The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1884-09-24
Montana. Wednesday, September 24, 1884.

of to-day, when our campaign is at an
end and we wait only for the election,
gives me an opportunity for this prompt
reply and for the following essential de-
tails:
At Georgetown, Kentucky in the
spring of lS4S, when | was about Is years
OF age, [ first met the lady who for more
than "a years has been my wife. Our
acquaintance resulted at the end Of six
months in an engagement, which,
with noprospect speedy marriage, we
naturally sought to keep ourselves. Two
years later, in the spring of 1850, when
L was maturing plans to leave my pro-
tession i'll kentucky and establish my
self elsewhere, [ was suddenly summon
ed to Pennsylvania by the death Of my
father. L being very doubtful If L
could return to kentucky, 1 was threat
ened with an indefinite separation from
her Who possessed my entire devotion.
My one wish was to secure her to myself
by all indlssoluble tie against every
possible contingency in lie, and on the
3Oth day of June, 1850, just prior to my
departure from Kentucky, we were, in
the presence Of chosen and trusted
friends, united by what | know was in
my native state OF Pennsylvania a per-
feet legal form of marriage. On reaching
home L found my family, and especially
my bereaved mother strongly discoun-
tenanced my business plans as involv
ing too long separation from home and
kindred. 1 complied with her wish
that [ should resume for time at least
my occupation in Kentucky, whittier |
returned in the latter part Of August.
During the ensuing winter, induced by
misgivings which were increased by le-
gal consultation, became alarmed lest
doubt might be thrown upon the vail
dity of our marriage by reason Of non
compliance with the law of the state
where it had occurred, for had learned
that the laws of Kentucky made
license certified by the clerk of the
county court an indisputable requisite
OF q legal marriage. After much de-
liberation and with an anxious desire
to guard in the most efectual manner
against any embarrassment resulting
from a position for which [ alone was re-
sponsible, we decided that the simplest
was to repair Immediately to Pennsyl-
vania and have another marriage service
performed. This was done in the pres
ence Of witnesses in the city of Pittsburg
in the month Of March, 1851, but was
not otherwise made public for obvious
reasons. 1t was solmenized only to
secure an indisputable validity, the
first marriage being by my wife and
myself always held sacred. At the ma
ture age of fifty-four do not defend the
wisdom or prudence of secret marriage
suggested by the ardor and experience
of youth, but it's honor and it's purity
were inviolate, as / believe, in the
sight of God, and cannot be made to ap-
pear otherwise by the wicked devices of
men. It brought to me companionship
which has been my chief happiness
from boyhood's years to this hour, and
has crowned me with whatever success
have attained in life. My eldest
child, a son was born in his grand
mothers house on the 18th dav 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 utmost
life. That stone, which had stood for
almost an entire generation, has been
recently defaced by brutal and sacri-
ligious hands
AS candidate for the presidency [
knew that [ should encounter many
forms Of calumny and personal defama-
ton, but confess that did not expect
to be called upon to defend the name Of
my beloved wife, who is a mother and a
grandmother. Nor did I expect that
the grave of my little child would be
cruelty desecrated. Against such gross
forms Of wrong, the law gives no adj
equate redress. Aad I know that in the
end my most effective appeal against
the unspeakable outrages which / resist,
must be to the noble manhood and
noble Womanhood of America.
Your friend, very sincerely,
JAMES G.. BLAINE.
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