The Portland daily press., 1884-09-20
FRANKLY SPOKEN.
Mr.. Blaine Closes the Mouth of
His Calumniators.
A CHAPTER OF HIS EARLY HIS
TORY RELATED BY HEMsELF.

NEW YORK, Sept. 19.-Wm. Walter Phelps
takes the responsibility of giving to the public
the following private letter addressed to him
nearly two weeks ago:
AUGUSTA, Sept. 6, 1884.
My Dear Mr.. Phelps:
have your favor of the 4th advising me
that 'the continuous invention and wide cir
culation OF evil reports render 1t advisable Tin
your 1udgement) not TO wait tho slow process
of law but to speak directly to the public in
my own Vindication." In this opinion, many
others on whose Judgment rely, concur.
shrink instDctively from the suggestion al
though feel sure l could strengthen the con-
fidence of all who feel friendly to me by
bringing to view the simple thread of truth
which is concealed in this endless tissue of
falsehood. You can imagine how inexpressi-
bly, painful it must be to discuss ones domestic
life in the press, although think with you
that under tho circumstances / could count
upon the generosity of the public TO Justify the
statsmentswhich otherwise might seem objac.
tiorable. l can in any event safely commit
the facts to you Tor personal communication to
those friends who have taken SO delicate and
SO .Considerale an interest in my affairs. The
leisure hours If to-day when our campaign is
ended and y g wait only for the election gives
me opportunity for this prompt reply, and for
the GLOWING essential details:
At Georgetown, KY, il the spring OF lS4S
when was but Is years of age 1 first met the
lady who for more than 81 years has been nv
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 I was maturing
plans to leave my profession in Kentucky and
establish myself elsewhere | was suddenly
summoned to Pennsylvania by the death of
my father. 1t being very doubtful if 1 could
return to Kentucky, l was threatened with
an indefinite separation from her who possess
sed my entire devotion and my own wish was
to secure her 10 myself by an indissoluble tie
against every possible contingency in life, and
on the Both day OF June, $780, jast prior to my
departure from Kentucky we were, in the
presence of chosen and trusted friends united
by what I know was in my native State of
Pennsylvania perfectly legal form of mar
riage. On reaching home / found that nv
family, and especially my hereaved mother,
strongly discountenanced my business plans
as involving too long separation from home
and kindred and l complied with her wish
that should resume at least for time nv
occupation in Kentucky whittier l returned in
the latter part of August During the ensuing
winter induced by misgivings under now re-
sponsbllities, misgivings which were increased
by legal consultation, became alarmed lest
doubt might be thrown upon the validity of
our marriage by reason of noncompliance 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 indispensable requisite of le-
gal marriage, and after much deiiberat;on and
with an anxious desire to guard in the most
eHectual manner against any possible embar-
rasSmet resulting from our position, for which
alone was responsible, we decided that the
simplest and at the same time the surest way
was to repair to Pennsylvania and have anoth-
er marriage service performed. This was done
In the presence OF witnesses in the city OF Pitts
burg in the month of March, 1851. but was mot
OthBrUigA ma0n nm hiH for T.
was solemnizsd only to secure the indisputa-
bic validity of the first marriage being bv NV
wife and myself always held sacred. At the
matured age OF "a do not defend the wisdom
or prudence OF the secret marriage suggested
by the ardor and inexperience of youth, but
its honor and purity were inviolate, as be-
lieve. in the sight of God, and cannot be made
to appear otherwise by the wicked devices of
men. 1t brought to me a companionsbip
which has been my chief happiness from bow
hoods years to this hour, and has crowned me
with whatever OF success 1 have attained in
life. -
My eldest child, son, was born in his grand
mothers house, on the 18th day of June, 1851,
in the city of Augusta, Me-, and died in her
arms three years later. His ashes repose in tine
cemetery OF his native city, beneath stone
which recorded mis- name and the limits of his
innocent life. That stone, which had stood
for almost an entire generation, has been re-
Gently defaeed By brutal and sacrilegious
hands. 'o~'
AS candidate for tho Presidency, 1 knew
that should encounter many forms of calum-
ny and personal defamation, but confess that
did not expect to be called upon to defend
the name of beloved and honored wife, who
is mother and grandmother, nor did L 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 in the end my most effective
appeal against the unspeakable outrages which
l resist, must be to the NOBLE manhood and no.
BILE womanhood of America.
Your friend, very sincerely,
JAMES G. BLAINE,