The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-09-25
BLAINE's DEFENCE.
His Exp lnnation Of tho Charges Made
- Against Him.

~ Two weeks aRo
AUGUSTA, September 6, 1SS4.-My
dear Mr.. Phelps: have your favor of
the 4th, advising me that ''the continu.
GUS invention and wide circulation of
evil reports render it advisable (in your
iudgment) not to wait the slow process OF
the law, but to speak directly to the pub.
lie in my own vindication.": In this
opinion many others on WHOSE judgment
I rely concur. shrink instinctiyely
from the suggestion, though / feel sure :!
could strengthen the confidence of all
who felt friendly to me by bringing to
view the simple thread of truth which is
concealed insthis endless tissue of false.
hood. Yoncan imagine how inexpressi.
bly painful it must be to discuss ones
domestic lie in the press, although l
think with you that under the circum'
stances could count upon the generosity
of the public to justify the statement
which otherwise might seem objectiona.
BILE. I can in any event safely commit
facts to you for personal communication
to those friends who have taken so deli.
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 oppo:'
tunity for this prompt reply and the fol-
lowing essential details: At Georgetown,
KY, in the spring of 1S4S, when / was
but eighteen years of. age, ] first met tho
lady who for more than thirty.four years
has been my wife. Our acquaintance
resulted at the end of 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, l was
suddenly summoned to Pennsylvania by
the death of my father. 1t being very
doubtful if could return to Kentucky,
/ was threatened with an indefinite sep.
aration 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 thirtieth day of June, 1850,
just prior to my departure from Kentucky,
We were, in. the presence of chosen and
trusted friends, united by what I knew
was, in my native State of Pennsylvania,
8 perfectly legal form Of marriage. On
reaching home I found that my family,
and especially. my bereaved mother,
strongly discountenanced my, business
plans, as involving too long separation
from home and kindred. I complied
with her wish that I should resume, at
least for time, my occupation in Ken
tucky, where I,returned in the latter part
of August. During the ensuing winter,
induced by misgiviugs under new respon'
sibilities, misgivings which were iocreas-
ed by legal consultations, l became
alarmed lest doubt might be thrown upon
the validity of our marriage by reason OF
the non compliance with the laws 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, indispensable requisite
of legal marrisge. After much deliber.
alton and with an anxious desire to guard
in the most sfectual manner against any
possible, embarrassment resulting from
our position, for which alone was re.
sponsible, we decided that the simplest
and at the same time surest way was to
repair to Pennsylvania 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 marriage being by my wife and
myself always held sacred. At the ma.
ture age Of 81, l do not defend the wis
dom or prudence of the secret marriage
suggested by the ardor and inexperience
of youth, but its honor and its purity
we're inviolate as I believe 10 the sight of
God and cannot be made to appear other
wise by the wicked devices of men.
It brought to me q companionship
which has been my chief happiness from
boyhood's years to this year, and has
crowned me with whatever success have
attained in life. My eldest child, 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
a stone which recorded his name and the
limit of his innocent life. That stone,
which had stood for almost all entire
generation, has been recently defaced by
brutal and sacriligeous hands.
As candidate for the Presidency, l
knew that should encounter many
forms of calumDy and personal defama'
ton, but confess that / did not expect
to be called upon to defend the name of
the beloved and honored wife, who is a
mother snd grand. mother. nor did ex.
pect that the 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 outrages which l resist,
must be TO the noble manhood and noble
womanhood of America. Your friend,
very sincerely,
JAMES G. BLAINE.
------aks.---