The Douglas independent. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 187?-1885, 1879-09-06
Yicforia's Father.

Yicforia's Father.
Several months ago as scm0 liter
ary men of Montreal were convers-
ing on the ample and curious mater
iai for historical romance which ex.
lists in Canada, q gentleman well
known by his historical writings sug-
gested the sojourn of the Duke of
Kent at Quebec in 1791-94 as q very
subject for such treat
ment. Thereupon I gathered all the
books relating to that period which
| could find, and, while the result did
not prove as favorable as 1 should
have wished, / learned enough to
take q deep interest in the history of
that unfortunate prince. The resi-
dence of the Princess Louise in the
Dominion having revived the memo
ry of her grandfather on several oc-
easions, [ have thought that the ex-
of one at least of the mys-
terious phases of history would not
be amiss. refer to the Dukes con-
nubial relations. There are many
traditions afoat in Quebec of his pri
vate life, but they are not sufficiently
authenticated to warrant reprodnc-
tion. Sufficient to say that he came
to Quebec in 1871 as commander of
the Seventh Royal Fusileers, with
lady companion or bonnie annie. Now
the ticklish question arises: Was this
lady his wife or not ? If she was his
wife, bis dismissal of her in 1917, af-
ter union of nearly thirty years,
and prior to bis marriage with the
Princess of Lexington, the mother
OF the present queen, is pretty
rough commentary on that severe
code which the British are SO fond of
enforcing upon other people. If the
lady in question was not his wife,
then the conduct of the duke was
certainly not model, and it is not
wonder that his memory is persist
emily kept in the background. For
my part, after a careful study of all
the records, and especially the nu-
merous letters of the Duke to NJ. de
Salaberry, Seignior of BEAUFORT, near
Quebec, | believe / can establish the
reality and validity of this marriage.
The lady went under the name of
Nine. de Laurent, but her title was
Therese Bernadine Julie
de Montegenet de st. Laurent,
Baronne de Fortisson. She is said
to have been sweet and very beau
tiful woman, and the Dukes attach
ment to her was very strong, as ap-
pears all through his correspondence.
In 1871 the Governor of Canada was
Lord Dorchester, or Sir Guy Garlic
ton, of Revolutionary fame. The
local legend is that he never received
the Duke socially, or called on him,
acting, no donbt, in accordance with
instructions from the home authori-
ties. We know, besides, from the
chronicles, that Lady Dorchester
was rather fastidious and exclusive
in dealing with the society of Que
bee, having had trouble with the wife
of General Prescott in 1897. How
ever that may be, it is certain that
the Duke and Nine. de st. Laurent
were received in all the old aristo-
cratic French drawing-rooms of the
time, and that at Kent House, still
standing near BEAUFORT, they gath
cred about them all the respectable
families of the colony. This could
never have happened if any scandal
had been connected with his domes-
tic relations. But there is more con.
elusive proof still. On june 20, 1892,
the pair appeared as sponsors for
child of the Sieur de Salaberry, and
the certificate of baptism bears the
signatures of Charles Francis, Bishop
of Capsum, NJ. Renauld, priest. Those
who know the rigid sacramental re-
quirements and conditions of the
Roman Catholic Church will under
stand that neither bishop nor priest
would have officiated or allowed the
choice of sponsors, if any suspicion
had attached to the latter 1t may
be added that these, besides other
ecciesiastics, including the Pore de
Berrey, We're very familiar with the
Prince
A second argument is this: In
1894, after brief but gallant service
in the West Indies, His Royal High
ness received orders to establish his
headquarters at Halifax as Comnan-
der. inchief of the forces in Nova
Scotia and New Brunswick. His
residence of four years in that place
is fully recorded by Halliburton, the
author of "Sam Slick, and it is clear
that Nine. de st. Laurent, presiding
over his household, received and was
received as his lawful spouse. Had
she been otherwise, the Home Gov
ernmeut itself would have been held
responsible for the outrage. The
same reasoning holds for 1889, when,
after short trip to England, the
Duke was sent back to Halifax as
Commander in Chief of all British
America, and brought MN. de ST.
Laurent with him. Again, from
| 1902 to 1903 he lived at Gibralter as
Governor, and there again his beauti-
fui companion shared all his social
and official relations, circumstance
which neither the army nor public
| opinion in Europe would have tole.
| rated if the lady had been no more
than the Dukes mistress. Some time
after his recall, and when it was
known that he was in disfavor at
the Horse Guards, the inhabitants Of
Gibralter subscribed thousand gum
eas for a piece of memorial plate to
him.
From 1909 to 1903 tne Duke re-
sided at Kcnsington Palace, and con.
tinuously in the company of Nine.
de st. Laurent. He was burdened
with debts. and Extensively kept in
the background, but his letters show
that he entertained largely, and that
the madame was everywhere recog,
nized except at Court. Whenever
the Prince had occasion to go there
he went alone. His letters showed
that up to the last moment his devo
ton TO the Baroness remained as tru.
as ever. But there came an end, ans
it was not pleasant one. In 1al8,b1
the sudden and premature death o
the Princess Charlotte of Wales
there was danger of the succession
ending in the House Of Brunswick
and the State policy required tn
immediate marriage of the younge
branches of the royal family. Thi
/ 4 ~ "a