The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1846-07-26


AT every arrival of packet or steamer to our
shores, bearing intelligence from our transatlan-
tic brethren, our attention is attracted by the
fully reported movements of royalty and aristo-
cracy the like of which movements with us,
would be deemed private or personals but
which, duly chroniced and expatiated upon in
the fashionable columns of the Morning Post, ct
huJus ge,eris, become topics Of public converse
ton and public criticism. The arrival and de-
parture of every sprig of nobility is duly noticed
but the trivial actions or words of those born
to wear the imperial purple, are bazon,d forth
through the trumpets Of the press to gaping con-
tinent. An airing of royal baby, or the bon-mot
of royal wit, is equally hailed with delight; but
the occurrence Of birth, death, or of a mar
riage, is not only a rich godssnd to continental
gossips, but become matters for the exercise of
state policy and diplomatic struggles, employing
the talents and strategy ofthe wisest statesmen.
This whole system, especially the betrothing
and marrying of royal couples, is one pregnant
with interest, even to a republican world To
the eye OF an American, who with his first inhala-
ton, breathed the air of freedom; who has been
brought up and nourished where uncontrolled
action of his own will, is only limited by the re-
sraints of the civil law, and his own natural con-
seriousness of morality the practice and policy of
binding parties in marriage for state purposes;
who are mutually unattached and unknown, may
seem an institution cruel and fraught with evil
but, though, thanks to the noble struggles of our
forefathers, such supervision and compulsion is
not, nor could not be, established among our
selves, yet for centuries, 1t has been the main
prop of the monarchical institutions of the East:
it is the vital principle securing them life and
istence, and averting war and humiliation of
their power. However repugnant It'll may seem to
the feelings of those who WOO and win regardless
of prejudices, or of those who, when once joined,
know that acts Of Congress render such
junction illegal, and the offspring illegitmate yet
to sustain the workings Of the sovereign principles
of Europe, is necessary that each and every mar
rage among royal families should not be contract
ed with any reference to age, fitness attach
nent, but only and mperatively to the interests of
the government, in the extension her power and
influence, or the confirmation of her strength. If
by chance the pill is gilded or sweetened to the
taste of either contracted party, it is made so not
by principle, but happens as an incident; and
yet, as has been proved by experience, these
forced marriages generally bring about as much
simple domestic concord and happiness as those
do which proceed from what is commonly called
love. ~
1t would be matter of interest to trace through
all its branches the relationships now existing
among the royal families of Europe. 1t would
be found that the link of union extends through
almost every kingdom and principally, and
stretches its hands across the waves of the Allan
tic. Among the twenty houses who now hold do
minion over Europe, the bonds of interma,riage
huv I'D NO rl fhro,, uhout tpa ho1o
causes and the effects of this result exist in and
arise from the very foundation of aristocratc
power. The spirit of aristocracy consists in the
purity of blood descent, and the total exclusive
ness of the order. Let the circle be free to the
advances of plebeian democracy, and the deity
which is now worshipped at distance would be
shorn of its splendors, and men of the people
would assume the importance by right which now
attaches itself to men of the few, by birth-much
more, then, is it necessary for the maintenance of
kingly grandeur and dignity, that
=" none should match with kings
But those who drank the milk Of queens"
1t seems to be the policy of the more powerful
of the houses of the East, such as the primary
branches Of the house of Hapsburg, of Holstein,
of Bourbon, Of Guelph and of Zollern, to attain
one of two objects in the marriage of their
u
power, thus adding to the domnal strength, or to
find some high parsonage for match, whose
blood has run pure for centuries but whose politi-
cal influence is of no material effect. BY this
method, either power is secured which may set
at naught the cavlings of the interested, or honor
is attained, subject to the animadversons of
none. Thus we find that the house of Within,
with its six branches, though Of no ovenuling in
fuence among the councils of emperors, yet, for
this very cause has provided consorts for the ru-
ling powers of England, Prussia, France, Aus
tria, Sweden, Hesse and Nuremberg; and in the
next generation will be on the thrones of England
and Portugal, and reign in eight branches. Be-
sides, Leopold, Of the branch ofCoburg, is an i'm
po-tant candidate for the hand of Queen Isabella,
of Spain. BY these connections, Louis Philippe,
of France, becomes the uncle of the king of Aus
tria, and brother-in-law to the Emperor of Brazil;
his daughter married the widower of the daughter
of king George 4th, and thus the windings of each
royal stream could be found ntermingling with
the currents Of another till each of the twenty is
tinctured with the blood OF the whole
To those who believe that marriage is but a lot
terry, that the tender feelings of our nature should
be entirely suspended in the formation of nuptial
ties, and that chance would effect what choice
will not, this royal plan of Europe would be sa-
tisfactory but to the moralist of the strong
est arguments in favor of republican govern
ment is found in the abuses proceeding from the
same course. Trace the whole proceeding from
the commencement, and it will be found fraught
with evil tendencies. Two minds that are to
guide, perhaps, the destinies of kingdoms. are,
through the fundamentally of a Metternich,
Rchelieu, or Talleyrand, led unwilling sacri-
flee to the altar OF State policy. Their vows of
trust, of fidelity, and of constancy, are cemented
in perjury. Each finds the free desires of human
affection forcibly turned to a channel which
henceforth runs urbulently till it enters the wide
waters of death Should expostulation be made,
the answer comes back I" LIE Roi t veut; should