, 1874-04-17
MARRIAGE BY PROXY.

. Thore has boon not little sympathy oppressed
for those unfortunate youthful members Of royal
families whose matrimonial alliances aro con-
tracted for them by their elders and snperiors
for prospective political advantage, aud not
little congratulation upon tho part Of people in
humber spheres TINT they hnye the privilege
Of choosing their own partners, conducting their
own coustshlps, and managing their own we'd
dings. At tho first blush there is something re-
pulevo in tho idoa Of having tho hymencpl afrair
arranged by proxy, especially when tho princi-
pal parties Interested arc presumed to tako
zach other for better or worse. An examination,
however, Of the trcnty hntwcen the Queen Of
England mud tue Emperor Of Russia for tho
marriage Of the Duke Of Edinburgh aud the
Grand Duchess Marie Alexandrovna, which has
recently been printed among the Parliamentary
papers, shows that tho system is not without it's
compeneations. Thoso componsatlons arc 40 at-
tractive that we doubt not thore nre plenty Of
Americans who would agree to marry the uglest
girl in all tho RuaBias for the samo class Of con-
solattons. pecr=niary and otherwise, which tho
Duke Of. Edinburgh and his royal spouse will
hereafter enjoy. One article OF this treaty
stipulates that Her Imperial Highneas shall
not be hindesaa in tic full, free, and unre-
strained exercise OF the religious profession III
which she has boon brought up, and for this
purpose she ahall haye chapels whore sho re-
sides and also in her own apartments; and she
is not expected to attend tho churches Of llcr
husband'a taith, except whom 1t Ia necessary to
assist in ceromo:aies, aud then only Of hor own
FREQ will. by this arrangement IL, otfectual bar
il raised against one prolific souroo Of disagreo-
mont amoug couploa OF different faiths who
do not wonr tho imperial purple. The Duke
Of Edinburgh is q member Of the En-
gliBh Church, and his consort d men,
ber OF the Greok Church, and yet avery pos-
sibility Of collision has been carefully removed.
What happy arrangement this would bo in
many instances where Protestant husb unas have
Catholic wiyeH, and Unitarian wives haye Pres
byteran husbands.
The financial arrangements for thu. young
couple, a. fixed by tho treaty. arc very somfort-
able, and will enable them to set up hou sokcep-
ing in very handsome manner. Tho NJ arriago
portion Of tho Princess, Us fixed by the ;sunda-
mental laws Of the Empire, ia q milil on Of
roublos, the intoroat Of which, at Is per
cent, Is to bo paid to her half-,1oarly
during life, aud she is to have the separate, and
exclusive use Of it. In addition to this, tho En-
peror giyes hor, 'as nark Of particular dfoc-
tion," an annual revenue Of $4,000 rou-
blos for hor separate. and exclusive uBe.
A q mark Of affection in general, no .uso
sets apart another million OF roubles, the
interest Of which at, por cent is to bo for her
private fortune, amounting to 100000 rs,u-
bles, III tho event TINT she suryiyeg tho
Duke, the Queen Of England agrees to
give hor 10000 annually during lfe,-a sum
Which ought to lo sufficient inducemont to lor
| to take good care OF her hoalth. Marie Alexan-
droyna. therefore, haa snug little fortune In
cash for her own exclusive use, amounting to
2075 900 roublos Or g. $50. and M annual ILL
como OF $4,000 from hcr marriage portion
alone. Adding to this amount the fortune aud
| income Of hor husband, and their free house,
rent, 1t will be Roon at onco that thoge Is
no possible danger OF their going to
tho County Poor.House They Gun have beef
ntoai aud bottled beer three times day, run up
millinery bills and Rrocors' bills ad A6iIum send
their children to private school, have an opora-
boz and ca1rlago Of their own, got up and 60
to bod when tloy ploaae aud still lay aside some-
thing for q rainy day. A state OF lito In which a
man dosa not have to got down to the olfloo at 0
o'clock In tho morning, docs not have to
pay pew-repts or house-ronta, h has no
foar : Of bis promises being sold out
for non.paymont Of taxoa. aud can oven but
tor his pound'oaho 1t ho wants to, must be onc
Of the boat!tudes, aud tue woman who has moth.
inR 10 do but to look into ths shop.Niidows III