The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-11-10
INTERNATIONAL MARRIAGES.


Matrimonial alliances between our Ameri-
can women of fortune and high social posi-
ton and foreigners Of rank have become SO
common As 20 attract bu. little attention out
side of the circles of friends ana scquain'-
ances of the brides The evil II growing
one. and hardly . week passes that there y
net announced an engagement III whicn an
American hsiress and an Italian prince, al
English lord, a German baron. or french
count are the interested parties.
The latest is that of the Duo dc Rochefou-
csuld and Miss Mitchell, the daughter OF SEN
ator Mitchell. Of Oregon. The Due Is a man
Of thirty-sieht. who has by asaiduous devo-
ton to his profession risen to the rank OF
captain in the French army. which TO the
American mind. accustomed to ubiquitous
colonies and generals. does not seem 70 De an
achievement Of extraordinary magnitude
Rochefoucauld is a descendant OF the famous
noblenan who was the author OF those two
elaborated savings that gratitude 10 the feeling
We have in anticipation of fsvors to come. and
Tint there is something pleasing to us in the
misfortunes Of our nearest friends. Whether
the future husband of Miss Mitchell has IN
berited the sarcastic powers OF MS ancestor
renort does not in form US. but az he has de-
olared that he fell in love With bis intended
wife at first sight there is some room Tor
suspecting that he is capable of irony.
In the greatest number of cases in these in
ternational marriages the wife is influenced
by motives of ambition and the husband
by desire for fortune. IL is perfectly obvious
that the natural disposition of European OF
high position and large fortune Is to form an
alliance in his own rank OF life and IN his own
country. In a society in which conventional
tiles govern the whole scheme of existence 1t
is far from probable that mere sentiment Will
lead him to select a wife outside of the circle
in which he has always moved. II he is in
fuenced by ambition in his marriage, he
makes his choice among the members Of the
most powerful families whose influence will
promote his aspirations.
We never hear OF foreign women OF exalted
social position intermarrying with Americans,
however wealthy the latter or however much
entitled to respect by force of character or
possession of great abilities. While the sacri-
fees which sn English or French lady OF rank
would make in consentiDg to become the wife
OF an American are very much greater than
the sacrifices entaied upon an American
woman in marrying an Englishman or French.
man, nevertheless if sentiment was allowed
full play in the higher circles of European
life such marriages would sometimes occur.
But sentiment has but a narrow field in which
TO operate in these circles The foreigner OF
high rank is as rule driven to marriage with
an American woman by mercensry reasons
alone. There are exceptions 10 every rule.
but the rule is proved by the exceptions.
Omitting the emotion Of love from considera-
ton. which is very generally regarded in
America as the true basis OF marriage. the
American heiress in choosing a foreign hus-
band gets all that she is striving 70 secure 10y
the alliance The wife marries for rank. the
husband for fortune. and both are satisfied.
This being the case the American public have
no right to object to the union. especially as
it draws away from American social life
women who. il they remained in America,
would not lie likely to train their children in
the true republican spirit
The expenditure abroad of incomes derived
from property in this country must constitute
a heavy charge upon the resources of COM
munities like New York and Philadelphia in
which cities large proportion of foreign no.
blemen who have married in this country
have succeeded in winning their wives. One
of the most notable instances that has re-
Gently been observed is that Of Mrs. Marshall
O. Roberts. who is about to marry an Eng
lishman of distinguished social position.
Her fortune is estimated at twenty
millions. and her income at over
million, all Of which hereafter
will be spent in England, to which country
she will remove after her marriage. This is
only very small part OF the vast sums which
are annually withdrawn from this country by
| the foreign noblemen who have married
American heireses, but the American people
can stand this drain much better than they
could the presence Of these noblemen in the
United States as permanent residents, II
which character they would exercise an influ
ence that could not be other than vicious and
unwholesome.