Newbern weekly progress., 1859-07-26
EnteSestin. Letter from the Pen of Hon.
DzsaFeE E. SicI1Ees.

o., ~.
Through the course of sad events which during
! the last few months have brought 80 much ;lffc-
! ton upon my family, l have been silent. No
amount of misrepresentation affecting myself on
| ly could induce to open my lips nor
could | deem it worth while under any circum-
stances to notice what has been or can be said in
/ journals never regarded the sources the ex-
poncnts of public opinion for in these it is too Of
ten obvious that only unworthy motives prompt
the n1ost Vindictive assaults upon the private life
! of citizens holding public stations. But the edi-
torial comments in the Herald of yesterday. al
| though censOriOus, (of which | do not complain,
whist I read them with regrct,) differ so widely
in tone and temper from the mass Of nonsense
and calumny which has lately been written con-
corning a recent event in my domestic relations,
that cannot allow mistake, into which you
! have beeH led by inaccurate information, to pass
without SUCH a acf[eetio4a as viii relieve othe=s
from any share of the reproaches which it is the
pleasure of the multitude at this moment to heap
upon me and mine.
Referring to the forgiveness which my sense
of duty and my feelings impeled me to extend
to an erring and repentant wife, you observe, in
the course of your temperate and digntied arti
Gle, that ''It is said, however, that the last phase
of the affair was brought about through the adj
vice of his lawyers This is entirely erroneous,
| did not exchange word with Of my coun-
sci upon the subject, nor with any one else
My reconciliation with my wife was my own
act done without consultation with any relative,
connection, friend OF adviser. Whatever blame,
if any belongs to the step should fall alone upon
me- am prepared to defend what have done
before the only tribunals l recognize as having
the slightest claim to jurisdiction the subject
my own concience and the bar of Heavens
am not aware of any statute, code of morals,
which makes it infamous to forgive a woman :;
is it usual to make domestic life a sub
ect of consultation with friends, no matter how
near and dear to us. And cannot allow even
all the whole world combined to dictate to me
reputation Of my wife, when L think it right to
forgive her, and restore her to my confidence
and protection.
If / ever failed to comprehend the utterly desc
late position of an offending though pentcnt wo-
man-the hopeless future, with all its dark posi-
bilitics of danger to which she is doomed when
prescribed outcast-1 can now see plainly
enough u the almost univ ersal howl of dcnuciation
with which she is followed to my Threshold the
misery and perils from which have rescued the
mother of my child. And although it is very
sad for me to incur the blame of friends and the
reproaches ST many wise and good people, shall
strive to prove to all who feel any interest in me,
that if 1 am the first man who has ventured to
say to the world an erring wife and mother may
be forgiven and redeemed, that in spite of all the
obstacles in my path the good results of this eX-
ample will entitle it to the imitation of the gen
erous and the comlnendation of the just.
There are many who think THAT an act of duty,
proceeding solely from affections which only
be comprehended in the heart of husband and
father, is to be fatal to my professional political
and social standing. If this be so, then be it.
Political station professional success, social recog
have seen enough of ,~t,ridT which have
moved, and read e0ough5of the lives of others, to
teach that if one be patient and resolute, it is
the man himself who indicates the place he will
occupy and so long as do nothing worse than to
reunite my family under the roof where they may
find shelter from contumeiy and persecution, do
not fear the noisy but feeting voice of popular
clamor. The multitude except their FIRST impress
sions from a few but in the end think for
themselves, and # l know the human heart-and
sometimes think that in career of mingled SUM-
shine aud storm l have sounded nearly all its
depths-thenI may re-assure those W he look with
reluctant forebodmgs upon my future to be of good
cheer, for viii not cease to vindicate Just claim
to the respect of my fellows; while to- those mot
ley groups, here and there, who look upon my
misfortunes only weapons to be employed for
my destruction, to those say, for all. if
man make coed use of his enemies they will be
as serviceable to him his friends.
In conclusion, let me ask only favor of those
who, from whatever motive, may deem it necessa-
ry or agreeable to comment public or private
upon this sad history and that is, to aim all their
arrows at my breast, and for the sake of my inno-
cent child to spare her yet youthful mother, while
she sccks m sorrow and contrition the mercy and
the pardon of Him to whom sooner or LATER we
must all appeal.
Very respectfully,
Your most obedert servant,
DANIEL f. SICkLES.