Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1896-11-12
BARRED FROM COURT.
The strict Rules Applicable To the
Duke of OrIenns's Wedding.
(Tha Trfhftual


Although the Italian nobility enjoys
a reputation for impecuniosity, it may be
questioned whether It is not surpassed in
this respect by. that of France Since
the abolition of the laws of primOgeni-
ture and entail at the time OF the Revo-
luton. 100 years ego. and the enactment
Of the statutes which provide that chill
dren shall share alike i'm the parental in
heritance. the possessions OF the aris-
tocracy have been gradually decreasing,
each heir being in turn obliged to divide
up his property among his children at
his death The only means that the
mobiles have had OF arresting and coun-
teracting this process Of Impeachment
has been I'm the shape of marriages with
heiresses; and. inasmuch as these latter
are mostly found among the daughters
OF the so-called princes of industry. Of
commerce. and Of finance, there is to-
day no aristocracy I'm Europe that con-
tains so large a proportion OF bourgeois
blood in its veins or that has to its
credit so considerable a number of
mesalliances as that Of France.
This fact has been brought home, not
alone to the French nobility. but like
wise to the world at large. By the difficult
ties which have arisen IN connection
leans with the Austrian Archduchess
Maria Dorothea. which took place last
Thursday. II was at first proposed that
the ceremony should be celebrated in
Hungry. where the Archduchess has been
brought up. her father being what Is
known as the Magyar" Archduke and
the head OF that particular branch Of
the House OF Hapsburg. which has been
settled in Hungary for many years. But
II was found that this would have made
necessary the celebration Of a civil, as
we'll as a religious marriage. in accord
ancc with the terms Of the recently
enacted marriage laws Of Hungary. which
have encountered such vehement oppo-
sitlon on the part not only OF the Church
but also % the imperial family. So. with
a view OF eluding this difficulty. the
FmperOr decided that the wedding should
take place at Vienna. civil marriages be-
ing as yet unknown I'm Austria.
This. however, had the effect Of trans
forming the affair from a purely domestic
event of the family Of Archduke Joseph
INTO n regular Austrian court function
II was no longer the father Of the bride
who sent out the Invitations but the
Grand Chamberlain OF the Court Of
Vienna in the name Of the Emperor. and
everything in connection with the matter
has become subordinated 10 the strict laws
Of etiquette and precedent that govern
the imperial court. Now, first and fore
most among these rules and regulations is
one which has the effect OF barring from
admission to court all ladies who cannot
show that for several generations back
their maternal, as well as paternal, ances-
tors have been guilty Of no mesalliance.
and have mated only with persons pos
a Z
The same rule applies TO men. except
when they are Investigated with some
Office or dignity which ipse factO renders
them what is known I'm court phraseology
as "Hoffahlg." that Is 10 say, "presenta-
bic at court" less strictness, however,
being observed with regard TO the quail
fications of men than I'm connection with
those OF women. Presentation at the
Court Of Vienna is under the circum-
stances esteemed In Europe as a higher
honor and greater privilege than that at
any other court of the Old World.
BEGGING FOR INVITATIONS.
Naturally. as soon as ever it became
known In France that the wedding was
10 take place at Vienna, the Duke OF
Orleans and his relatives were over
whelmed with demands for invitations.
All persons at Paris or the provinces VINO
had ever contributed a cent toward the
Royalst cause, or who had offered the
slightest hospitality 10 any member OF
the House of Orleans. deemed themselves
entitled to invitations, and hoped thus
10 have tho opportunity Of penetrating
the hitherto closed portals Of the court
OF Vienna IN the wake OF the DUKE OF
Orleans. and. figuratively speaking, hans-
ing 10 his coat-tails. Emperor frames
Joseph has. however. no intention OF
permitting the wedding TO degenerate
into q mere demonstration OF French
Royalists against the government OF the
republfc with which he wishes TO re-
main on terms OF friendship; and he at
once informed the Dukesof Orleans that
with the view of preventing the Court
Of Vienna from being made the scene
OF anything that could be interpreted al
Paris as a monarchical manifestation, ne
would be Obliged to rigidly enforce
the rules and regulations with regard
10 admission 20 court I'm the case or all
foreign guests. save those who happened
10 constitute the household OF the BRIDE
groom. This has been communicated TO
the Royalsts in France by the Duke,
through the means of the "Gaublois'
and other monarchioal organs Of the
French press. with the result that there
l. much wailing and crashing Of teeth
among those who have hitherto styled
themselves adherents of the Pretender.
Tie Duke. however. has 10 make up
for their elimination from the festivities
at court by arranging for a species OF re-
ception which he will give himself, either
IN Austria or at Brussels. and nj which
all his friends and adherents will be ac-
corded the honor of presentation to the
Arcbduchess and permitted to pay 70
her that homage which would be hers by
right were she really Queen OF France.
nut II will be but makeshift at the best,
and the project appears In no sense TO
aIlay the bitterness which has been
caused throughout French monarchical
society by the attitude OF Emperor
Francis Joseph.
SOME OF THE UNFORTUNATES.
Among those thus barred by reason OF
houraeoIs blood derived from their Imme-
dia,e ancestors Is. first and foremost. the
mo dc Brissac. True, the name which
he hears IL one OF the most illustrious In
French history. and II is Do Brissac
OF the Middle Ages TO whom the French
ara Indebted for the fact that the French
language was substituted for Latin In all
legal procedure But the young Duke $
neither. the well-known Vicomtesse de
Tredern. who was at Newport last sum-
mer. is a daughter and heiress OF the
multi-milionalre sugar redner, Say. II