The Savannah morning news., 1904-09-16

the latter are taken into considera-
tion this will cause no surprise AS
in the case of young Czarevitch Alexis,
issues of the most vital dynastic and
national Importance frequently depend
upon the sex of the infant, and it is
therefore only natural that persons who
are either devoid of scruples, or else
who, following the advice of the Psalm
list, decline to put their faith in
princes" should believe the latter as
a class ready to sacrifice principles to
policy.
1t is with the object of protecting
members of reigning houses who are
in the line of succession to the throne
from suspicious of this kind, and at
the same time with a view of satisfy
Ing the nation that their interests
had been safeguarded from any dan
ger of fraud, that a course of proce-
dure has been adopted at all the courts
of Europe which is regarded by the
anointed of the Lord as among the
penalties of their rank, since it cannot
but deeply offend their sense of deli
cacy. To put the matter briefly, one or
two cabinet ministers or secretaries of
state are present as the representa-
tives of the people at all royal births,
sometimes in an adjoining room with
the intervening doors open, and some
times in the royal lady's apartment
itself. These statesmen and great dig
nitaries of the realm are there for no
other purpose than to prevent any
substitution from being perpetrated
and to convey an assurance to their
fellow citizens that the infant whose
birth they have witnessed is the bona
fide child of the royal lady whom they
have been called upon to attend in
connection with the happy event" In
those countries where the monarchy
is of a constitutional character this
procedure is required by the law of the
land. The ministers Immediately after
the birth place it on official record, and
should any question ever arise in con-
nection Herewith the national legis-
lature would thus have it in it's power
to call the staseman to account, and
in the event of his having rendered
himself a party to any fraud to move
for his impeachment and his punish
ment In Russia and in the grand
duchies of Mecklenburg-Strel and
Mecklenburg-S chwern, where there is
no constitutional form of government,
the presence of the great dignitaries
of the realms at births of members of
the reigning house is exacted, not by
law, but by the sovereign himself, for
the purpose of shielding the dynasty
precisely from such ISLANDERS as those
which are now being circulated about
the infant Czarevitch of Russia.
At the court of Madrid as soon as
the birth of a child in the line of sue
cession to the throne is at hand, not
merely the two cabinet ministers who
are to be present are summoned to the
palace but invitations are sent, for
merly by mounted guards, nowadays
by telephone. to all the leading off,
Gals of the royal household and to the
great dignitaries of state. as we'll as to
the ladies of the court, who hasten to
the palace and gather in the grand
salons Immediately adjoining the
apartment where the royal infant is to
make it's advent into the world. The
men are all i'm full uniform, the women
in court dress. and Immediately after
the advent of the baby il is carried by
its father on great silver gilt salver.
nestled in cloud of gauze. into the
salons where the members of the
court are assembled, in order 10 re-
ceive their homage. the father being