The clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1883-1888, 1884-09-24
BIaine's Marriage.

Mr.. BLAINE has written a letter to
WILLIAM WALTER PHELPS, recently
given to the public, in which he states
that he was united in marriage to his
wife on the Both day of June, 1850, in
Kentucky; that during the ensuing
winter induced by misgivings, which
were increased by legal consultation, he
became alarmed lest doubt might be
thrown on the validity of his marriage
by reason of Noncompliance with the
law of the State where it occurred, the
laws of Kentucky making a license
an indispensable requisite of legal
marriage; that after much delibera.
ton he decided that the simplest
and at the same time the surest way
was to repair TO Pennsylvania and have
another marriage service performed
that this was done at Pittsburg in
March, 1851, and that his first child was
born in Augusta, Me-, June Is, 1851
We would not allude to this subject
having as we do no sympathy with the
ISLANDERS of the present campaign,
whether they be laid at the door of Mr..
BLAINE or Governor CLEVELAND, but
to call attention to the fact that Mr..
BLAINE, among other remarkable char
acteristics, is the hero of two secret mar
riages to the same person. 1t is true
that Mr.. BLAINE does not directly
admit that the first marriage was secret,
although he does say, in terms, that the
second was. In his letter, however,
may be found the following language
which must be intended to apply to the
marriage in Kentucky: "At the mature
age of ffty-four 1 do not defend the
wisdom or prudence of a secret marriage
suggested by the ardor and inexperienee
of hot youth, but honor and purity were
inviolate, as l believe, in the sight of
God and cannot be made to appear
otherwise by the wicked devices of men.
1t brought to mea companionship which
has been my chief happiness from boy
hood'syears to this hour, and has crowned
me with whatever of success have
obtained in life" Manifestly this has
reference to the marriage. The reason
for keeping the first marriage secret is
not given. Mr.. BLAINE says that the
second was not made public for obvious
reasons.
We have heard good deal about Mr..
BLAINE's methods, butt seems that his
is character, as the lawyers would call
it, sut generis. His life is full of Incl.
dents which startle and shock, and in
vestigation of it is richly repaid with
disclosures which are at variance with
ordinary human experience.
The conviction has been forced upon
US, no less by the incidents connected
with Mr.. BLAINE's marriage, than by
the disclosures of the Mulligan letters
that he is of all men the master of
trickery.
Since writing the foregoing Mr.
BLAINE has answered the interrogatories
filed by the indianapolis Sentinel in the
libel suit In his answers he states that
the Kentucky marriage was secret,
SARAH G. STAEwooD and S. L. BLAINE
being the witnesses. He omits te give
the name of the minister or other per-
son performing the ceremony, and fails
to say whether the witnesses are dead or
alive. The witnesses to the second mar
riage are given as JOHN v. LEMoYNE
and DAVID BELL, but the answers do
not disclose whether these witnesses are
dead or alive, or whether the marriage
was secret. Strange to say, neither in
the letter to Mr.. PHELPS or in the
answers to the interrogatories, are the
names of the persons who performed the
given,