Emperor Norton

I have said the West coast is no land for rebellion. The citizens come from a long line of compliance. From gold mines to the rail roads, every skin shade has suffered atrocities by their fellow man in the last frontier.

On the shores of the East Coast, a monarch is hard pressed to find the foot holds of power. But the same can not be said for the West coast, where Joshua Abraham Norton was able to proclaim himself…

“Emperor of the United States, and Protector of Mexico.”

In a letter to the people, published in a local San Francisco newspaper, Emperor Norton gave himself a royal title and began his illustrious reign. Throughout his life, he used the media as a mouth piece for his kingdom.

In the bay area, he became a legend, but beyond the city’s limits his words fell upon def ears. Yet, the lack of attention did little to denture the vigor of his public Decrees.

Among his more notable dictations were instructions to build a suspension bridge where the Golden Gate Bridge now resided, he called for congress to be dissolved, and ordered troops to storm the capital.

A Royal History

From the Cape of Good Hope, Norton traveled to San Francisco with a bank full of money. He gained his money the old fashioned way, by inheritance, and had notable success in real estate.

But the trappings of wealth can vanish in an instant and, after three major financial setbacks, Norton filed for bankruptcy and left San Francisco on a self imposed exile.

Norton’s Return Electric Bugaloo

Norton returned to San Francisco with a new, enraged outlook. He was fed up with the political system of the United States, enraged by the greed ridden government who preyed upon the citizens. He sought to fight back against their whole system.

He proclaimed his title and became the piped piper of vocal rebellion in the West.

The Fool is no bodies Fool

America is fundamentally anti-monarch, but San Franciscans let Norton believe royal blood flowed through his veins. The cities attitude was, if the mad drunk wants to call himself Emperor then we will call him Emperor.

In a town, where unsuspecting rubes were shanghaied into slavery, the ramblings of one town drunk was the least of everyone’s worry. Pity endeared Norton into their hearts and they embraced the mad vocal vagrant.

The Discodians, a religion biased on chaos and insanity, hold Emperor Norton up as a saint. He gained his royal power through craze induced deception. A wizard of social magic, he printed his own money with no financial foundation. And the currency was locally accepted as legal tender.

He used the cloak of his insanity to live as he preached, the Emperor of the United States, the protector of Mexico, and an FOB American you should know.

Americans You Should Know Post Map

Join us next time in “War Inc.”
Or go back to last time in “The Ramones”
Or check out “ Americans You Should Know” Tag.