The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-10-01
Is Blaine's Letter of Confession CajOlery
of a Soft-voiced Lovelace?
IEroun tho paonIa

1t is nearly two months since the Republicans
all over the country and particularly in this city,
and ''manly' course of the plumed knight in
bringing suit against John c. Shoemaker. OF the
inably and false in every statement aud il every
implication"
Alas, the exuItant sensation that went up like
rocket has even soon fallen like the stick! The
closet door in the Blaine household has opened
with a spring and forth steps the ancient family
skeleton draped in some limsy texture of coarse
meshes that signally falls to cOceal its reality.
The readers OF the People will all testify that
since the publication of the Blaine article in the
Sentinel we nave leaned sympathetically toward
Mr.. and Mrs. Blaine. While we said our say con-
corning Blaine's fraudulent public transactions
we bad no encouragement for what was called
1.-THE attack" upon his domestic troubles. But
'sakes alivel" las an old lady OF our acquaintance
said when she finished reading the Blaine letter
and paused TO wipe. her glasses; a more
give away" we never read than this from
the candidate for the Presidency of the United
States. 1t is indeed very difficult for disinter-
ested looker-on to determine Just what course he
would have selected if caught in such a snarl as
now entangles Blaine, but the popular impression
judged plan OF escape. His confession contains
more OF the cajoleIy OF q soft-v0iced LOvelace
than the statement OF an indignant candida e for
high Office. His secret ma rriage was sacred in
the sight OF Heaven il not in that OF men. The
ceremony land what kind of ceremony magma
sans ring sans license sans everything that might
subsIantate IT, but was made holy by mutual
love 6nd mutual VOWS. There were two wit
nesses, Blaine and a Stanwood. and the voices OF
both are hushed in death
Those VOWS, registered in Heaven but not on
EARTH resulted in the distress and shame of poor
Young woman struggling in land far from her
home for respectable maintenance, and the resti-
tuition OF tardy marriage was given her when.
three months before the birth of her child, they
were privately but really married in Pittsburg, in
March, 1851. He pleads the baby act. and begs
consideration for the ardor and impotence of
youth Certainly, Mr.. Blaine, few of Us would be
unwilling to sympathize with and pardon the
errors Of rash young blood, but that is not the
point in question. 1t is not the fol-
lies OF youth we so much deplore as the
hypocrisy OF maturer years and the glazing hypo-
crisy OF the present campaign. NTH this perllous
secret sbRdowing him, as that evil insect the wind
hover, poises above its prey, Blaine has been pos
ing as the yirtuous foil of his bizarre opponent,
sheming Cleveland by show OF white souled
purity. With the sin OF his youth and his dark
ana tortuous public career liable at any time to be
exposed, he was prepared to assume the highest
and public patriot But before the seat was
gained aud the voice of Investigation 81
fenced forever the expose came, the wind
willy, but checkmated. candidate was forced to
make some public explanation. We think he
might have made better impression by making
clean breast of it. He has furnished his enemies
with Delphic sword that cuts both ways, for il
there was a secret marriage in Kentucky, which
not one person in thousand believes 1t was
miserable farce. The young man held position
and possessed intelligence and a thorough infer
nation as TO the laws of the land, which made
absolutely criminal the imposition upon trust
ing girl of what he knew to be perfectly illegal
transaction, and having thus imposed upon
some sort God knows what. he leaves
lie exposure which followed their intercourse.
Nailed down to a point, then, which places him
in the most despicable light-the seducer, who did
execfable betrsyer OF an orphan girl through a
spurious ald invalid marriage?