The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1845-03-14
Sketch of the Morality OF Fashionable So
ciety, by Ex-Governor Thomas, Of Mary

| commonwealth
Ex-Governor Thomas, like many other decent
men, found it most difficult to govern his wife, and
the end of the matter was an appeal to law equity
and at last to the whole world in the form Of the
present statement" wherein two very plain tru-
isms are set forth-the wilfullness of woman--and
the worthlessness OF the Goldfish aristocracy-those
who in common parlance are denominated the re-
| spectacle portion of society.
The first extract which we shall make relates TO
the dangers experienced by the author on his visit
to the metropolis, and furnishes glimpse into the
art OF mantrapping
years. and had attained to respectable station in the
House Of Representatives of the United States boarding
eldest daughter of Gov. Mcdowell, then promising
young girl Of emily fifteen years sfage was sent Wash
ngton n order TO o. put 70 boarding school George
which purpose she sent from home spent the whole
the session of 1885 which transpred after her arrival
and nearly the whole Of the session of 1867, in
the at the boarding house where and
at very early period of our acquaintance quote her
words, told me- that she had set her cap for me-"
Being then thirty years of age hou having
seriously turned my attention towards marriage answer
ed with perhaps much painness with perfect sin
certify il will betime enough for you to think Of such
things two hence, after you have completed
education"
Notwithstanding this sage advice, the writer gets
married, which proves anything but a salutary
step for his peace of mind. Jealousies spring
Mr.. Thomas is compelled to write to suspected
! naramour thus-"as we cannot live in the same
town, upon any other than the most cordial terms.
without exciting the criticism OF all around, de-
sire you will leave here at as early period as pos
sbe." In her turn she receives a letter from
a lady beginning thus:-"I have been minute
| ly informed Of the serious Irritation that you
| carried on with my husband last winter" &c
This epistle goes on-"I say you made use Of
| ton of single gentlemen; and finding you could
not succeed, you followed, fattered, and caressed
| married men, until you coerced tfeir attentions
The first object of your pursuit was Mr. =. Never
can forget the expression of your countenance,
when you told me one day that you thought Mr..
= ould be mighty glad to hear that his wife
was dead, SO that he could offer you his hand
my husband" 81 ask Of you my husbands pic
ture, his lock of hair and that all intercourse shall
| cease between you. Comply with this, and will
request and you will soon find what a woman
can do to save husband she fondly, dearly loves
| from -, will not say what"
After detailing the nature of an indisposition of
Mrs. Thomas, which for the sake of decency il is
| as well not to insert, the Ex-Governor proceeds
| thus:- %as eeaF
At this stage Of my narrative it would be proper
roduce another most disgusting affair, If was not
willing yield legal advantages would be taken to
my prejudice For it is no small aggravation to my
misfortunes, that forced to deaiwith one Of the
and Of mankind ready to avail himself Of
any advantage to protect hmse and distort and tAe
legal forms Of proceedings to exclude Mrs. Thomas
and myself from being Witnesses while he by perjury
could exonorate himself from responsibility for that end
like conduct, which has caused humating misfortune
| to woman, and deep modification and misery to two
large and respectable family connexions. But for
rily the fe lings Of one have always been re.
lucant to wound justice to self would lead to
Annapolis Whenever Gov Mcdowell, however, will
institute judicial proceedings in which all parties b-
w y ~ 5s
meanwhile, will con6ne self to the declaration that
| have neither written nor spoken any thing in relation
To this solemn avernsnt now add tnat the affair which
appeared to me absolutely Incredible rendered alto
gether probable by information long Afterwards obtained
That information will here be detailed If properly
called for BY the parties concerned will be given in
the Una; ms case a'one maae mus
took to do. with the parents of Mrs Thomas. For the
publicity vulgarly given to the subject Of that confer
ence. her friends and not friends responsible
During the whole months of November and December.
submitted to narrowing spprshensons. In the constant
ton she had received and to my residence. gno
rant, however of the character Of the had
family might possibly be able to explain away all my
doubts was resolved there should be domestic trial
Mrs. Mcdowell nor Mrs Benton could remove every YES
tge of my mstrusts there should be final separation
between Mrs Thomas and myself As she persisted in
the denial of what compelled to affirm, looking
the future Investigations the following papers signed
between the day they severally bear date orgi
mails Of which are now in my possession, in her hand
Between the third and seventh day Of November,
w ONE At s. Of most
character and between the 2ad and 9th days of the
month"; of the year. have to believe that the
same man. had, at least other improper interview
with my WIFE But in confederation Of circumstances
not here to be mentioned, am willing to wait coming
Mons Of mine are untounded FRANCIS THOMAS.
| Dec. 2, ls4l.
l. too am willing to let the justice and correctness Of
| Dec D, Is4I. scr. THOMAS
| NEAR FREDERIcx, Dec 80, Is4l.
am most reluctantly compelled again to charge my
wife with being untrue in tina. she hed unlawful inter
'''''' WIN 'A''''' VI ''''' ''' FRANCIS THOMAS
again. as former occasions strenuously deny the
above charge-but still am willing to say, that have
the above. written the 30th Of December Is4l
and have been told at the time, by the writer Of it,
that he means to use 1t seriously"
Near Frederick, Thursday, Dec. 80, 1874"
was too much deluded by my passions, and con-
fused in mind by another OF which do not propose
to treat in this statement, to perceive then what
strike every reader, that vrtuous woman instead Of OBJ
circumstances have eager to seize my offer
to take her to her family especially promised to bring
her back as soon as her innocence should be established
1t is hardly possible to give anything like an ade-
quate sketch OF the matters and manners, the
rupton and gross wick cdness this statement depicts
Indelicaces, lndscretione, mmorallties-thesc are
all bad enough, and yet they would be shining light
upon the picture OF the rank and unbushng vlany,
| the total abandonment Of decency-drawn by the
Ex-Governor of Maryland. One would think that
persons such as those mentioned 10 the narrative.
removed they are by the circumstances OF afllu.
ence, position, education, and all the rest from the
more ruthless attacks OF temptation-would resist
contact with downright perverslty, and certainly
not continue tor years In dalliance with scandal,
lust lies, and the whole deformed progency OF the
| father OF lies. And yet here we have from the
mouth OF credible testimony-a man of figure
and pretension-the ex Governor of Mary land-a
narrative OF what came under his own notice, in
which some dozon Of lis own class, gentlemen and
ladies forsooth, cut figure for which human ma
ture is eady to blush-concerned in procedure too
gross for the public eye-tso black for the blacklist
type under the control Of the printers devil or the
other one. Having no room for further remarks,
| the finale Of this famous Statement" may serve
| the same purpose on the occasion.
"Driven this last and most painful Of pubca
tion not word have set down in malice uttered
in wantonDeSs much have withheld and in all that /
publish, have endeavored to language mild