The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-03-20


obscurity aspire TO the high honor OF being
recognized as members of the royal family. In
endeavOring to accomplish their end II will be
necessary Tor them to inquire somewhat closely
into the history OF King George Ill and
many curious incidents may OF necessity be
brought out by the evidence and documents
exhibited in reference TO this part of the case;
for Mrs. Ryves, the petitioner, asserts that
she has descended from the issue Of pri
vate marriage contracted by the fourth
brother OF George III, VINO was known as Prince
Henry Frederick, Duke OF Cumberland. The
lsdy 10 whom the Prince Is said to have been
married was Olive Wilmot, the daughter of DR..
James Wilmot, rector OF Barton-entheHeath,
in Warwickshire. His wife the mother OF this
Olive Wilmot, was Polish prince. How much
interesting matter it will be necessary to disclose
for the purposes OF this suit, respecting the pr
vate relations existing between the Prince and
Olive Wilmot prior to the alleged marriage 1t is
impossible to say at present; but as the whole
uithirges upon this point, everything incidental
to the intimacy OF Prince Frederick and DR.. Will
mot and his family will no doubt be thoroughly
canvassed.
But whether this marriage can be proved or
not, it is quite certain that it was acknowledged
at the time Tor the gossiDs of the period seem
10 have made it one Of their stock subjects, and
the daughter born of the marriage was also
publloly recognized. 1t seems, however, that in
the course OF time the Prince got into a scrape
with Mrs. Horton, sister to the Colonel Lut-
trell who was afterwards returned member of
Parliament by Court influence in place Of
"Demagogue Wilkes.n The Prince eventually
married Mrs. Horton, and, as the bgamy was
committed in the face OF the acknowledgment of
the issue of the former marriage, it became ne
cessary that something should be done to hush
up the scandal. The histories referring to the
period show that the King about this time would
not receive his brother at court and it is con-
| iectured, with some show OF reason, that the
| prohibition arose cut of the disagreement be-
| tween them consequent upon this blgamous
| marriage. The Prince, accordingly, unwilling
| or unable to deny himself the pleasure of Mrs.
| Hortons society, and equally 10th TO be denied
| the court, neglected his first wife, who after
| wards died in France.
He also consented to a proposal that his
| daughter should be brought up in ignorance of
| her parentage until the scandal had died q
natural DEATH and certain distinguished person
| ages had died too. When this had been settled
| to the satisfaction Of all concerned, save those
| who, if the story be true, had been most
| greyousy wronged, the marriage of the Prince
| with Mrs. Horton was allowed TO pass without
| interference, and it is this Mrs. Horton who has
| continued to be acknowledged as the only and
| Childess wife Of Prince Frederick, Duke OF Cum
| berand. 1t is easily conceived that an arrange
| ment such as that which, it is said, was come to
| between the Prince and the King was not con-
| cluded without some writing, and it is asserted
| that several documents were signed touching
| the legitimacy of the daughter OF the Prince and
| his wife, nee Olive Wilmot. These documents,
| 1t is further asserted were witnessed by more
| than one Minister of State of the period and
| carefully preserved al the Kings request. They
| were ultimately committed to the care of certain
eminent persons, upon whom solemn obliga
| ton OF secrecy was laid until the happening OF
| certain events which have long since occurred
The names of all these persons will, we have nc
| doubt, be made known in the course OF the pro
| ceedings before Sir ]. p Wilde.
The case has already been before the public
| not only IN courts of Justice, but also in Parlia
ment and by petition to the royal family. The frs
petition to the crown was made in 1919, and the
last in 1858. In 1861 Mrs. kyves then sixty-foul
years of age, obtained q decree against the
Acknowledgement establishing the marriage 0
her father to tho lady to whom we have already
referred as the daughter OF the Duke's first mar
riage, and the chief object OF the present peti
ton is, as we have already stated, to establish
Mrs. Ryves' descent through this lady from
Prince Henry Frederick, Duke of Cumberland
with the ultimate object OF proving her som
title to the honor and dignity of the Dukedon
Of Cum berland, and her own right to the It'll
OF Princess Of Cumberland
The case was introduced to the notice of Par
lament by Sir Gerard Noel nearly half cen
tury ago. He moved tor a Select Committee tt
inquire into the truth OF statements made in he
petition, which he had presented three month
before. 1t seems he was very earnest in he
cause, thoroughly believed in the genuinehes
OF her case, and persisted in announcing tina
he had 1t in command from this royal pei
sonage" to do so and so-"for royal personag
he would continue to believe her" until she wa
proved and declared to be an impostor by
Select Committee of the House of Commons
The petition of that day seemed to aim not onl
at the declaration OF Mrs. Ryves' legitimacy an
grant from the Civil List. Sir Gerard Noel d.
clares that he ''had always believed that ever
member of the royal family was upon the Civ
List, but here was member OF the royal famil
} quite unprovided for"
The present petition was filed in the Court {
: Divorce, under the Legitimacy Declaration ac
in August last, and the case has been set dow
for hearing by a special jury; but series
delays have caused it to be put off for anothe
three months. An application for an adjourn
/ ment was made on Tuesday, the 27th of Fel
/, ruary, by Mr.. Bourke, on behalf of the Attorne
| General and opposed by DIR. j. W. Smith an
Mr.. d. NJ. Thomas on the part OF the petitione
) The Attorney &c enSral desired delay because
had just come into possession of o number
: documents which could not be arranged in tin
> for the trial. These papers, the petition'
D asserts, are simply copies of certificates fu
, nished by her or her mother to the sovereign,
5 company with petitions concerning the CLAIM
, we have referred to. A significant Observable
I was made by Sir J. P. Wilde, ON Tuesday, whG
l he granted the application for postponemen
3 He remarked that II was an important ease-s
r important public case and all informatiC
. bearing upon IL that could reasonably be o
, tanned should be produced in court, and Wht
. tried, il should be Tried once for all.