, 1879-03-23

( 1eas, anu the Duke OF Cambridge MAJ
similar settlements @ Of $50 $1,000 "a year. eN;r RI,
Duke and Duchess Of Kent, having been mar
req aecsEdn. to Lutheran rites, were remar
REQ IN England OH the occasion Of the Duke
o. Clasense's marriage By the Archbishop ol
! Immediately following On the stoppage Of tlls
direct succession By the death OF the Princess
(, Charlotte, the only child Of George ", gave
rise to some mlrth The Royal couple went
abroad Immediately after their marriage, a,,t
resided there until the legal necessity Of thei,
child being born on English soil compelled
their return. 4 few weeks after, at Kensng
ton Palace, the residence assigned them. Vfcto
ria was born on the eth OF March, 1919. The
marriage ot the Duke Of Clarence having borne
her birth IS the future Queen OF England md
educated for her destiny. Looking at the rela
tions Of the two countries now, 1t IS singular to
record that the Emperor Alexander Of Russia
was the sponsor Of tue infant Queen presump-
tive. The Duke Of Kent lived but siI months
after the birth of his daughter. On the 23d OF
June, 1920, he died at Sidmouth, Of an inlam.
nation OF the lungs.
There can be no doubt that the character OF
the Duke OF Kent was never adequately esti-
mated, nor did his talents or his virtues meet
with the recognition they mer,ed This was
wholly owing to his liberal views in politics and
religion. While his brothers, the Prince OF
Wales and the Duke, Of York, Clarence, mud
Cumberland, entertained high Protestant alhl
Tory opinions, and attached themselves to
Pitt, Liverpool, Wellington, and Castlerearh,
who were then the Lords in the ascendant,
the Dukes OF Kent and Sussex steadily adhered
through those dark days to tue Libcral party,
and encountered for its cause the frowns and
the sneers OF power A: n banquet given just
ut the close OF the war, when the battle for Lib
cral principles looked Z forlorn hope, the Duke
OF Kent. in replying for the Royal family, said:
st am friend to civil and religious liberty, in
every land, the world over I am an enemy to
all religious tests am supporter Of q general
system of education / honor good man iu
rags as much Us good Lord; more, for he
needs more virtue to make him SO. All men
are my brethren; u,ld hold that power is only
delegated for tue benefit OF the people. These
are the principles OF myself and lny beloved
brother, the Duke Of Sussex. They are not
popular principles just now. They do not cou-
duct to PLACE or power, Al! the members OF the
Royal family do not hold the same principles. /
do not blame them. but we claim the right to
net for ourselves, and to proclaim ourselves,
with our friend Alr. Tierney, members of his
Majesty's opposition"
This was a bold stand, but he adhered to it
to the last. Nor was he less broad and out
spoken in his views on religious liberty. He
attended the annual meetings Of society es-
tablishcd 'bv the Dissenters, entitled The
Protestant Society for the Protection OF Re-
lisious Liberty" and agailcd himself Of those
occasions to Inform the dissenting bodies that
he was by no means opposed to the principle
OF dissent; that he was no advocate OF church
establishments, and that his affections were BY
no means associated with the principles or pro-
ceedings OF the old church societies OF England.
When the time at which these sentiments were
uttered is remembered, 1t will be conceded that
the character Of the Duke Of Kent was marked
we'll deserves q niche in the gallery Of British
worthless.