The Daily empire. (Dayton, Ohio) 1865-1867, 1866-07-19
THE DAILY EMPIRE.
Il. II. ROBINSON,
PUBLISHER AND PROPRIETOR.
A Royal Bigamist-some Sketches
Of George EV.'U Ii OI

George, Prince Of Wales, afterward King
George w In 1886, at twenty three. saw,
aud seeing loved, Mrs. Maria Fitzherbert, n
eharming widow, six years his senior. In
December Of the same year he secretly mar
ried her. The union was invalid, In conse-
quenee Of the marriage act Of 1772 which
prohibited the formation Of any matrimo-
MAI alliance by member OF the royal
family without the reigning monarch's
consent: Yet no human statute could NOR
ally nuliify marriage TO which there were
no other obstacles. Mrs. Fitzherbert was n
lady Of excellent family, high moral prin-
ciple and great refinement She repelled
the Princes attentions until the proposed
sentiments of his heart were accompanied
by an Offer Of his hand. In entering upon
this connection George ran a risk far great
Ter than the danger OF angering his father.
He had-as all the elder sons OF the House
OF brunswick had done before him--quar-
relied with the Sovereign, and was keeping
up separate establishment. He could
hardly do anything to widen the breach la
this quarter. But there was an ugly stat
ute, which declared that the marriage of
the heir 70 the throne with Roman CATH
olic would operate as forfeiture of his
fright to the succession. Mrs. Fitzherbert
was Catholic; hence the necessity of
keeping the real condition of affairs from
the public. II Is true that the lawyers
might declare that the wedding knot was
'n.P,VP1iy hcu, pub popular OplnlOn
might differ from that of the gentlemen of
the long robe, on this as on many other
matters.
Time passed on; the Prince of Wales was
Ipursuing career of boundless extraya-
lgance and debts began to rise mountain
high around him. There is limit even to
princely credit, and bills were pouring In
with far more rapldity than was agreeable.
The King was appealed to for relief. This
he could afford only by asking Parliament
for an appropriation, and he refused to do
SO unless the prince would promise to mar
ry and lead reputable domestic life. The
alternative was hard one, but selfishness
conquered principle, and the condition was
complied with.
Parliament had something to say ON the
subject of the princes relations, as well as
his father. His debts were enormous and
prudent Legislators grumbled. 1t was
good thing for the heir apparent to marry
II he had not already one wife, and there
were ugly rumors that such was his situa-
ton. 1t was not wholly certain, however,
that that was the case, and some bold rem
resentative of the people raised the direct
question in the House of Commons The
scene was an exciting one, and all awaited
its answer with intense interest. We have
said that the truth was not entirely certain,
but IL was pretty generally suspected. The
Honorable Charles James Fox, the princes
the emergency. He rose in his seat and
tlatly contradieted the rumor thathis Royal
| Highness had wife. This was sufficient
for the loyal Commons; the appropriation
was made and the debts paid.
The prince was again solvent. but his
troubles were just beginning. The bride
selected for him was his cousin Caroline of
Brunswick, giddy awkward and indis-
erect though hwell-intentioned German girl.
Her carelessneSs In dress, free and bolster
GUS manners, and in short her whole char
acter totally unified her for harmonizing
with the jadcd and fastidious libertine who
was TO become her husband. -
| Baron, aflerward Earl Malmesbury, a
paragon of stiffness and etiquette was sent
over TO Brunswick TO escort the betrothed
Princess TO England, the marriage cere-
mony not taking place until after her arri-
val. The envoy, judging from the accounts
In his Journals, appears to have done his
best to give Caroline good counsel, but his
advice was as primly offered as IL could have
been by any maiden lady OF fifty. He even
suggested to her that she should wear clean
or skirts His lectures were of very little
benefit to their mercural subject. On
reaching Windsor the "happy bridegroom
was found laboring under the effects of too
ooplous libatiOns, and, after kissing his in
tended, according to court fashion, with an
expression of disgust, at once called for a
glass Of brandy. There are not wanting
stories that later in the evening, when the
nuptial ceremonies had taken place he was
brutally intoxicated However this may
have been, the i'll omen that accompanied
the first meeting Of the parties speedily de-
| veloped into misery. It is said that one of
the titled demircps by whom the Prince
was surrounded, successfully plotted To in
crease his dislike for his wife. It a certain
that the birth of the Princess Charlotte.
their only child, in n little less than year
after the wedding, was soon followed by a
separation-, George now returned 10 Mrs.
lFitzherbert who was advised by the Pope
70 live with him again. This counsel was
just, IL we regard their union as Ieeiti-
mate, and there was nothing but n tyran-
nical edict ~ declare 1t otherwise. The in
creasing eXcesses of the Prince, however,
brought their intercourse to an end before
long. A number OF favorites divided the
attentionOf the royal yoluptuary. I|
OF his later years, we need not say much.
They were far from happy. plunRing
Into all kinds of Irregularities, his health
became impaired and his temper sonred.
On assuming the duties Of Regent which
fathers insanity, he deserted his Whig
friends and Joined the Tories, losing the
regard of the former and falling 10 gain
the respect of the latter, Qneen Caroline
Travelled on the continent and injured her
reputation by imprudence-we hope by
HonihiS WOfse. Ills dhnghUef, anu only
heir, married, hut in a few short months
was hurried 10 the tomb. His father at last
died, but ere the coronation robes were
ready for the new monarch the hated Caro-
line returned 10 England, and demanded a
share in the hOnors Of the thuone
In vain was she offered splendid annui-
.ty If she would Keep out OF the country.
The Indignant King, all leprous with in
lquity AS he was, procured her trial before
the House OF Lords as an adnlteress. What
ever her faults may have been. the yileness
Of her prosecutor was too notorious. In
dignant public sentiment brought about an
abandonment of the proceedings. shortly
after. the coronation of George took place
at Westminster Abbey. Caroline sought
almfttance, but was spnrned from the
doors. She returned home broken -hearted,
and soon amer died. Nine wears later. IN
1880, the canse OF her misery also breathsd
his last. Called by his aAttenors the "First
Gentleman Ia Europe" he probably died
without leaving a friend behind.
His true wife, Ms. FitzherbeFt, who had
spent her closing decade at her quiet resi-
|Hpnca In IiriphtOu SuryiVed FIN, eexnn