Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1873-08-05
A ROYAL BETROTHAL.

burgh, and asked that suitable provisions
made for him in anticipation Of the event
So the long talked Of arrangement by whicl
the English government was to be connectet
with that of Russia has at last been definite
ly settled. Prince Alfred Ernest Albert
Duke of Edinburgh, Duke of Saxony, Coun
of Ulster and Kent, and Captain in tn,
Royal Marines, son of Queen Victoria, i
to be married to Marie Alexandrovitch, TIT
Grand Duchess and Chief of the Regimen
of Lancers, the fourth chilli AID only daugh
ter of the Car of Russia. Prince ALFRED
Ernest Albert was born on the 9th of Au
gust, 1874, and, therefore, is now in hi!
tweniy-ninth year. Marie Alexandroyitcl
was born On the 9th of October, 1853, anC
consequently is now about 20 years of age
There has been much talk in regard TO the
probability of the union of these two
houses, the majority of opinion being, with
one or two notable exceptions, that the
union would not be effsc.ed, because of Ger.
ton combinations which had been made in
the East, where across the great deserts
and from Tsshkend down to Aghanistan,
England and Russia have been generally
supposed to be at swords points. But the
matter is now definitely settled, an the
marriage has finally been arranged. This
arrangement is the same as courtship
and engagement between common peo-
pie, and, for mutual love between the par
ties, mutual interests are understood.
'fhe terms of the contract were
agreed upon on the 1Ih ct July, and the
solemnization of the marriage vows will
follow shortly. Although these young
people have not been permitted to do their
own counting, it is thought to be a most ex-
ceIlent match, and they will be as happy
as royal couples can be where the husband
is permitted to rove at will. The Duke of
Edinburgh is nearly Twenty-Five years of
age, and the bride expectant is in her twen-
tiesh yesr. The royal family Of England is
already connected by several marriages
with the great powers ofEu.ope, ard this
new contract will give additional strength
to the general alliance. England, Russis,
Denmark, Prussia and Greece have become
by marriage one family; and whenever .
new matrimonial agreement is entered into
il only renders easier the task of excepting
10 g.. ;i,-r 10 IT,,
graph of July IS says:
sit is pleasant when the scent of orange
blossoms is waited over the some v hat flow
erless fields Of politics; and such is the case
this morning. We are enabled to announce
the fact that msrrisge has been arranged
between his Royal Highness the Duke of
Edinburgh, and the Grand Duchess Maria
AlexandrowDa, the only daughter of the
Car of Russia. This intelligel ce will be
received by the whole English nation with
general satisfaction; for to the natural SYM
pathy which all weddings awaken is here
added the exalted fortunes of the betrothed
pair, and the interest attaching to the land
and lineage Of the bride. Between the
pc Sple of this country and the royal family
of these realms there exists very close and
exceptional sympathy. As was shown on
the occasion Of the Prince of Wales illness,
the personal f?rtunes of the members
of the reigning dynasty come home
very closely to English hearts; and we may
cay, without exaggeration, that the mar
risge Of any one of our royal princes or
prineesses excites much the same int est
the length and breadth of our
worldwide empire as would be caused to
snY private household by like event af-
fecting one of its inmates. As our sailor
as amember ofthe profession which
all Englishmen love and honor-the Duke
of Edinburgh has q special hold on our
natural affections. With US there is an Cd
fashioned prejudice in favor of young men
the duties of married life, and
becoming heads of families while still in
their full vigcr and prime. The late
President Lincoln expressed genuine An
glo-Saxon sentiment when on receiving from
Lord Lyons the official announcement of
the Prince of Wales marriage, he reioined
with the genial remark, 60 thou and do
likewise The Duke of Edinburgh is now
within few months of entering on his |
thirtieth year; the Princess whose hand is
about to be conferred upon him, is some
ten years bis junior, and is reported to be |
possessed OF great personal attractions and |
intelligence. The approaching union, it |
may be fairly said, Offers every reasonable |
prospect OF happiness. The Princess, we |
are given to understand, will retain the |
Of the Orthodox Greek Church |
jim which she has been born and bred; 3ut |
he childrC of the royal pair, if their union |
should be blessed with offspring, will, it Is
stated, be brought up in the Protestant
creed of this country.
"In point of rank and station, the Prince |
and Princess will stand upon an equal foot
ing, and both Russia and England will |
have just cause to be proud of the alliance |
by these two distinguished |
members of their reignirg dynasties. To
speak first of ;he bride, she is the daugh-
er of the Gar Of all the Russiss, the sis
Ter of the Czarewitch, destined, one day,
according to the ordinary probabilities of |
life, TO ascend the throne of Russia as
Alexander Ill. As to the royal bride.
groom, apart from bis rank as Prince of the
blood royal of Eng and, he is the heir to
he Dukedom of Cobulg, the brothar-in-
sw of the CrowE Prince of Germany, and
If Prince Louis of Hesse: and both bride
Ind bridegroom are connected by a kin
lred family tie of almost blood relationship
With the Crown Prince of Denmark and
he King of Greece. In.the whole "Alma-
ZACH de Goths" there will not be found the
names of any royal couple entitled
% claim kinship with 20 many
md so powerful sovereisns. In
hese democratic days, the dignity of royal
lynasties depends rather on the magnitude
# their possessions and on the greatness of
heir power than on the antiquity of their
lineage. The Guelphs, it is true, were SOW
reign princes centuri,s before the Roman
ifs were heard of in the ranks of royalty,
nd the Prince, as son of Queen Victoria,
lands in the succession TO throne which
Tas great and powerful for hundreds of
ears before Russia emerged from barba-
ism. On the other hand the Emperor of
sussia may fairly claim TO be t equal of
ny European sovereign in rank and digni-
?; and the children Of this Anglo-Russian
MON may justly boast hereafter with equal
-ide that their father was son of Eng
md and their mother a dau ,hter of
ussia. aI..
We have no doubt that the royal mar