This thread exists to educate you about this badass motherfucker.
The first and only Emperor of America, Joshua Norton the first.
Joshua Norton was born in London, and emigrated to America shortly before 1850 to establish a business in San Francisco. After being an idiot and losing the 40,000 dollars his father gave him in an attempt to corner the rice market in San Fran (And not accounting for shipments from Asia), Norton leaves San Fran and vanishes for a few years. When he returns, he proclaims himself the first Emperor of the United States of America, later adding "Protector of Mexico" to his list of titles when Napolean III invades it.
Norton takes his new title to heart, and dresses to fit the part. Wearing a blue United States Army uniform with gold accents, a settler's beaver cap, an ostrich feather, and a cane (or sometimes saber), Norton the First started walking the streets of San Francisco, examining his subjects. He eats for free at restaurants, is given free lodging in some hotels, and can issue his own currency to pay for his debts.
Man becomes so well known and liked by the citizens of San Francisco, that when the police try to commit him to a mental institution, the citizens of San Francisco force his release. After this, the police start saluting him when he passes them in the street.
Some of the badass things this man did:
- Issued his own currency, which was accepted by every business in San Franciso as a valid way of paying debt
- Issued a series of Imperial decrees which were printed in newspapers around the city- and obeyed for the most part
- Formally dissolved the US Congress (Although they ignored him)
- Issued a decree that anyone who was to call San Francisco "Frisco"was subject to a 25 dollar fee, to be paid "To the Imperial Treasury"
- Order the construction of a bridge or tunnel between San Fran and Oakland (Which actually happens, several decades later)
- Issues an imperial decree to abolish the Democratic and Republican political parties
- Forbids
- Performed inspections of the public services of San Francisco, such as public transportation, police officers, sidewalks, and restaurants. Many people paid high attention to his judgements.
- Issued his own taxes-which were paid by San Francisco citizens
- When his uniform begins to appear patchy and old, the San Francisco legisators buy him a brand new one.
- Is recorded in the 1870 census as "Joshua Norton-Emperor-624 Commercial Street"
- Man single-handedly stops an anti-Chinese riot by stepping between rioters and the Chinese they were after and prays until the riot disperses. No one is hurt.
- Dies in 1880 of natural causes. Headlines in the paper the next day read: "Norton the First, by the grace of God Emperor of these United States and Protector of Mexico, departed this life". San Francisco Chronicle publishes his obituary on the front page. Papers as far away as Philidalphea report on his death. More than 15,000 people attend his funeral to pay respects- the funeral procession is more than two miles long.
Norton I. American Hero.
FurtherReading. Norton Notes. Imperial Decrees.More info.
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