The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-09-24
BLAINEs DOMESTIC LiFE.
The circumstances OF His Double
Marriage.

dressed to nm nearly two weeks
ago:
AUGUSTA. September 6, 1SS4.-My
Dear Mr.. Phelps: | have your fa-
vor of the 18th, advising me that
''the continuous invention and wide
circulation of evil reports render il
advisable Gin your Judgment not to
wait the slow process of the law, but
to speak directly to the public in
my own vindication." In this opin-
ion many others, on whose Judgment
| rely, concur.
l shrink instinctivelv from the
suggestion, although l feel sure l
could strengthen the confidence of
Iall who felt friendly to me by bring
to view the simple thread of truth
which is concealed in this endless
tissue of falsehood. You can imag-
inc how inexpressibly painful it
must be to discuss ones domestic
life in the press, although | think
with you that under the circumstan-
ces / could count upon the generosi-
ty Of the public to justify a state
ment which otherwise might seem
Objectionable. | can, in any event
safely commit the facts to you for
personal communication to those
friends who have taken so delicate
an interest in my affairs. The leis-
ure hours of to-day, when our cam
paign is ended and we wait only for
the election, gives me the opportu-
nifty for this prompt reply and for
the following essential details:
At Georgetown Kentucky, in the
spring of1S4S, when | was but IS
years of age. first met the lady
who for more than thirty-four years
has been my wife. Our acquain-
tance resulted, at the end of six
months, in an engagement, which,
without the prospect of speedy mar
riage, we naturally sought to keep
to ourselves. Two years later, in
the spring of 1850, when / was ma
turing plans to leave my profession
in Kentucky and establish myself
elsewhere, i was suddenly summon
to Pennsylvania by the death of my
father, 1t being very doubtful if I
could return to Kentucky, | was
threatened with indefinite separa-
ton from her who possessed my en-
tire devotion. My one wish was to
secure her to myself by an indissoIu-
bic tie against every possible contin-
gencv in life, and on the Both day
of June, 1850, just prior to my de-
parture from Kentucky, 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 of mar
riage.
On reaching home / found that
my family, and especially my below
mother. strongly discountpnanced
my business plans, as INVOLVING too
long a separation from home and
kindred. ! complied with her wish
that / should resume, at least for
time, to my occupation in Kentucky, |
whittier / returned in the latter part
of August,
During the ensuing winter, in
dueed by misgivings which were in
creased by legal consultations be-
came alarmed lest doubt might be
thrown upon the validity of our
marriage by reason of non-compli-
once with the law of the State where
it had occurred, for | had learned
that the laws of Kentucky made b
license certified by the clerk of the /
County Court an indispensable req
uisite Of a legal marriage, After
much deliberatinn, and with en- anx-
ious desire to guard in the most ef-
fectual manner against any possi-
BILE embarrassment resulting from
our pJsition-for which | alone was
responsible-we decided that the
simplest and at the same time the
surest way was to repair to Pennsyl-
vania and have another marriage
service performed. This was done,
in the presence of witnesses. in the
city of Pittsburg, in the month Of !
March, 1851, but was not otherwise
made public for obvious reasons. (,
1t was solemnized only to secure an ]
indisputable validity, the first mar !
riage being by my wife and myself
always held sacred. At the mature
age of 81 | do not defend the wis
dom or prudence of secret marriage
by the ardor and the mex
perience of youth but its honor
and its purity were inviolate. as |
believe. in the sight OF God, and can
not be made to appear otherwise by
the wicked devices of men. 1t
brought to me companionship
which has been my chief happiness
from boy hoods years to this hour,
and has crowned me with whatever
of success / have attained in
life
NV eldest child-a son-was born
in his grandmother's house, on the
18th day Of June, 1851, In the city
Of Augusta, Maine, and died in her
arms three years later. His ashes
repose in the cemetery Of his native
city, beneath stone which records
his name and the limits OF his inno-
cent life. That stone, which had
stood for almost an entire generation
has has been recently defaced by
brutal and sacrilegious hands.
As a candidate for the presidency
knew that | should encounter ma
ny forms of calumny and personal
defamation, but l confess that |
did not expect to be called upon to de-
fend the reputation of a beloved and
honored wife, who is mother and
grandmother; nor did | expect that
he grave of my little child would
be cruelty desecrated. Against such
gross forms of wrong the law gives
no adequate redress, and l know
that in the end my most effective
appeal against the unspeakable out
rage which / resist, must be to the
noble manhood and noble woman
hood of America. Your friend very
JAMES G. BLAINE.