The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1884-10-03
BLAINE,S LETTER.


He Gives Co a Friend tho Particular n,
Wife.
NEW YORK, September 19.-Hon. William
Walter Phelps takes the responsibility OF
giving to the public the following private let
ter addressed to him nearly two weeks ago.
AUGUSTA. September6, 1854
Ny Dear Nj. Phelps;
have your favor of the 4th advising me
that the continuous invention and wide circu.
lation Of evil reports render it advisable
in your Judgment not to wait the slow
processes of the law, but to speak d.
rectly to the people in my own vindication.
In this opinion many others on whose judg-
ment rely CONCUR. / shrink fnstinetively
from the suggestion. although / feel sure
that could strengthen the confidence 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 inexpressibly painful it must be to dis
cuss ones domestic life in the press, although
j think with you that under the circumstances
Icould count upon the generosity of the public
to justify a statement which otherwise might
seem Objectionable. l can, I'm any even.,
safely commit the facts to you for personal
communication to those friends who have
taken so delicate and SO considerate an in
terest in my affairs. The leisure hour, of to.
day, when our campaign is ended and We
witt only for the election, gives me oppor-
tunity for this prompt reply, and for the fol-
lowing essential details: At Georgetown
KY. in the spring of lSis. when l was but
eighteen years of age, 1 first met the lady
who for more. than thirty-four years has beer
my wife. Our acquaintance resulted al
the end Of six months in an engage
mont, which, without the pros
pect OF speedy marriage. we naturally sought
to keep to ourselves. Two years later. i'm the
spring of 1850, when was maturing plans 10
leave my profession in Kentucky ana estsb-
lish myself elsewhere. was suddenly sum.
moned to Pennsylvania by the death Of my
father. Itbeing very doubtful If could re
indefinite separation from her who possessed
my entire devotion. My one wish was to SO
cure her to myself by an indissoluble
tic against nnd every possible
just prior to my departure from Ken.
lucky, we were, In the presence OF
chosen and trusted friends, united by what ]
know was in my native State of Pennsylvania
a perfectly legal form OF marriage. On reach
ing homo / found that my family, and espe-
cialy my bereaved mother, strongly discoun
tenanced by business plans as involving too
long separation from home and kindred. ]
complied with her wish that should resume
at least for time. my occupation in Ken
lucky, whittier returned in the latter part OF
August. During the ensuing winter. induced
by misgivings, which were increased by legal
consultation, became alarmed lest doubt
might be thrown on the validity of our mar
riage, by reason of noncompliance with the
law of the State wherein it occurred: for had
learned that the laws of Kentucky made s
license, certified by the clerk of the county
court an indispensable requisite of lega
marriage. After much elaboration. and with
an anxious desire to guard in the most effect
ual manner against any possible embarrass
ment resulting from our position for which I
alone was responsible, we decided that the
simplest, and mt the same time the surest way
was to repair to Pennsylvania. and have an
Saser a6 marriage t service TIT
in the month of March. ISL. bot
was not otherwise made public for obvious
reasons. II was solemnized only to secure ri
indisputabie validity. the first marriage by
my wife and myself being always held sacred.
At the mature age Of ffty-four l do not de
fend the wisdom or prudence of secret mar.
riace, suggested by the ardor and inexper-
fence of youth; but its 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. Ii brought II
me a companionship which has been my CHIEF |
happiness from boyhood's years to this hour. |
ever of Success have attained in my lie.
My eldest child. son. was born in his |
grnndmothcr's house on the 18th day of June |
1851, in the city of Augusta, Maine, and died ir |
her arms three years later. His ashes repose |
in the cemetery of his native city beneath
stone which recorded his name and the limits |
of his innocent life. That stone which ha.
stood for almost an entire generation, has
been recently defaced by brutal and sacrile
gious hands.
As q candidate for the Presidency, knew
that / should encounter many forms of
calumny and personal defamation: but ]
confess that did not expect to be called upon
to defend the name of q beloved and hon.
ored wife, who is G mother and n grand
mother, nor did expect that the grave of
my little child would be cruelty dcsecrated.
Against such gross forms of wrong the law
gives no adequate redress. and / know that
in the end my most effective appeal against
the unspeakahle outraCes which resist, must
be to the noble manhood and noble woman
food of 1merica. Very sincerely your FRIEND
JAMES G. HEIJNE.