Joshua A. Norton (1819 - 1880) was a famous, impoverished and highly eccentric citizen of San Francisco, California in the mid-to-late [[19th century]. Among his many celebrated and curious activities, he most famously anointed himself as "Emperor of the United States" in 1859. Other notable activities include his dissolution of the United States Congress, and his numerous (and prophetic) decrees that a bridge be built across the
Although born in London, England (on February 14, 1819), Norton's parents emigrated to South Africa in 1820 and apparently established a successful business. After receiving a gift of $40,000 from his father, Norton emigrated from South Africa to San Francisco in 1849. After some initial success in the local real estate market, he lost his entire fortune attempting to corner the rice market in the mid-1850's.
Sadly there are no known documents describing the personality or behaviour of Norton prior to the 1860's, so it is not known whether his pronounced eccentricity was a permanent aspect of his psychology, or arose as a result of the stressful financial events of the 1850's. Nonetheless, after his sudden loss of financial stability, Norton turned his attention to politics of the day, and became increasingly discontent with the local, state and federal governments of the day.
Having become fully disgruntled with the inadequacies of the political structure of the United States, Norton took matters into his own hands on September 17, 1859, when, in letters to the various newspapers of the area, he summarily proclaimed himself "Emperor of These United States". (He would, on occasion, add "Protector of Mexico" to this title). Thus commenced his "unchallenged" 21 year reign over America.
As is the role of any emperor, Norton issued numerous decrees on matters of state. Obviously now that a monarch had assumed power, there was no further need for a legislature, and in October 1859, the emperor formally dissolved the United States Congress. He also observed that "...fraud and corruption prevent a fair and proper expression of the public voice; that open violation of the laws are constantly occurring, caused by mobs, parties, factions and undue influence of political sects; that the citizen has not that protection of person and property which he is entitled". Stemming from this, the Emperor also decreed that "all interested parties" gather at Platt's Music Hall in San Francisco in February 1860 so as to "remedy the evil complained of."
Sadly, his decree was not properly observed by the rebellious politicians in Washington. Serious measures were obviously called for, and in an imperial decree of January 1860 Emperor Norton I summoned the army.
Sadly the army failed in its appointed task, and the former Congress persisted in their disobedience to his decrees. This necessitated further decrees in 1860 that dissolved the republic and forbade the assembly of any members of the former Congress. This battle against the former leaders of his empire was to persist throughout his reign.
Despite his challenges with the recalcitrant Congress, Emperor Norton I, as a benevolent leader, took it upon himself to issue decrees that pertained to the betterment of his subjects. The failure to refer to his adopted home city with appropriate respect was the subject of a particular stern edict in 1872:
For all of his quirks, it cannot be denied that Emperor Norton I was, on some occasions, a visionary, and a number of his edicts exhibited profound wisdom. Among his many edicts were instructions to form a League of Nations, and he explicitly forbade any form of discord between religions or sects. The Emperor also saw fit on a number of occasions to decree the construction of a suspension bridge connecting Oakland and San Francisco, his later decrees becoming increasingly irritated at the lack of obedience being exhibited by the authorities;
The reign of Emperor Norton had a fairly well documented routine. His days consisted of him surveying his dominion (the streets of San Francisco) in an elaborate blue uniform with tarnished gold-plated epaulets (given him by officers of the Presidio United States Army post), and a beaver hat decorated with a peacock feather and a rosette. Frequently he enhanced this regal posture with a cane or umbrella. During his ministrations, Emperor Norton I would examine the condition of the sidewalks and cable cars, the appearance of police officers, and attend to the needs of his subjects as they arose.
It was during one of these Imperial inspections that Norton performed one of his most famous acts, the quelling of a riot. During the 1860's and 1870's there was much anger in the poorer quarters of San Francisco against the Chinese, and a number of ugly and fatal conflicts broke out. During one such incident, Norton is alleged to have positioned himself between the rioters and their Chinese targets, and with a bowed head began to recite the Lord's Prayer repeatedly. Shamed, the rioters dispersed without incident.
An scandal occurred in 1867 when a police officer named Armand Barbier arrested his Imperial Majesty for the purpose of committing him to involuntary treatment for a mental disorder. This caused monumental outrage amongst the citizens of San Francisco and sparked a number of scathing editorials in the newspapers. Police Chief Patrick Crowley speedily rectified matters by ordering the emperor released and issuing a formal apology on behalf of the Police Force. Emperor Norton I was magnanimous enough to grant an Imperial Pardon to the errant young police officer. Either directly or indirectly as a result of this scandal, all police officers of San Francisco began to salute the emperor as he passed in the street.
Norton was clearly much loved and revered by his subjects. Although penniless, he regularly frequented the finest restaurants in San Francisco, and the proprietors of these establishments took it upon themselves to add plaques in their entrances declaring "By Appointment to his Majesty, Emperor Norton I of the United States", a vanity tolerated by his Majesty. By all accounts, such Imperial "seals of approval" were much sought after and a substantial boost to trade for such businesses. No play or musical performance in San Francisco would dare to open without reserving balcony seats for the Emperor and his two mongrel dogs, Lazarus and Bummer. The death of Bummer, in 1865, led to a period of public mourning, and Mark Twain was suffiently moved to write an epitaph for the Imperial Canine.
The Emperor did receive some degree of formal recognition for his station, the census of 1870 records a "Joshua Norton of 624 Commercial St", and lists him with the occupation of "Emperor". The Emperor would also issue his own money on occasion in order to pay for certain debts, and this was accepted as legal tender by local businesses. (Typically in denominations of 50 cents to five dollars, the few notes stil existent have fetched thousands of dollars at recent auctions). Certainly the city of San Francisco honoured its sovereign; when the uniform of the Emperor began to look shabby, the Board of Supervisors of San Francisco, with a great deal of ceremony, appropriated enough money to buy him another. In return, the Emperor sent them a gracious note of thanks and a patent of nobility in perpetuity for each Supervisor.
Some of the decrees attributed to him may be fakes. [1]
He also had his own currency [2] published which was accepted at face value by many local merchants - in fact today it is extremely valuable (if you can find it) with $10 notes fetching up to $2000 US.
He is said to have stopped an anti-Chinese riot simply by standing in the street in front of the rioters and reciting the Lord's Prayer.
On January 8, 1880 he dropped dead on California St. at Grant Ave. On January 10, he was buried in the Masonic Cemetery. The funeral cortege was two miles long - Between 10,000 and 30,000 people were reported to have attended.
He never imprisoned anyone, executed anyone or declared war on any other country. In this, he did a better job than most kings and emperors (to paraphrase the remarks of a judge who refused to jail him as a vagrant or have him committed as insane).
The King in Mark Twain's Huckleberry Finn is reportedly modeled after him.
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