Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1884-09-20
WILLY WALLY PHELPS.
LErrEE THAT BLAINE wuvru u,n.
The Msiao ststesman HeArt,in In uit uun
befense-His tory Uf tho 1wu MAR
rlages win nj. x.Iy,


riages Win hi. Wiz.
Hon. William Walter Phelpa takes thu
responsibility Of giving to the public the
following private letter, addressed 60 him
nearly two weeks ago:
AUGUSTA, September 0, lSSi-My Dear
MIR. Phelps | have your favor OF tho ith,
advising me that ''the continuous inNeu.
tion and wide circulation of Cvn rppyrts
render it advisable Gin your .iudgmoutl not
to wait tho slow process of tho law. but to
speak directly to the public in my own
vindtcation.' lnthis opinion many others,
on whose judgment | rely, concur.
L shrink instinctiyely from tho tuggGs-
ton, although 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 falsehood. You can imagine how
inexpressibly painful it must be to discuss
ones domestic life in the press, although
l think, with you, that under the circum.
stances could count upon the generosity
of the public to Justify u statement which
otherwise might seem Objectionable.
can, in any event safely commit the facts
to you for personal communication to those
friends who have taken SO delicate aud SO
considerate an interest in my affairs. The
leisure hours OF to day, when our campaign
is ended and VIC wait only for the election,
gives me the opportunity for this prompt
reply and for the following essential do
tails:
At Georgetown, Kentucky, in the srring
OF lS4S, when | was but Is years OF age |
first met the lady who for moro than thirty
four years has been my wife. Oar aCQuaint
ance resulted, at the end OF six months, IN
an engagement, which, without the pros
pect 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 aud establish myself elsewhere,
| was suddenly summoned to Penney.
vania by the death of my father. 1t being
| very doubtful ii could return TO Ken
tucky, | was threatened with an indefinite
| separation from her who possessed my
entire devotion. My one wish was to secure
| her to myself BY aD iudissoluble tic against
every possible contingency in life, and o.
tho Both day of June, 1850, Just prior ia
my departure from Kentucky, wo were, in
the presence of chosen aud trusted friends,
united by what knew was, in nv native
state of Pennsylvania, O perfectly iesa'
form Of marriage.
| On reaching home l found that ny
family, and especially my bereayci
mother, strongly discOuntenGnoed my
business plans, "a involving too long q
separation from homo and kindred.
complied with her wish that I should re
sumo, at least for timo, my occupation
! in Kentucky, whittier | returned IN tn,
lattor part of August.
During tho ensuing winter, .nfucGd by
misgivlngs under ne" possibilities
rnigivings which were increased by legal
consulta: .ons-I became alarmed less {
doubt n Tht be thrown upon the validity
OF our IL !riage by reason OF non com
phance with the law Of the state where il
had occurred, for ! had learned that th,
laws OF Kentucky made q license certified
py the ci5Ei. of the county court an inds
penSaele = ~Irisi.a CT ! legal r.arriagn
After much d0li-crAsiou, aud with NJ
anxious desire 80 gUIld in The Eos,
edectuc. manner .-.us L-Y possible EN-
oarrassment resulting i.o,n Cur position
Tor which / alOEo was Fe5 J4usible- a. DO
eided that tho simplsGs aud q. the GGmi
time the surest way was tnrcplir 20 FeaE
sylvania and have anOtLaC r7T,iI.
service performed. This was done, i1 IT,;
presence of witnesses, in tbs CitY az FigtI
burg, in the month OF March, t-ji, lu
was not otherwise made rgbli
for obvious rUaEons.- H -l+-E..2 lyl
emnized only to secure an UuG..pLt
able validity, the first marriage beiO,
by my wife and myself always held sacred
AT the mature age Of 81 l do not dCfcn,
the wisdom or prudence of a secret mar
riage suggested by the ardor and ,he in
experience of youth but its honor ant
its purity were iuviolste, as ! believe, il
the. .sight of God, and cannot be made t
appear otherwise by the wicked devices 0
men. 1t brought to mo q cOmpantonshil
which has been my chief happiness from
boyhood's years to this hour, and ha
crowned me with whatever Oi succsss
have attained in life.
My eldest ohild--a s0u-was born 10 Iii
grandmother's house, on the 18th dqY o.
June. 1851, in the city of Augusta, Maize
and died in her arms three years later
His ashes repose in the cemetery OF biz
native city, beneath stone which re
corded his name and the limits Of hI
innocent life. That stone, which hac
stood tor almost an entire generation, ha!
been recently defaced by brutal auG
sacrilegious hands.
| As q candidate for the presidency,
knew that l should encounter many form,
of calumny aud personal defamation but
confess that did not expect TO be called
| upon to defend the name of a beloved aud
honored wife, who is a mother and g
grandmother nor did | expect that the
grave of my little child would be cruelty
desecrated. Against such gross forms oi
wrong the law gives no adequate redress
and | know that in the end M mos,
effective appeal against the unspeakable
outrage which | resist must be to the
noblo manhood and noble womanhoOd o!
America. Your friend, very sincerely.
~