The Express.
London, England, 1850-07-09 00:00:00

the country." From this period history records
little of the royal duke down to the year 1813, when
the electorate of Hanover, having obtained an seda-
tion of territory by the annexation of the principality
of Hildeshisim, it was thought desirable to appoint a
prince of the blood royal to reside as governor in the
electorate. The Duke of Cambridge was selected for
this office. He made his entrance into Knauer on
the 19th December, 1813, accompanied by Count
Munster, and was received with every demonstration
of the public joy. In the evening the city was
brilliantly illuminated, and the duke rods through it,
accompanied by a large train of followers, and at-
tended by the Burgher Guard. His appearance
was considered an auspicious event for Hanover, and
he confirmed the hope and expectation of the people
by a mild and gentle rule.
Daring the early period of the dukes residence in
Hanover, his royal highness is believed to have formed
an attachment to the widowed Princess of Salm.
Braunfels, who was a daughter of the reigning Duke
of Mecklenburg Strelitz. The projected union was,
however, broken off. The princess, in 1815, married
the Duke of Cumberland, now King of Hanover. It
is stated that Queen Charlotte strongly expressed her-
self on the impropriety of this noion,after the intended
marriage with another member of the same family
had been objected to.
In 1818 the Duke of Cambridge was married at
Cassel, on the 7th of May, to the Princess Augusta
Wilhelmina Louisa, youngest daughter of the Land-
grave Frederick. The Princess Augusta of Hesse
Cassel was born on the 25th June, 1797, and was
consequently twenty-three years younger than the
prince whom she survives. The marriage ceremony
was again performed in London in the month of
June. The marriage proved a happy one. Tte first
issue of it,his Royal Highness Prince George William
Frederick Charles, now Duke of Cambridge, was
born at Hanover on the 26th of March, 1819. This
was the only male issue. Two daughters were born
in 1822 and 1833. The elder, the Princess Augusta
of Cambridge, married, in 1843, Prince Frederick
William, Hereditary Grand Duke of Meclelenburgh
Strelitz. The younger, the Princess Mary Adelaide,
is unmarried.
The greater part of his Royal Highness's subse-
quent career wee passed at the Feat of government
in Hanover. The orderly and tranquil people
of that electorate gradually came to place more
and more confidence in the amiable prince who was
appointed to preside over them. The first and almost
the only occasion of excitement occurred in 1819,
when several important reforms were proposed by the
states, all of which:did not appear acceptable to the
imperial government The states desired a reduc-
tion of the Hanoverian army from 30,000 to 17,000
men. The English government expressed an un• qui-
vocal wish to the contrary, but ultimately the standing
force was fixed at 20,000. A decree had been jested
'forbidding actions to be instituted for the payment of
the arrears of interest of the royal chamber. The
states remonstrated against this decree, bat at the
same time proved their liberality by offering to pay
the arrears of interest. Another great question de-
bated was, whether the nobles should share in the
liability of the third estate to contribute to the
public burdens. The deputies of the nobility
apprehensive on thisl occasion of being outvoted,
euught to evade a decision by quitting the chamber;
the deputies of the third estate alone not cumbering
52, which number waslegally necessary for the trans-
action of business. The stratagem, however, which
was thus contemplated, was frustrated by a member
of the third estate, who placing his back against the
door, detained the fifty-second member until the pro-
position was carried in the affirmative. Among other
occurrences of tbis time the Luke of Carohriege ob-
tained the thanks of the chamber, by declaring that
the estates racier the administration of tie chamber
of convents should in future be separated from the
civil hat, and applied exclusively to the support of
schools and churches. This was an act of liberality
worthy of a British prince, and it will be recorded to
his honour in the pages of Hanoverian history that
he gave that country a fair, and, for the time, even a
liberal constitution.
The Duke of Cambridge took no active part in the me-
morable proceedings connected with the trial of Queen
Caroline, nor did he vote either upon Catholic Eman-
cipation or the Herm m Bill. Upon the death of
William IV. in 1637, his 'Majesty's next male heir
succeeded to the throne of Hanover, and the Duke of
Cambridge immediately returned to this country,
leaving the people among whom he had resided for so
many years amid lively tokens of their affection and

regret.
Since his return to England his royal highness has
cultivated the more intimate acquaintanceship of
English society. 11'ith the people at large it is imposible
to say that his royal highness has been a favourite,
because by them he has been insufficiently known.
But with the public of the metropolis the Duke has
always stood well. With the aristocracy, without
distinction of party, he has been on terms of very in-
timate and friendly intercourse. With the middle
class he has ever shown himself anxious to cultivate
kindly relations ; meeting and mingling with them on
all social and festive occasions ; joining in their amuse-
ments, and frequently throwing off the restraints of
rank, and visiting at their houses upon terms which
left no reason to suppose that he meditated e. conde-
scension.
The distinguishing feature of his royal highness's
social life has been the share he has taken in the
more scientific musical societies of the metropolis.
The Duke of Cambridge: inherited that lave of
music, and attained that proficiency ir. the rrt, for
which so many of his race have been remarkable.
In the Duke of Cambridge many of the more inte-
resting charities of London will lose a liberal patron
and promoter. His royal highness, as is well known,
has not enly been accustomed to give of his wealth
to objects deserving of benevolence, but he has
also given a large portion of his time whenever
his perscnel attendance appeared likely to pro-
mote the objects of the society he patronised. The
duke's bonhunirsie and freedom from restraint, his
urbane manner and companionably accomplishments,
endeared him to all who were accustomed to meet
him upon these occasions, and as his liberal example
and exhortation rarely failed to have its due impres-
sion upon others, he was constantly sought as the
president at anniversary dinners, and other occasions
where the charitable are congregated together
with a view to an appeal to their liberality. To
these societies his Royal Highness will ba a great
loss.
The country may frequently have lest greater men,
but it is rarely that a distinguished iudividual
descends to the tomb at the mature age this prince
has reached, leavirg a character so free (ruin blame,
and a name associated with so little of either public
or personal hostility.

His late Royal Highness was a Knight of the Order of the
Garter ; a Knight Grand Class of the Order of the Bath;
a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Hanoverian Guelphio
Order ; Grand Mister and Firs Principal Knight Grand
Cross of the Order of St. hlicht:tel and St. George ; and
Knight of the Prussian Orders cf the Rack and Red
Eagle; a Field Marshal in the army ( appointed 26 Nov.
1813) Colonel of the Coldstream Guards (*printed sth
Sep., 1801); Colonel in Chief of the tiOth lilies (appointed
22nd January, 1527); • Commissioner of the Royal Mili-
tary College at Sandhurst and Royal Military A.ylum.
His late Renal Highness was Ringer of Richmond Park;
and on the death of the Duke of Susie:, in 1843, was ap-
pointed Ranger of Hyde Park. On the death of the Right
Hon. W. Sturges Bourne, he was appointed Ranger of the
New Forest.
The late Duke was Chancellor of the University of St.
Andrew's for many years, and in 1842 had the degree of
D.C.D. c.,nferred on him by the University of Cambridge.
His Royal Highness was a member of the Privy Council,
and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries, and weal
other learned societies.

TIIE LATE SIR ROBERT PEEL.—The rotaries of
Sir Robert Peel will be interred in the family vault in
Drayton-13aisett Church this afternoon. Mr. (now Sir)
Robert Peel arrived in town on Sunday afternoon
tram De , where be was staying when the melancholy
news of his father's death reached him. Mr. Peel, his cou-
sin, left London on Tuesday at midnight, to communicate
the unwiloome intelligence. He reached Genera on Fri-
day morning, and returned with Sir Robert Peel immedi-
ately, the journey out and home having been accomplished
in little more than 100 hours. Sir Robert Peel, immediately
upon his arrival in Whitchall-gardens, left town for Marble
Liill, near Twickenham, to see his mother, Lady Peel, and
the other female branches of the family. Sir Robert has
glace visited Tamworth, but returned to town yesterday.
PROPOSED NATIONAL MONUMENT TO SIR R. PEEL.
—Our Briool eorrespondent states that the proposal to treet,
by penny subeetiptions, a national monument to the memory
of Sir Robert resi has been taken up in that city in more
than OCIV quarter, and wit a great number of pennies have
skied, been enbeeribed.