The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-09-25
BLAGNE'S DBPENCE.
His zpInnation of tho Charges Made
AgnInst Him.

ing private letter addressed to him near.
Iy two weeks ago:
AUGUSTA, September 6, !ss!.-My
dear Mr.. Phelps: have your favor OF
the 4th, advising me that 1.-THE continu.
GUS invention and wide circulation of
evil reports render it advisable (in your
judgment) not to wait the slow process of
the Law, but TO speak directly to the pub
opinion many others Oil whpae judgment
! rely concur. shrink inslinctively
from The suggestion, though l 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 in this endless tissue of false.
hood. You can imagine how inexpressi.
by painful it must be to discuss one 9
domeHtic life in the press, although
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.
ole. ! can in any event safely commit
facts to you for personal communication
10 those friends who have taken so deli
cate aud so considerate an interest in my
af1airs. The leisure houra Of To day,
when our campaign is ended and We wait
only for the election, gives me the oppor-
tunity for this prompt reply and the fol.
lowing essential details: At Georgetown,
Ky, in the spring of l848, when l was
but eighteen years of age, first met the
lady who for more thau 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 myaelf elsewhere, I vea
euddea'y summoned to Pennsylyapia by
the death Of my father. 1t being very
doubtful il 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 tho thiTiieih DAY OF yune, 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,
a perfectly legal form of marriage. On
reaching homo found that my family,
and especially my bereaved mother,
strongly discountenanccd my business
plans, as involving too long q separation
from home and kindred. complied
with her wish that should reaume, at
least for time, my occupation in Ken
lucky, where returned in the latter part
Of August. During the ensuing winter.
induced by misgivings under new respon.
eibilities, misgivings which were ipcreas.
ed by legal consultations, became
alarmed lest doubt might be thrown upon
the validity of our marriage BY reason OF
the ron compliance with The laws Of tho
State where II had occurred, for i,ad
learned that the lava OF Kentucky made
license certified by the clerk of tho
Of legal marriage. After much deliber-
alton and With an anxious desire to guard
in the most efectual manner against any
possible embarrassment resulting from
bur position, for which alone was re-.
eponsible, we desided that the simplest
ana at the same time Burest way was to
repair to Pennsylvania and have another
marriage, seruiGn performed. This was
done IN the presence of witnesses in the
city of Pittsburg in the month Of March,
1851, but was aot otherwise made public
for obvious reasons. 1t was solemni1ed
only to secure an indisputable validity,
the Grst marriage being by my wife and
myself Always held sacred. At the mn.
ture ago Of "a, I do not defend the wis.
dom or prudence of the secret marriage
suggested by the ardor and inexperience
or youth, but its honor aud It's purity
were inviolate as I believe in the sight OF
God and cannot be made 70 appear other.
wise by the wicked devices Of men.
Il brought to me q companiouship
which has been my chief happiness from,
boyhood's years to this year, and has
crowned mo with whatever success have
attained in life. Ny eldest child, q 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
q stone which recorded bis name and the
limit OF bis innocent life. That atone.
which had, stood for, almost an entire
generation, has been recently defaced by
brutal and ascriligeous handa.
40 Q candidate for tho Presidency. i
knew TINT I should, encounter ;imanv
forms Of calntnny and persousl defame.
lion, but confess that did not expect
TO be called upon TO defend the name Of
tLSS beloved and hopored wife. who Ia n
mother and grand. mother, nor did I 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 / know that iu
the end my most efsctive appeal against
tho unspenkabl6 olifrayea yzhich realst