The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-02

them IA years old at the time of his,
CCnstantines death.
Unfortunate Sons of Cars.
The first occasion that mention of a
Czarewitch is made in the history OF
Russia is the tragic tale of Ivan w,
killing in a fit of temporary passion
his favorite son, the one object that
he loved in the world. and this En-
peror, who was so justly surnamed THE
Terrible" is on record as having be-
come we'll nigh insane when he realized
that he had slain his Czarewitch. Com
ing down to more familiar day, we
find Peter the Great administering
poison to his son, the Cz&rewitch Alexis,
nominally as punishment for treason.
but in reality because the Prince hated
the western ways of his father and
openly proclaimed his intention of
abolishing. as soon as he came to the
throne, all the Occidental reforms in
troduced by the founder of modern
Russia. There are few more dramatic
pages in MuscoVite annals than those
describing the closing scenes of this
drama acted by the Emperor and his
heir in the dungeons of the Kremlin
of MOSCOW and in the presence of the
leading dignitaries of the realm From
that time forth nothing more was heard
of Czarewitches until near the end of
the eighteenth century, when Catherine
ii. conferred the title upon her son
Paul. But she subsequently developed
such an aversion for him that she re-
peatedly sought to have him put out
of the way, subjecting him to the most
incredible indignities and cruelties and
leaving will disinheriting him in
favor of his eldest son Alexander, who
was her favorite. This document was,
however, burned Immediately after her
death by Count Kurabin. a friend of
Paul's, and the latter duly ascended
the throne. The last Prince to bear the
title of Czarewitch was the second
brother Of the Present Emperor, who
was living in such retirement that few
of his brothers subjects knew him even
by sight He finally died in the arms
of an old peasant woman. who had
found him dying alone by the road
side, near. the remote Caucasian village
where he made his home.
The TituIar Hand in England.
In England any superstition there
may be with regard to the title of
Prince OF Wales is restricted to in
stances where 1t has been conferred
upon younger son of the Nsoverign,
the most notable instance in support
of this belief being that OF King
Charles l., who was on the death Of
his elder brother Henry during the
lifetime Of their father. King James,
was created by the latter Prince Of
Wales. and who ultimately lost, not
only his throne, but also his head on
the scaffold. While there is no likeh-
hood OF Prince George every sharing
the fate of "the martyred King" the
the memory OF the latter's tragic death |
is believed by many to have led King !
Edward, who, like the rest Of his !
family, is very superstitious, TO delay
until now the grant to his sailor son |
of that title of Prince of Wales which !
would have fallen to the lot of his
elder brother, the late Duke OF |
Clarence, had he lived. The dignity Of |
Prince of Wales carries with 1t no in
crease of status. of power or Of rank. |
1t is merely a titular honor calculated !
to distinguish the heir apparent to the |
throne from the other royal Dukes, |
brothers, nephews and cousins of the |
sovereign, and II is as Duke of Corn |
wall and Of York that Prince George |
VIII continue to vote in the House OF |
Lords, since his dukedoms Of Corn
wall and York are peerages, carrying |
with them the right of voting in Parli- |
ment, whereas the dignity of Prince Of |
Wales carries with It no such preroga- |
tives.
Our Prince of Wales.
There have been several cases in |
English history where the sovereign |
has refrained from investing his son |
and heir with the rank Of Prince Of |
Wales, a notable instance being Henry |
VIII. whose son. King Edward VI, |
was Duke OF Cornwall up to the time |
Of his accession. but not Prince OF |
Wales. Neither was King Charles III. !
ever created Prince of Wales by his |
father, and King James III, was equally !
remiss with regard TO his only son.
who figures In the annals OF Great !
Britain as the pretender. There has
beca but one Princess of Wales In her |
own right. namely Mary, eldest |
daughter OF King Henry VIII, and |
who is known In English history "a
Bloody Mary" She was created Prin- !
cess OF Wales by her father In order
10 conciliate the Welsh people, and it
was probably on this account that
her young hnlf-brother King Edward
VI, who preceded her on the throne
had 20 content himself during his
lifetime with the title OF Duke
o. Cornwall
With regard 10 the title Of Prince or
the Agturlas, 4 has been for the past