Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1884-09-25
'Muche'' Married
Man. &.
Blaine i'm a Letter to the
Public EXplaines That
He Was Twice Sc
cretly Married.

New YORK, Sept. 19-Hon. William
Waiter Phelps takes the responsibility
of giving to the public the following
private letter, addressed to him nearly
two weeks ago:
MY DEAR Mr.. PHELPS have your
favor of the 9th advising me that the
continuous invention and wide circula-
ton of evil reports rendered it advis-
able, in your Judgement, not to wait the
slow process of the law, but to speak
directly to the public in my own vim
dicat'on. In this opinion many others
on whose Judgment I rely, concur. I
shrink instinctively from the sugges-
tion, although 1 feel sure [ could
strengthen the confidence of all who
feel friendly to me and by bringing to
view the simple thread of truth which
is concealed ia this endless tissue of
falsehood. You can imagine how in
expressively painful it must be to dis
cuss ones domestic life in the piess,
although / think with you that, under
the circumstances, could count upon
the, generosity of the public to Justify a
statement which otherwise might seem
Objectionable. I eau, in any event.
safely commit the facts for personal
communication to these friends who
have taken SO delicate and considerate
an interest in my affairs. The leisure
hours of to-day, when our campaign is
ended and we wait only for the cleo
tion, gives me an opportunity for this
prompt reply, and for the following
essential details:
At Georgetown, KY, in the spring of
lS4S, when l was but eighteen years of
age, first met the 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 q speedy
marriage we naturally sought to keep
to ourselves. Two years later, in the
spring of 1850, when L was maturing
plans to leave my profession in Ken
lucky and establish myself elsewhere,
1 was suddenly summoned to Pennsyl-
vania by the death of my father. It
being very doubtful if I could return
to Kentucky, I was threatened with an
indefinite separation from her who
possessed my entire devotion. NV one
wish was to secure her to myself by an
indissoluble tie against every possible
contingency in life, and on the SOth
day of June, 1850, just prior to my de-
parture from Kentucky, we were mar
ried in the presence of chosen and
trusted friends, united by what I know
was in my native State of Pennsylva-
mia perfectly legal form of marriage.
On reaching home I found that nv
family, and especially my bereaved
mother, strongly discountenanced nv
business plans as involving too long a
separation from home and kindred. I
complied with her wish that 1 should
resume for time at least my duties in
Kentucky, whittier 1 returned in the
latter part of August. During the en-
suing winter, induced by misgivings
which were increased by legal consul
tations, l became alarmed lest doubt
might be thrown on the validity of
our marriage, by reason of fnon-compli-
ance with the law of the State where it
occurred, for 1 had learned that the
laws of Kentucky made license, GER
titled to by the clerk of the county
court, an indispensable requisite Of
legal marriage. After much delibera-
ton, and with an anxious desire to
guard in the most effective manner
against any possible embarrassment
from our position, for which
I alone was responsible, we decided
that the simplest and at the same time
the surest way was to repair to Penn
sylvania and have another marriage
service performed. This was done in
the presence of witnesses, in the city of
Pittsburg, in the moltn 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 fifty-four do not defend
the wisdom or prudence of secret
marriage suggested by the ardor and
of youth, but honor and
its purity were inviolate as believe in
the sight of God, and it cannot be
made to appear otherwise by the wick.
ed devices of men. 1t brought to me a
companionship which has been my
chief happiness from my boyhood
years to this hour, and has crowned me
with whatever success / have attained
in life. My eldest child, o son, was
born in his grandmother's house on the
18th day Of June, 1851, in the city of
Me-, and died in her arms
three years later. His remains rep ose
in the cemetery of his native city be-
meath a stone which records his name
and the limits of his innocent life.