New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-16
ROYAL MARRIAGES..


ROYAL MARRIAGES.
The marriages Of kings and queens and
their progeny have become of late much less
important affairs than they were formerly
The torch of Hymen long ago lost its power
of lighting or extinguisbing the flames OF war;
TO tho practical sense of "A Bismarck few
millions in hand paid are of much more weight
in treaty Of peace than the promise OF
royal marriage. 1t would have been amusing
to watch the elevation of those mcphstophe-
liam eyebrows, if the Emperor had proposed
to him at Sedan to let bygones be bygones
and to send out the cards at once
for a wedding between the Prince Impe-
rial and one of the Crown Princes daughters.
Yet this would have been by no means an
unusual or absurd ending of campaign
few generations before. The time has passed
by when it would be possible for an astute
dissembler like Philip of Spain to lead a
stupid intriguer like James of England by
the nose year after year, by holding out to
him the hope of marrying his son to an In
fanta. There are still considerations OF caste
in all European courts, and provision OF
statutes in England which keep the members
of royal families from marrying out OF
somewhat narrow circle. But even III
spite of these obstacles, archdukes sometimes
marry actresses and at least one English
princess has married member OF the House
of Commons, and there have been no symptoms
of general cataclysm on account OF 1t. There
were only seven ladies whom the Prince OF
Wales could marry; but within that reasonable
limit it made no difference whatever who was
chosen for him-except to himself and his
wife, There was, of course, good deal OF
diplomacy wasted about it. But the matter
had no political significance at all. The same
may be said Of every royal marriage OF our
time. Exccpt to the minister who negotiatos
Them and who counts upon getting decora-
ton for Lis work, they have no influence or
bearing upon the politics of the nations con-
ceIned.
But they were important for so long time
that the world cannot get out of the habit OF
talking about them. and OF treating them with
the respect paid to other extinct supersttlons
The little King Ct Spain is the center OF an
endless series of inTigues and rumors relating
to his marriage. The intrigues are social, anu
the rumors only are political. The Duke of
Montpensier would naturally be glad to see
his daughter on the throne of Spain rs Queen
C0nsort and his posterity born i'll the purple,
and the Duke dc la Tore would willingly face
the shower of epigrams which would break forth
at the announcement of his daughters betrotlal
to her possible kinsman, for the sake of estab-
fishing at one blow the rank and fortune OF
his parvenu family. But in neither case would
such an alliance have more than domestic
significance. The Orleans Princes have gained
great wealth and power i'll former days by jul
dicous nuptials, but it is idle to talk of get
ting thrones in that way in times like
these. Nothing but the unforeseen accidents
of revolution can now give them the scepters
of Spain or OF Francc,-although if princes
are needed for the superstitions of government
in those countries it would be hard to find
more respectable ones than among the swarm
ing progeny of Louis Philippe.
There are so many of them, and they all
have such decided bent toward dome site
life. that If the diplomatic world suffered
itself to be agitated over their betrothals, it
would have very little time for anything else
They are closely connected by blood with
almost every royal family IN the Old World,
and viii occupy the throne of the vast els
atlantic Empire of Brazil. There can hardly
he a war in Europe ON which there will not
be Orleans princes on both sides-and if
they accomplish no more than they did III
our civil war and in the late French
war there might he any number of them with
out damage to anybody. They are dull, anna
bic. industrious, avariciOus, and uxoriOus gen
tlemen. and possess little either of the merits
or the vices through which princes become
eoyereigns in the nineteenth century. There
seems therefore no reason for any excitement
or discussion over the latest rum0r, which
indicates The marriage OF the Duke of Aumale
with the Princess Thyra of Denmark. Ii she
chooses to marry gentleman old enough to be
her grandfather she will gain great wealth
and higher social position than even
her royal father occupies, and the mature
bridegroom will gain lovely and accom-
plishcd wife, of a family i'll which the domestic
virtues are traditional But he will not gain
an atom of political standing. 1t is idle to
talk of a Russian alliance rs the result OF this
marriage. If these personal relationships
availed anything Austria never would have
fought with Italy, and Prussia never would
have thrashed Austria. The tie between the
two Kaisers at Berlin and Vienna is stronger
than that which is supposed to exist between
brothers-n-law The fact is that family
considerations have ceased to exercise any inn
portant interest in European affairs. The tears
of Danish princess in London and the sobs
of an English princess in Berlin could avail
nothing against the purpose OF bismarck and
his master in the spoliaton of Denmark and
Hanover. Parliaments have grown more inn
.o..o,4 tI,on priucacsas in This practical and