The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1884-09-24
BLAINE ADMITS HIS DOUBLE
MARRIAGE.
Curious Letter from a Prcsiden-
riaI Candidate.

The following letter written by Mr..
Blaine 10 Mr.. Walter Phelps, has been
riven to the press. 1t would have been
we'll had it appeared sooocr, as 1t fully
disposes Of the scandal about his forced
marriage. True, be ~singularly omits TO
state who married him the first time, aud
who was present We incline 10 te-
lieye his story true.
AUGUSTA, Ne, Sept. 4, l>>4.
Nv Dear Mr.. Phelps | have received
YOUR favor Of the iuL inst. advising me
that the continuous invention and wide
circulation Of evil reports render II advls-
able. IN your Judgment, not to wait the
slow process Of law. but to speak directly
to the public IN my own vlndlcation. Ia
this opinion many others 90 whose iudg-
ment ] rely concur. | shrink i%ustinc-
lively from the suggestion, though |
feel sure | could strengthen the conf
dence Of all who felt friendly 10 me by
bringing 10 view the simple thread of
truth which Is concealed IN this endless
tissue of falsehood. You can imagine
how inexpresslbly painful IT must be to
discuss ones domestic life IN the press,
although | thi0k with YOU tl.at underline
circumstances | could count upon the
generosity OF the public 10 justify a
statement which otherwise might seem
Objectionable. | eau. ID auy event, safe
IL commit the facts to you for personal
communication TO those friends who have
taken SO delicate and 50 cChsIieratc an
int erest in my affairs.
IT, la,s,,~a haIrs ~ RI do uha,, our
campaign is ended and We wait only for
the election, gives me an opportunity for
this prompt reply and the following es
sential details:
At Georgetown, Ky, ii the spring Of
1913. when | Was but eighteen years Of
age, | first met the lady who ter more
than thirty years has been my wife. Our
acquaintance resulted at the end OF SIX
months In an engagement, which, with
out prospect OF a speedy marriage, we
naturally sought to keep TO ourselves.
Two years later, in the spring of 1870,
when | was maturing plans to leave my
profession in Kentucky and establish
myself elsewhere, | vas suddenly sum
moned to Pennsylvania by the death Of
my father. Il being very doubtful if |
could return to Kentucky, | was threat
ened with an indefinite separation from
her who possessed my entire devotion,
my one wish was to secure her to myself
by an indissoluble tie against every pos
sible contingency in life, and on the 3Oth
day of June, 1886, just prior 10 my de
my departure from Kentucky we were in
the presence Of chosen and trusted friends,
united by what | knew was in my native
State OF Pennsylvania, a perfectly legal
form of marriage. On reaching home |
found that my family, especially my be.
reaved mother, strongly discountenanced
my business plans as involving too long a
separation from home aud kindred. |
complied with her wish.that | should re-
sumo at least for a time my occupation in
Kentucky, whittier | returned 10 the lat
ter part of August. During the ensuing
winter, induced by misgivings under the
new responsibilities, misgiyings which
were increased by legal consultation, |
became alarmed lest doubt might be
thrown upon the validity OF marriage, BY
reason with the non compliance with the
laws of the State where it had occurred
for | learned that the law of Kentucky
make a license certified BY the Clerk Of
the Court an indispensable requisite Of
legal marriage. After much delibera-
tions and With an anxious desire to guard
in the most efrectual m.nLGg against any
possible embarrassment resulting from
our position, for which | decided the
surest way was to repair TO Penn>yl
vania and have another marriage service
performed. This was done in the city of
PIttsburg in the month OF March, 1851,
but was not otherwise made public for
obvious reasons 1t was solemnized only
to secure an indisputabie validity, the
first marriage always being held sacred
by my wife and myself. At the mature
age of a | do not defend the wisdom or
prudence OF such marriages suggested by
the ardor and inexperience OF youth, but
its honor anG !ts purity were inviolate, as
| believe in the sight of God and cannot
be made to appear otherwise by the
wicked devices of men. 1t brought to
me the companionship which has been
my chief happiness from boyhood's years
to this hour and has crowned ne with
whatever success | have attained in life.
My oldest child, a son, was born in his
grandmother's house on the 18th day Of
June, 1851. In the city of Augusta, Ne,
and died in her arms 3 years later. His
ashes repose in the cemetery of his ma
tive city beneath a stone which records
his mann and the limits of his innocent
life. This entire generation has been re-
Gently def4cad by brutal and sacriligiou-