. For image of full page, with complete editorial, click here. Source: San Francisco Public Library.
The Tendency to Independence in Politics.
The times on which we are entering are essentially no-party times. There is nothing in the series of anniversaries through which we are now passing which makes for any political organization. There is no inspiration in the Minute-man for either the Republicanism or Democracy of to-day. Washington, the central figure of all, was essentially a no-party man. The tendency of the reminiscences which are beginning so much to tinge the public mind, and which will go on increasing until the near approach of the Centennial, will be to exalt country above party. Indeed, nothing could be more out of place in these days than hot partizan [sic] strife upon the lines indicated by the late civil war.
A couple of months later, on 13 July 1875, a “no party” public forum was held at Mercantile Library Hall.
The Mercantile Library had been founded in 1852. The “new” Library building, with its Hall, opened in 1868 at 216 Bush Street — on the north side of Bush between Montgomery and Sansome.
Mercantile Library, San Francisco (center), 1870s. Detail from stereoview card here. Photograph by Carleton Watkins (1829–1916). Source: California State Library.
The Mechanics’ Institute, founded two years later in 1854, opened its own new building in 1866. Although the Institute had the library building most closely associated with Emperor Norton, the Mercantile Library also was on the Emperor’s rounds.
An historical sidebar: In a January 1906 merger, the Mechanics’ Institute absorbed the collections of the Mercantile Library. Both buildings were destroyed in the earthquake and fires that struck San Francisco three months later. When the Mechanics’ Institute opened its new — and present — building in 1910, it was known as the Mechanics’-Mercantile Library.
Back to 1875. When the doors of Mercantile Library Hall opened the evening of July 13th for the “no party” meeting, Emperor Norton was there. And he was ready to speak.
Here’s how the Bulletin covered it the next day, on page 2 [emphases added in transcribed excerpt below]:
News article, “Politico-Heterogeneity,” San Francisco Daily Evening Bulletin, 14 July 1875, p. 2. For image of full page, click here. Source: San Francisco Pubic Library.
Politico-Heterogeneity.
An interesting and exceedingly promiscuous assemblage, composed of persons of divers views, and others without any views, gathered in Mercantile Library Hall, last evening, in response to an anonymous call proposing a “no party” people’s meeting. The ostensible purpose was to nominate an independent municipal ticket, but the covert design of some of the movers was probably to aid in promoting as much confusion as possible, and dispersing the independent vote, to the ultimate end of defeating each and all candidates nominated in the interests of good and honest government. J.W. Cherry called the meeting to order, disclaiming any knowledge of its objects; and F.P. Dann was chosen chairman. Mr. Dann had a long list of Vice Presidents prepared, and the meeting kindly acquiesced to their appointment. Speeches were made by Mr. Cherry, Mr. Dann, General Winn, Emperor Norton and Major Jack Stratman, all of which bespoke motives of the purest philanthropy and disinterested patriotism. The Emperor was particularly impressive in his declaration and demonstrative argument that the Americans are in rank disrepute. He was called to order on the proposition, however, as his sentiments seemed to encourage a discrimination in the selection of “no party” candidates unfavorable to a number present who were Americans….
The Daily Alta newspaper put its own next-day coverage of the event on the front page — and gave it much more ink. *
As was its habit, the Alta treated Emperor Norton’s speech as a sideshow.
Truth be told, it’s possible — likely — that even the Bulletin was damning the Emperor with faint praise.
But, there’s no doubt that his intentions were good.
* Emperor Norton’s role in the Mercantile Library meeting also is included in a San Francisco dispatch that appeared the next day in the Los Angeles Evening Express (image here).
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