Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1861-04-19

NO. Is
The Late Duchess of Kent--Th,
Royal Family of England.
The death Of the Duchess of Kent, moth
er Of Queen Victoria, will place the court
of England, Belgium Prussia; Sax Cobourg
and numerous others in mourning Th
death of this lady recalls to memory som
Of the tleading facts in the history Of the roy
al family of England '''s -
Old King George the Third had 6ftee,
sons add daughters, and yet in 1918, afte
Che death of the Princess Charlotte, ther
were fears that there would be- no lineal de-
scendants Of his to wear the croru ONLY
three of his sons were then married. TIL,
Prince Regent had lost.his only child. ano
vas separated from his wife The Duke o.
York was separated from his Duchess, the
Duke of Cumberland was divorced and wild
owed, and the marriage Of the Duke of Sus.
sex, being without the royal assent. availed
haste to marry the other surviving royal
children, none of whom were young. II
was even thought desirable to bet husband
for the Princess Elizabeth, who was forty
eight years. old, and she was married to the
Prince of EessesHo,n burg. The Duke of
Clarence Qate' William Tvs married the
Princess Adelaide of SAKE Meningen, who
bore him no children The Duke Of Cam
bridge married the Princess Augusta of
Hesse, who. is still living, 'ssnd has three
children. The Duke of Kent, who was old
er than the Duke of Cambridge, married the
lacy whose death is just announced. u
None Of the royal marriages thus pleased
the English people, except that of the Duke
of Kent. The lady selected for him was
the daughter of the Duke of SAKE Cobourg,
widow of the Prince Of Leiningen, and sis
ter Of Prince Leopola.rth the husband of the
lamented Princess Charlotte, now King Of
the Belgians. But the married life of the
new Duchess was but short; for in less than
two years the Duke of Kent died, and she
was again widow with one child-the Prin-
cess (now Queen) Victoria. At that time
the accession of this little child to the Brit
ish throne seemed but remote contingent
cy.s4 George HI. outlived his son, the Prince
of Wales, while George ". and William
w., his other sons, who reighed after him,
both died without issue thus. the issue of
Che next brother, the deceased Duke of Kent,
became heir to the Brisish. TIL zone ), As
soon as this contingency gradually resolved
itself into probability and then certain
ty, the Duchess of Kent devoted her time
to fitting her daughter for the high station
she was called upon to ocsupy, Mentaland
personal accomplishments we're carefully at
tended to, rs we'll as physical requirements
The daughter throve under such judicious
treatment, and the mother had the satisfac-
nu st tending the coronation and the mar
riass other child, Of seeing'fr the mother
| Of large family. and Of knowing that haee4
throne was bailt upon the hearts Of her sub
Jectss u. D.. a-;s |, i
It nay be added that this is the hrst Sc
rious bereavement Queen Victoria has ever
experienced. Her father died before she
was old enough. to know. him, and she has
meyer lost a'chlld!' An only child herself
she had never brother or sister to lose OF
mourn for, and thus the present bereave
ment must be peculiarly afflicting to her.
OnstheI ACCESSION of Queen Victoria to ths
throne. The Duchess of Kent voluntarily as.
sumed the demeanor of subject of her OWL
daughter. She made it a rule never to en-
ter a royal presence without summons, &c
that, at every meal, it became necessary to
send special messenger to command Ter
attendance at table, and she never would
talk Oh affairs'of State. Some may think
this pretty stiff for another, and 50 it was,
yet there was ever the warmest attach .aent
between her and her child. When in Lon
don, the Queen scarcely passed, day with
out going to visit her, and he>Duchess was
as FREQUENTLY At the palacs. i. The latter was
great reader, aud averse to everything in
the shape of estentation. She was of a
charitable disposition, bat her theans were
limited, for she atroYe to pay of her has
bands debts. Her Majesty, however, soon
after her accession. discharged the, piousiof-
fee, and notified it to the Duchess (who had
been previously Ignorant, of her intention)
by placing q packet of recei pts on her plate
one morning at breakfast: These proved to
be receipts for all The debts of the Duke.
/ THE WHEAT CRoP IMILLINoIs. The far
mers of Illinois have every reason. to be sat-