The Sun.
London, England, 1861-11-26 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVE .N OV E MBE it 26, 1861.

about equally to slavery and to its abolition ;
the slavery they detested on political grounds—it
interfered with the rapid development of the States,
and caused the South to aim at universal domina-
tion. But abolition threatened Northern money-
dealers, and might bring into the Northern States
a host of free negroes, whom they viewed with
abhorrence. Soon, however, the question may lie
between abolition and hopeless defeat ; and very
obviously it will soon lie between using the negroes
to put an end to the war, and sustaining for an in-
definite time a heavy load of taxation. When this
becomes painfully clear, then at length the North
may feel that, if Abolition be distasteful, it is
sweet compared with heavy and protracted taxa-
tion, and the continued disgrace of its arms.
Looking at the struggle as a purely military one
along the whole line from East to West, it seems
more hopeless than ever. The qaestion of emanci-
pation by means of Northern arms seems, therefore,
to be that on which all hangs.

Indeed this is the case in a twofold point of view,
as Slave and Free States amalgamation again in
one Union will plainly be impossible. Slavery, the
cause of the whole quarrel, will be a more better
source of disagreement than ever—it is only by all
being Free States that re-union is possible. If the
South become free it will then not only be more
like the North, but will be glad of Northern
strength to guarantee the whites against the gradual
supremacy of the blacks in the districts where they
are most numerous. Looking to the future, there-
fore, as well as to present success, we in England
can easily see that all depends on the North hoisting
at once the Abolition flag.

THE WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, NOVEMBER 26, 186
THERMOMETER, IN THE SHADE.
51—kighest since noon yesterday.
43—lowest this morning and during the night.
53—this day at noon.

BAROMETER—`29.SB.
WlND—South-Westerly; fresh, with dirty weather and
occasional showers. It blew a gale last night.

We have on several former occasions expressed
our entire disapprobation of the Royal Marriage
Act, and the necessity of an unconditional repeal
of that iniquitous measure. We allude to it now,
more particularly, because it is well known that in
the course of a few short months another of our
Princesses is to be married to a Foreign Prince.
Now assuming that the aforesaid Prince is the young
lady's own choice, no one, whether an upholder of
the Royal Marriage Act, as some are, or strongly
'I he possession of Beaufort will produce consid- opposed to it like ourselves, has any right to object
erable effect on the South. Hitherto the slight to the intended marriage. But we are, and always
advances of the North have been into districts where have been, opposed to the principles of the aforesaid
slaves were comparatively few, and the great article Royal Marriage Act. In the first place it is an
of Southern produce was far away—Northern Vir- unjust interference with one of the choicest pri-
ginia, the disputed ground in Missouri, and the vileges of civilized humanity—that of choosing one's
immediate vicinity of Fort Monroe did not abound own partner for life. It may here not be amiss to
either in the " contraband of war," or in cotton, revert to the causes which led to the introduction
At Beaufort it is just the reverse. The whole of this tyrannical measure. It was passed in the
country is one of plantations. Rice and the famous reign of a virtuous and well meaning, but self-willed
Sea Island cotton are the growth of the district. and obstinate Monarch. Various reasons have been
Indeed, it is just these islands which fringe the assigned, but those which have always been popu-
coast exposed to marine air, and possessing a rich larly believed to have been the main cause of the
soil, that produce that peculiar staple which Man- measure were, that the Dukes of CUMBERLAND and
chester covets, and which, we are told, though we GLOUCESTER, King GEORGE the Third's brothers,
but half believe it, cannot be obtained from India. contracted marriages with people not of Blood
Here, therefore, the North will be able to try Royal. This was said to have so highly incensed the
what it can do with cotton, and what it can KING that he sent a message down to the two
do with slaves. We read, indeed, that the Houses of Parliament recommending the introduc•
planters have locked up their crops and re- tion of the Royal Marriage Act, having, as it was
fused to let a bale be shipped to Massa- well known, for its object the prevention of similar
chusetts, lest it should sustain the trade of its alliances in future, or, to speak more correctly, the
enemies, or even to France or England, lest prevention of members of the Royal Family marry-
necessity should not drive is to a breach of ing any one not of Blood Royal. As much popular
blockade. Yet facts are not quite consistent with ignorance prevails on the subject, the general im-
this abnegation of cotton selling. When the abject pression being that members of the Royal Family
is to show the inefficiency of the blockade, we are aro compelled by law to marry foreigners, we will
told of even cotton cargoes being carried out with just mention the exact state of the law'as fixed by the
impunity ; and the very last accounts mention said Royal Marriage Act.
the evasion of the blockading squadron by the The Act 12 George 111., cap. 11, prescribes
Bermuda, with 2,000 bales of cotton on board, for that, "No descendant of the body of King
Liverpool. Considering, therefore,the want of money GEORGE the Second (with the exception of
in the South—knowing that the whites there must be the issue of Princesses married or who may
taxed beyond all endurance to raise money for the hereafter marry into foreign families), is cap-
Government, as well as to supply their own wants, able of contracting matrimony without the
we much doubt whether anything can prevent the previous consent of the King or Queen for the
Northern agents, who will visit the point of which time being signified under the Great Seal, and any
they have taken possession, from obtaining supplies marriage contracted without such crescent L, sofa.
of the cotton which one side ie. co eager to sell, and Provided that each of the said descendants as are
the other so eager to buy. It has even been sug- above the age of twenty-five may, after a twelve-
gested, that as the North is master of the sea, it month's notice given to the King's Privy Council,
could take possession of these sea islands along the contract and solemnise without the consent of the
coast, and converting the slaves into freemen, could Crown, unless both Houses of Parliament shall,
grow there all the cotton needed for their Northern before the expiration of the said year, expressly
mills. declare their disapprobation of such intended mar-
But these slaves—what will the North do with riage. And all persons solemnising, assisting, or
them—that is we apprehend the greatest question being present at any such intended marriage, shall
of all ; not only in a philanthropic, but in a military incur the penalties of the Statute of Prsemunire,"
point of view. In no part, probably, of the Southern This is the law on the subject, whereby,"as will be
States aro the slaves more locally numerous in corn- seen, it is not absolutely compulsory upon any mem-
parison with the white population. It is a slave ber of the Royal Family to marry a German, or
population, in fact, with planters scattered thinly foreigner ; but it makes all their marriages illegal,
among them, es owners or managers of rice and unless contracted with the consent of the Sovereign
cotton plantations. No accounts represent the or two Houses-of Parliament for the time being.
slaves as fewer than 32,000 out of 40,000 inhabitants But is not this prohibition of matrimony, without
of Beaufort county. Here, therefore, if the North the consent of a third person, to any one who has ar-
were disposed, it could show its power. Nothing, rived at years of maturity, an unjust violation of the
one would think, could be easier than to send the rights of the subject, not to be tolerated by modern
first slaves who came to the Federal camp as corn- civilisation? It would indeed be an endless task were
missioners amongst the thousands of their fellows, we to go over the miseries and wretchedness occa-
to disabuse them of the stories which the planters sioned to the different members of the late Royal
have industriously circulated among them of the Family by this most unfortunate of all unfortunate
Northern cruelties to be perpetrated on them, and pieces of legislation. This was the cause, in a great
to invite them to come and work as freemen under measure at any rate, of preventing several of the
white protection. It would doubtless, at first, be six Princesses, daughters of GEORGE 111., from
difficult to find them all employment. Between the marrying at all, and those who did marry were in
camp works, however, and the confiscated rebel consequence compelled to wait until a very late
estates this difficulty, in the hands of an able ad- period in life, and were said, when they did enter
ministrator, would soon vanish, and the Slave into wedlock, to make unfortunate and by no means
States would receive their first lesson of the effects happy unions. It likewise caused no small misery
of war on the domestic institution. and unhappiness to the sons in the late Royal
As other expeditions of a similar kind are said to Family ; we might name many, but we will con-
be in contemplation, it eyelid seem to be of the tent ourselves with naming two, as most prominently
utmost importance to make them as efficient as pos- i brought before the public. We of course allude to the
Bible. Now, it hardly appears of what value they respective marriages of GEORGE IV., when Prince of
can be towards a successful termination of the war WALES, to his cousin the Princess CAROLINE of
if they ale not used to strike terror into the slave- BRUNSWICK, and of the late Duke of SUSSEX to
holders through their favourite institution. Nothing Lady AUGUSTA MURRAY, mother of the late Sir
will withdraw more troops from the North than the AUGUSTUS D'ESTE and the present Dowager Lady
fear of the slaves geuerally placing themselves under TRURO. The former marriage was very nearly the
the protection of the Federal camps. To this will cause of involving us in all the horrors of civil war,
be added the fear of insurrection; and hence, with and the latter marriage having been declared null
camps of from fifteen to twenty thousand men along and void by act of Parliament, in consequence of
the Southern coast, these small armies may have a the Royal Marriage Act, inflicted most cruel hard-
distracting and paralysing power out of all propor- ships and injustice upon the two above named chil-
tion to their numbers. Unless some such plan as dren of the late Duke of SussEx. and Lady AUGUSTA
this be resorted to, as military movements these MURRAY, to say nothing of the cruelty and injua-
expeditions will be of little value. Their efficiency tice of putting asunder those who had been, accord-
entirely depends on the disquietude they cause, and , ing to the moral law at any rate, joined together.
the necessity they create for dividing the Confedel And this last named marriage all but led to a dis-
rate force—and the disquietude created by them puted succession, and would most infallibly have
will be just in proportion to their effect on the done so had the late Duke of KENT and King of
slave population. The Potomac will be as formid- HANOYER died without Issue. And when the event
ably defended as ever on its Southern side, if it is happened, now more than forty years ago, which all
known that an expedition like that now success- England co deeply deplored, and threw a gloom over
fully encamped at Beaufort will create no disturb- the country which no one who was living at the time
anee amongst the negroes.
Whether the
duerazia)ybotlhite can ever forget, the evils of the Royal Marriage
people of the North will ever be Act became very apparent, from the difficulty there
iomniosstts obvious military necessities to was, or appeared to be at the time, in finding a sue-
we shall see before long. The cessor to the throne, owing to the fact that none of
reader will observe that, at least in one case, the the living Princes or Princesses, children of the then
people cheered the historian RANCROPT loudly' for reigning Monarch, had any issue living who could
the sentiment that slavery must be given up if in-
we have not
Mr. Royal
to the throne.
compatible with the Union. Now,
the
It is said by the upholders of the said
shadow of a doubt, that if that feeling
WARD,RoyaI Marriage Act that were this law repealed
LINCOLN, and Mr. SE and Mr. CAMERON, we should have no end of jealousies from the diffe-
and the whole batch of heartless politicians, will rent members of th© Royal family marrying and
become as stanch abolitionists
as
*thiNelrs.B sentimentsEECllEoßf intermarrying
with
with the families of the nobility, or
STOWE herself. They
people beneath themselves, and a
butreflect
the North. Hitherto the views of the people there return to a similar state of things which existed
have been hostile, paradoxical, as it may seem, during the wars of York 4114 Lancaster
that the

THE SUN.

LONDON, TUESDAY, NOV. 26, 1861.

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