The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-09-27

cate and so considerate an interest in
my affairs. The leisure hours of to-
day, when our campaign is ended,
and we wait only for the election,
gives me the opportunity for this
prompt reply, and for the following
essential details:
AT Georgetown, KY, in the spring
of 1913, when 1 was but eighteen
years of age, | first met the lady who
for more than thirty. four years has
been my wife. Our acquaintance re-
suited, at the end of six months, in
an engagement, which, without the
prospect of speedy marriage, we nat
orally sought to keep to ourselves.
Two years later, in the spring of 1850,
when | was maturing plans to leave
my profession in Kentucky and es-
tabish myself elsewhere, | was sud.
denly summoned to Pennsylvania by
the death of my father. 1t being very
doubtful if could return to Ken
lucky, l was threatened with an in
definite separation from her who
possessed my entire devotion. My
one wish was to secure her to myself
by an indiSsOluble tie against every
possible contingency in life, and on
the Both day Of June. 1850, just prior
to my departure from Kentucky, we
were, in the presence of chosen and
trusted friends. united by what 1
knew was, in my native state of
Pennsylvania. perfectly legal form
of marriage. On reaching home /
found that my family, and especially
my bereaved mother, strongly dis
countenanced by business plans, as
involving too long a separation from
home and kindred. / complied with
her wish that l should resume, at
least for time, my occupation in
Kentucky, whittier | returned in the
latter part of August. During the en-
suing winter, induced by misgivings
under new responsibilities -miSgiV'
ings which were Increased by Iega
c0nsuItations--I became alarmed lest Z
doubt might he thrown upon the vail
dity of our marriage, by reason ofnOn
compliance with the law of the state
where it had occurred; for had learn
ed that the laws of Kentucky mad,
license certified by the clerk of the
county court an indispensable requis
lite of legal marriage. After much
deliberatiOn, and with an anxious de
sire to guard in the most effectua
manner against any possible tmbar
ressment resulting from our position
for which | alone was responsible
we decided that the simplest, ant
at the same time the surest way, WA
to repair to Pennsylvania and have
another marriage service performed
This was done, in the presence of wit
nesse5 in the city of Pitt5burg, in the
month of March, 1851, hut was no
otherwise made public, for Obvious
reasons. 1t was sOlemnized only t.
secure an indisputable validity-tht
fist marriage being by my wife anC
myself always held sacred. At III,
mature age of fifty-tour | do not de
fend the wisdom or prudence Of I
secret marriage, suggested 10y the ar
dor and the ineXppri ence of youth
but its honor and its purity were in
violate. as believe, in the sight o
GCd, and cannot be made to appear
otherwise by the wicked devices O
men. 1t brought to me a compan
ionship. which has been my chic
happiness from h0yhOnd'S years tt
this hour, and has crowned rae will
whatever of success / have attained
in my life. My eldest chiId-a SON
was born in his grandmother's house
on the 18th day of June, 1851, in the
CITY OF Augusta, Me-, and died in hel
arms three years later. His ashes re
pose in the cemetery of his native
city, beneath a stone which recorded
his name and the limits of his limo
cent life. That stone, which had STOOD
for almost an entire generation, has
been recently defaced by brutal and
sacrilegious hands. AS candidate
for the presidency, / knew that ]
should encounter many forms of cal
umny and personal defamation ; but
l confess that | did not expect to be
called upon to defend the name of a
beloved and honored wife, who is a
mother and a grandmother, nor did
/ expect that the grave of my little
| child would bp prupllV dpCpprate6