The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-13 00:00:00

The Marriage of the Prince of Wales.

Yesterday a meeting of the Common Council was
held at Guildhall, the Lord Mayor presiding. There
were no fewer than five distinct notices of motion
on the paper of business with reference to the
marriage of the Prince of Wales and the Princess
Alexandra, and there was in consequence an un-
usually large muster of members.

The LORD MAYOR, on taking the chair, adverted
to the marks of high consideration which had been
shown by th, Prince of Wales and the members of
the Court to the corporation, through its Ren.eption
Committee, on their attendance on Monday last,
the 9th inst., atWindsor Castle, to offer to the Prin-
cess Alexandra the jewels which the Common
Council had voted as a present to her Royal High-
ness at a previous meeting. He hoped the court
would be kind enough to accept from him a bust of
the Prince of Wales, which he had given a com-
mission to oae of the first artists of the day to
execute, and with which he intended to adorn their
Council Chamber. (Cheers.) It was with very
great satisfaction he had received a communication
from Sir George Grey, on behalf of the Queen, ex-
pressing the great gratification her Majesty and all
the Royal family had received from the loyal de-
monstration on the arrival of the Princess Alexandra,
and especially from the part which the city of Lon-
don took on that occasion. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. ANDERTON stated that it was his intention
to present to the court, as a companion to the gift
of the Lord Mayor, a marble bust of the Princess of
Wales. (Cheers.)
_ _ _

Mr. F. W. TRUSCOTT (chairman of the City Lands
Committee) then, pursuant to notice, submitted a
a resolution " That a dutiful and loyal address of
congratulation be presented by this court to her
most gracious Majesty the Queen, on the occasion
of the marriage of his Roy al Highness Albert Ed-
ward Prince of Wales with the Princess Alexandra
of Denmark." The marriage of their Royal High-
nesses afforded, he said, to the corporation of the
city of London, distinguished as it had ever been
for its patriotism and unswerving fidelity to the
principles of constitutional freedom, another oppor-
tunity of showing its devotion and loyalty to the
Crown, and its affectionate attachment to her Ma-
jesty's person. They lived happily in times when
their affection was not lessened by their judgment,
when the throne was ennobled by the highest attri-
butes of parental wisdom, while it was marked by
the greatest solicitude for the welfare and liberty of
the people. (Hear, hear.) The country had
mourned with a deep and sincere sympathy the loss
from which their beloved Queen still suffered, and
had respected the veil of privacy which had been
drawn over the poignancy of her grief; and now,
in approaching the steps of the throne, as they
hoped to do, with the congratulations of this court,
they as sincerely participated in the joy her Ma-
jesty must feel upon the present auspicious occasion.
(Hear.) The Prince gave the greatest promise of
fulfilling the fondest wishes of his parents and
the anticipations of the country. He was edu-
cated under the care of his all-wise father,
whose early death the nation still deplored----a
Prince whose highly cultivated mind was chas-
tened by a pure and refined taste, the impress of
which was even now apparent in the lives
of his children. His Royal Highness had been
foremost in promoting whatever works of utility
or benevolence had been brought under hit notice,
and no one could have failed to observe with great
satisfaction the interest he had taken in all objects
which had the sanction and patronage of his late
father. (Cheers.) The Princes of this country had
ever been in close relationship with the corporation
of London; most of them had been freemen, and
their names were enrolled in the City guilds.
Edward of England, John of France, and David of
Scotland had all been received into the corporation
of the city of London; but the most illustrious of
those whom in former times they had enrolled among
their freemen was the hero of Cressy and Poictiers,
Edward the Black Prince. The most important of
their civic institutions had regal connexion, and
when they administered their benevolence they could
not but revert with kindly thoughts to another Ed-
ward, the founder of Christ's Hospital, of Bethle-
hem, and St. Thomas's. (Hear, hear.) To the large
infusion of Danish blood might be traced much of
that fearlessness and contempt of danger which,
together with the patient endurance derived from
the Saxon element, formed the distinguishing cha-
racteristics of Englishmen, and made this country
the pioneers of civilisation. Though it had been
our misfortune at one time to be at strife with the
kingdom of Denmark, we could not fail to respect
And admire a country which produced some of the
best and bravest seamen in the world, and so far
was that feeling reciprocated that Denmark
itself was anxious to trace in the conqueror
of Copenhagen a Danish descent. (Hear, hear.)
Twice in the annals of our monarchy had the
sovereigns of this country formed matrimonial alli-
ances with Denmark. The consort of James I. and
the husband of Queen Anne were of that country,
and we confidently anticipated the best results from
the alliance just concluded. The citizens of London,
in their rejoicings upon the marriage of the Prince
of Wales, had derived additional satisfaction from
the knowledge that the alliance was not in the pre-
sent case one of political expediency as in some
reigns, but of earnest and sincere affection. That
the Princess of Wales possessed all those attributes
which were calculated to adorn the station to which
she had been called no one could deny. That she
was beautiful in person and affable in bearing they
had had ample evidence upon the oceation of her
reception, but they had the assurance from those
who had been honoured by her society that these
qualities were among the least of her endowments
—that her natural talent, her cultivated mind, her
kindness of heart and sweetness of disposition were
alike conspicuous. Let them pray, then, that the
Prince and Princess might long be preserved in all
happiness, and that Great Britain might have cause
long to rejoice in their union. (Cheers.)
The motion was seconded by Mr. JONES, and oar-

ried unanimously; and then at,
KEARNS it was resolved,—
" That compliments of con,
sented by this court to his R,
Prince of Walth. upon his marriage—wkt th
tees of Denmark.'t
Deputy CHARLES REED, in proposing a motion,
pursuant to notice, said the custom of that court
hid been from time immemorial, upon occasions
similar to this, to present separate addresses
to each of the high contracting parties upon
whose union in marriage they had desired to offer
their congratulations. On the present occasion, had
there been no precedent, he thought the Court would
have felt itself honoured in creating one, for the
event they now celebrated had no historical parallel.
We had recently welcomed to our shores an illus-
trious lady whose presence had evoked a spirit of
sympathy and loyalty which within our own ecol-
lection certainly had never been exceeded, if indeed
it had ever been equalled. (Hear, hear.) If he
were ached to what this greet triumph' was refer-
able he should say certainly not to the influence
of any-Government authority, for Government had
nothing whatever to do with it.; nor in obedience
to the na...ndate of any central power, for State pro-
gramme there was none; the people willed it, and
the ovation was complete. (Cheers.) But there
were two causes which could not be concealed. The
one was the innate spirit of chivalry which had re-
gard to a fair young girl quitting her far-distant
home and casting herself in confidence upon the
people of her adopted land, that she might link her
fortunes with him upon whom this nation looked
with pride and hope as the future monarch of these
realms ; and the next was the deep-seated loyalty
and sympathy which always marked the conduct of
the people towards their beloved Sovereign, but
never more than at this time when sorrow had
shaded the joy of her heart. (Hear, hear.)
These were the title causes of the triumphal
reception and the nation's enthusiasm, which
he might be allowed to say no machinery of
despotism could have secured, and which might
teach potentates and representatives of foreign
countries the lesson that the true way to govern a
people was to trust them. (Cheers.) With what
words, then, should he attempt to give utterance to
the real feeling of that Court in reference to the
illustrious lady whom they designed to honour ?
" What homage should they, pay
To her who ha! no peer P"'
From all they knew, her education and training had
given her a character and heart as good as her per-
son was lovely. Sprung from a race of Kings, they
trusted she might become the parent of a line of
Princes worthy of the ancestral stock. Coming
from a sweet domestic home, they thanked God
that it was to enter a pure Court, to which 'she
would lend a lustre and afford a bright example.
Thenceforth she stool next to our gracious Queen,
the second lady in the land. Might her life be as
serene and happy—might the domestic bliss and
stately lot of this illustrious pair be as peaceful and
renowned as had been those of our ewn Victoria,
and of him—
" The silent father of our Kings to ho,"
whose loss never more than in the midst of these
festivities the nation and that Court deeply deplored.

He moved—
" That compliments of congratulation be pre-
sented by this Court to her Royal Highness the
Princess Alexandra of Denmark on her marriage
with his Royal Highness Albert Edward Prince of
Wales.

The motion was seconded by Mr. H. L. TAYLOR,
and carried with acclamation.
Ou the motion of Mr. LAWLEY, seconded by Mr.
PARKER, it was unanimously resolved,—
"That his Royal Highness Albert Edward,
Prince of Wales, be very respectfully requested to
take upon himself the freedom of this city, to which
he is entitled by patrimony, and that upon his ac-
ceding to this request his Royal Highness be pre-
sented with a copy of the freedom enclosed in a
casket of the value of 1:250, in testimony of the
affection and profound respect entertained by this
Court for his person and character."
Mr. TRUSCOTT then moved—" That on the occa-
sion of the presentation of the compliments of con-
gratulation to their Royal Highnesses the Prince
and Princess of Wales, the Prince and Princess be
invited to an entertainment suitable to the dignity
of this city; and that the Right Hon. the Lord
Mayor and the Sheriffs, attended by the Remem-
brancer, do wait upon his Royal Highness the
Princ© of Wales, and request him, in the name of
this Court, that their Royal Highnesses will honour
the Corporation by accepting such invitation ; that
it be referred to a Ward Committee to take the pro-
per measures for conducting the entertainment and
for tatting up the Guildhall, and to report from time
to time if necessary."
The resolution was agreed to, and a committee
appointed to prepare draughts of the address to her
Majesty and the compliments of congratulation to
the Prince and Princess.
The Court then adjourned.