The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1869-08-25

nrst VINO had heard OF it. AS yet there
is an utter absence of fact or ciroum-
stance to sustain the horrible charge,
and the verdict of the world, upon the
case as it stands now, will be that it rests
wholly upon the unsupported assertion
OF woman who was forced to give some
! extraordinary explanation of her unfor-
giving conduct towards her husband"
The Courier Journal pursues the theme
with indignation and pours the seven
vials of wrath upon the perpetrator of
this scandal and the publisher of it. It
says;
"a mystery has hung over the subject
for half century, and Mrs. Stowe pro-
fesses to reveal it. The professed reve-
lation is most revolving. The illustrious
poet, we are asked to believe, was guilty
of habitual and long-continued incest
with his.sister, and had child by her,
who died in Lady Byron's arms years
afterward when Byron was q wanderer
in self.exile from his country. But this,
even if true, is not, as it purports to be,
an explanation of the separation of Lord
and Lady Byron. According to the
statement, Lady Byron was anxious to
the last to live with her husband, and it
was he who rudely rent the conjugal ties
asunder. Now if she knew him to be
guilty of the horrible crime of incest, it
was reason enough why she should
abandon him, but surely no reason ut
all why he should abandon her, and seek
to make her his enemy, especially if, as
is represented, he was terribly anxious
for the concealment of his guilt, and she
was the only person who had the power
to reveal it. We do not believe that, if
she had known him to be living in the
commission of incentuous acts, she
would have been so unwomanly as to re-
main with him for years, as she is said to
have done, or even for n single day. The
woman who lives with m incestuous
husband seems not many degrees remov-
ed from incest. The very thought is re-
voting to human nature.
Mrs Stowe says, that, when she was
in Europe, she made the acquaintance of
Lady Byron, and, that the latter confidei
to her the whole story of the relations
between herself and Lord Byron, with
permission to publish it at some after
period if events should render the publi-
cation necessary. Unwilling to question
Mrs. Stoves personal veracity, we shall
not dwell upon the intrinsic improba-
bility that Lady Byron, passing by all
her thousands of distinguished and
trusted acquaintances, would select an
American woman, little more than n
stranger to her, to perform this exceed
lngly delicate and important service ac-
cording to her own discretion. But, if
authority was given to publish the story
in the event of the publication becom-
ing necessary, the authority has been
grossly abused. The publication cannot
be considered MS either necessary or
proper. It can do no good to any one.
So far as believed, it Injuries all to whom
it refers. It dishonors the memory of
both husband and wife, The excuse
offered by Mrs. S. for the publication at
this time is the appearance of a Life of
Byron by the Countess Guiccioli, once
his mistress, who. as Mrs. s. alleges. at
tacks Lady Byron. But the Countess
volume has been before the public more
than two years, and it contains not one
word calculated or intended to disparage
Lady Byron. Mrs. Stoves article was
wholly uncalled for. 1t is q disgusting
intrusion. It seems to have been sug-
gested by no worthier thought than that
it would add to the writer's own impor-
tauce.
"Mrs. Stowe tells the world that Lady
Byron loved her husband devotedly
throughout all his life, although sepa-
rated from him, and had no doubt, after
his death, that he was purified angel in
Heaven. If suohlwere her thoughts of
him, if she revered his memory and be-
lieved that he was dweller in the abodes
of the blessed, how can it be supposed
that she would deliberately furnish the
materials for the publication, after her
death, of an article calculated and de-
signed to blast his mighty fame, 80 fond
y and psssionately cherished by herself,
throughout all the future ages How
could she, clinging almost wildly to his
memory, and deeming him shining star
in the paradise of God, seek to make his
name, one of the loftiest of all time,
scorn, a by-word, and curse in the
mouths OF the generations Did she do
these things
owe find in Mrs. Stoves publication
no explanation of the means by which
Lady Byron became acquainted with the
revolving secret of her husbands incest
with his sister. Certainly others knew
nothing about it, and she was the very
one from whom, of all persons then
living, he must have been the most
anxious to conceal it. And yet we are
expected to believe that she was the only
one acquainted with it. If she had
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