New-York tribune., 1899-07-23

by preference male even IL the latter was junior
In point Of age to the female. In default Of this
the Crown was to go to the daughters Of Pauls
other sons and 10 their male and female issue.
and only in the event Of these lines becoming
extinct the throne 10 pass TO Emperor
Paurs daughters and to their issue. Emperor
/ Paul in his decree expressly stipulated that in
/ the event that a grand duchess next in line OF
succession to the throne happened TO be un-
married. whereas her younger sister had sons.
the elder and spnster princess should forego
neither her precedence nor her prior rights to
the throne seeing that there was always pos
sibility that she might marry and have chill
dren. In word. a younger sister can. in the
matter OF succession to the throne. never out
rank her elder sister although younger brothers
have prior rights TO those Of their eldest sisters
4 very important feature OF Emperor Paul's
ukase is that which relates TO the possibility
Of the Crown OF Russia passing by right Of in
heritance to a foreign Prnce-that is to say. to
the issue Of a Russian Grand Duchess who has
married a foreigner The decree insists that in
such an event the prince in question must
nounce his foreign nationality. and. if possessed
Of foreign throne must abandon that as we'll
/ in order TO become a Russian and to join the
Russian Church. In case Of refusal to join the
Russian Church. or to abandon foreign throne
T or nationality the prince or princess in ques-
/ tion loses ipso flcto the right Of succession to
/ the Russian crown. Should the crown pass by
right Of nhertanca to a Russian Grand Duchess.
| and the latter happen 70 be married either TO
a Russian or a foreign prince the latter would
/ become, not Emperor. but merely Prince Con-
sort and the reins of power would remain IN
the hands Of the Empress Regnant. Finally.
Emperor Paul declares that with a view Of
| avoiding any doubt or dispute on the subject
/ Of the succession TO the throne. each sovereign
must issue on his succession a proclamation
! designating the successor to the crown. and in
the event Of the death Of the heir must at once,
/ without more than twenty-four hours delay
nominate some prince or princess in his or her
. stead
The only addition which has been made to this
law is one by Alexander Ill., who issued ukase
| 10 the effect that no married prince could sue
coed to the throne even become regent
| whose wife did not profess national Muscoyite
! faith The Gar it must be remembered occu-
pies not only the position " temporal ruler but
likewise Of Supreme Pontr OF the Orthodox
| Church. being consecrated and invested with
ecclesiastical attributes on the day Of his coro-
nation. This being the case. il is held 70 be I'M
proper that the head Of the Russian Church
| should De married TO a woman processing
| hereto creed and who might possibly his
| children To despise the faith Of their father.
/ Inasmuch as the Grand Duchess Vladimir is
thu only fo~eign princess married 10 a prince OF
/ the reiening house OF Russia who has refused
| 10 join the Muscovite Church and who has per
sisted in remaining a Lutheran. this decree may
be said to have been aimed against her. all the
more as it is notorious that the late Car both
disliked and distrusted her
THE CAR CAN ALTER THE Succession.
1t only remains to be added that according
to the liberal sense in which the decree Of En-
peror Paul is interpreted to-day all the Grand
Dukes living would have rights Of success
sion to the throne prior 10 those Of the present
Emperor's daughters. taking it for granted. ~
course that the Grand Duchess Vladimir would
Join the Russian Church II the accession Of her
husband TO the throne and the succession 0f
her children depended upon her action. But the
rights Of the little girls OF Emperor Nicholas
would be superior again to those Of the eldest
daughter OF the late Gar. the Grand Duchess
Xenia and she and her children again would
come before the Grand Duchess Marie Duchess
Of COburg. only daughter Of Emperor Alexander
H. Inasmuch however. as there is no Consu-
tuition in Russia and every Emperor is an auto
crat he can at any moment abrOgate or modify
the decree Of Czar Paul. ard proclaim as heir
10 the throne whomsOever he sees fit H. 10
bound by no Obligations whatsoever save those
Of tradition and usage. and from legal point
Of view there IS nothing whatsoever to prevent
Nicholas from repeating the proclamation which
he issued last week in favor Of his brother
Michael. and nominating as heir to the throne
either his eldest daughter Olga, or even the
p latters nurse For IT must never be for
. gotten that Peter the Great proclaimed as his