Being desirous of allaying the dissensions of party strife now existing within our realm, [I] do hereby dissolve and abolish the Democratic and Republican parties, and also do hereby decree the disfranchisement and imprisonment, for not more than ten, nor less than five years, to all persons leading to any violation of this our imperial decree.
-- Joshua A. Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico
San Francisco Herald, August 4, 1869
-- Joshua A. Norton I, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico
San Francisco Herald, August 4, 1869