Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1884-09-23

We have studiously avoided Civ
ing space to the details of the Blaine
scandal, because we believe that
whether true or false, such issues
should not be made to cut figure
in national campaigns. We, how
ever, give the latest developments in
to-day's paper, in order to show that
Mr.. Blaine has hecn convicted of
falSchood. When the indianapolis
Sentinel charged gross irregularity
in Mr.. Blainc's matrimonial alliance
he at once instituted suit and declared,
the story is utterly and a6omindJiy
false an every statement and an its e.
cry implication" This all sounded
well and the Republicans checred
Justify. This was Aug. ID, and on
Sept. II, when forced to do so by due
process Of law, he admits upon oath
the truth of all the material facts in
the Sentinel's article. On Sept. 6,
he wrote a private letter to VIM.
Walter Phelps, which lie has since
made public, from which the follow
ing is an extract:
"On the Both day of June, 1850,
just prior to my departure from Ken
lucky, 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 otmarriage. On reaching home
| found that my family, aud especial
ly my bercavcd mother, strongly dis
countenanced my business plans, as
involving too long separation from
home and kindred. complied with
her wish that | should resume, al
least for a time, my occupation in
Kentucky, whittier | returned in the
latter part of August. During the
ensuing winter, induced by misgiv-
ings which were increased by legal
consultations, | became alarmed lest
a doubt might be thrown on the va
lidity Of our marriage, by reason of
noncompliance with the laws of the
State where it occurred, for had
learned that the laws of Kentucky
made license, certified by the Clerk
of the County Court, an indispensi-
BILE requisite of legal marriage. After
much dclibCration, and with an any
ious desire TO guard in the most eff
fectual manner against any possible
embarrassment resulting from our po-
sition, for which | alone was respon-
sible, we decided that the simplest,
and, at the same time, the surest way
vas to repair to Pennsylvania and
have another marriage service per-
formed. This was done, in the pres.
encc of witnesses, in the city Of Pitts.
burgh, i'll the month of March, 1851,
but was not otherwise made public,
for obvious reasons. 1t was solemni-
zed only to secure AN indisputable va
,idity, the first marriage being by
my wife and myself always held sa-
cred.
"At the mature age of "a | do not
defend the wisdom or prudence Of a
secret marriage suggested by the ar
dor and ineXpcriemce of youth, but
honor and its purity were inviolatc
as | believe, in the sight Of God
My eldest child, a son, was
born in his grandmother's house, on
the 18th day Of June, 1851, in the city
of Augusta, Me-"
In speaking of his confession, the
Louisville Times truly and pointedly
says:
So there were two secret marriage,
instead of one, the first without au.
thority of law, as Mr.. Blaine mus
have learned during his two years vi
residence in the State prior to the al
legged and so-called marriage, and The
last consummated less than three
months before the birth of a child
This is admitting the one essentia
count in the Sentinel's Indictment
which had been denounced three
weeks before as utterly and abomni
ably false in eUely statement and il
its every implication. After Sc
sweeping DENIAL, this Plume(
Knight, who Wanted his determine
ton to defend the honor of his famil,
with his life, resorts to roundabout
method Of "bringing to view the sim
pie thread Of TRUTH running through
story utterly and abominably falls,
in its every statement and implica
ton Was there ever a more humili
ating example of bravado, cowardic
and confession, unless it is to b
found in the same mans conduc
when detected in the prostitution 0
his official position to private gains
Since the days of Ananias, has an,
; other historical character committe,
"mistakes" more "terrible" than Jas
q. Dlaine's "when he stood up in tn
House and squarely lied about his re
lations with CALDWELL" and agai
stands up before the whole countr
and confcsses that he squarely lie,
about his relations with "a lady win
for more than thirty-four years ha
been his wife,"