The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1884-09-25


Nav ToRK, Sept. 19.-Hon. VIM.
Waller Phelps takes the responsibility
OF giving TO the public the following
private letter addressed to him two
weeks ago:
AUGUSTA. Me-. Sept. 9. 16S4.-MY
DEAR Mr.. PHELPs: ! have your favor
of the 11th advising me that the contin-
uous invention and wide circulation OF
evil reports render il ADVISABLE, in your
judgment, not to wait the slow process
Of the law, but TO speak direct to the
public IN my own vindIcation. In this
opinion many others on whose judg-
menf rely concur. l shrink instinct
lively from the suggestion. although /
feel sure could strengthen the con-
fidence of all who feel friendly
TO me by bringing to view
the simple truth which is concealed in
this endless tissue of falsehood. You
can imagine how inexpresslbly painful
1t must be to discuss ones domestic life
In the press. Although / think with
you that under the circumstances could
count upon the generosity Of the public
to justify statement which otherwise
might have been Objectionable car
in any event commit the facts to YOU
for personal communication to thoss
friends who have taken SO delicate and
so consIderste an interest in my affairs
The leisure hours of to-day, when ouI
campaign is ended and we wait only fol
the election, give me an opportunity fol
this prompt reply. and for the following
essential details:
at Georgetown, KY, In the spring o.
l04S, when was but eighteen years o.
age, l first met the lady, who for more
than thirty-fonr years has been my wife
Our acquaintance resulted at the end o.
SIX months In an engagement which
without the prospect of speedy marriage
We naturally sought to keep to ourselves
Two years later, in the spring of 1850
when was maturing. plans to leave my
profession In Kentucky, and establish
myself elsewhere, was suddenly sum
moned to Pennsylvania by the death O.
ny father, # being very doubtful If
could return to Kentucky. / was threat
ened by an indefinite separation from
her VINO possessed my entire devotion
My one wish was to secure her to my
self by an indIssoluble tie against every
possible contingency in life, and on the
Both OF June, 1850, just prior to my
departure from Kentucky, we were
in the presence of chosen
what knew was in my native state Of
Pennsylvania, a perfectly legal form OF
marriage. On reaching home l found
that my family, and especially my be-
reaVed mother, strongly discOuntenanced
my business plans as involving too long
separation from home and kindred.
complied with her wish that | should
resume, at least for a time, my occupa-
ton In Kentucky, and with her l re.
turned IN the latter part of August
During the ensuing winter, inauced by
misgIvings, which were increased by
legal consultations, l became alarmed
lest doubt might be thrown on the
validity Of our marriage by reason Of
noncompliance with the law OF the state
where it occurred, for had learned that
the laws of Kentucky made q
license certified by the clerk of the
county court an indispensable requisite
of legal marriage. After much deIiber-
alton, and with an anxious desire to
guard in the most effectual manner
against any possible embarrassment re-
sulting from our position, for which !
alone was responsible, we decided that
the simplest and at the same time the
surest way was to repair to PennsYlva-
MIA and have another marriage ceremo-
ny performed. This was done in the
presence of witnesses in the city of Pitts
burg in the month OF March, 1851, but
was not otherwise made public for OBJ
VIous reasons. II was solemnized only
to secure an indIsputable validity, the
first marriage being by my wife and my
self always held sacred. At the mature
age of "a do not defend the wisdom or
prudence of secret marriage suggested
by the ardor and inexperience of youth,
but honor and its 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 cOmpanionship which has been
my chief happiness from boyhood's
years to this hour, and has
crowned me with whatever of success /
have attained in life. My eldest child,
son, was born at his grandmother's
house on the 18th day of June, 1851, in
tAe CITY of Augusta, Ne, and died in
her arms three years later. His ashes
repose in the cemetery of his native city
beneath a stone which recorded his
name and the limit of his innocent life.
That stone which has stood for almost
an entire generation, has been recently
defaced by brutal and sacrjligious
hands. AS a candidate for the presl.
dencY knew that l should encounter
many forms OF cslumny and personal
defamation, but confess l did not ex-
pect 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 be cruelty desecrated
Against such gross forms of wrong the
law gives no adequate redress, and ]
know that In the end my most effective
appeal against the unspeakable outrages
which l resist must be to the noble
manhood and noble womanhood OF
America.
Very sincerely your friend,
JAMES G. BLAINE.