Waterbury evening Democrat., 1892-02-29
DEFENDS Els WIFE
The Secretary Of State Makes
a Statement.
ABouT ans SONS MARRIAoR.
Father Duoey Blamed By Mr. Blaine fol-
Performing the Ceremony.

He Says That His wite Has Been UnJustly
silent No LOnRer-Had = Horror Of
Public Discussion of the AIatter-what
Father Ducey Says.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 80. Secretary Blaine
has furnished long statement relating
to the marriage of his son, James g., jr.,
to Marie Nevens, and their divorce. He
says that he and his family have borne
quietly every publication inspired by the
young woman, but the last outrage of
the kind, embodied in the decision Of a
judge at Deadwood, Oak, says Mr..
Blaine, assumes q character which makes
it impossible to remain longer silent.
Mr. Blaine makes the following state
ment:
"Since the separation of my son and
his wife three and half years ago, my
family have borne every misrepresenta-
ton, every slanderous attack, every
newspaper interview, which 1t has
pleased the now divorced wife to inspire.
The one person aimed at has been Mrs.
Blaine, and we have, perhaps, been at
fault in allowing horror of the public
discussion Of private matters, combined
with a regard for the future of my
RFdHOSOu1 W poEuAAU 81 uuuCh C1AuAAy W
unanswered.
"a letter which addressed to the
Rev. Thomas I. Ducey at the time of the
marriage will distinctly state the impor-
tant facts bearing upon that event
AUGUSTA, Me-, Sept. IS, 1886.
Grew. THOMAS !. DUCEY-Sir: On We'd
nesday morning last my youngest son,
James G. Blaine, jr., shocked me by the
announcement that on the preceding
Monday he had been united in marriage
with Miss Marie Nevins; that you had
performed the ceremony in your own
rectory; that my son and Miss Nevins
were unaccompanied by friend or rela-
tive, and that two Of your household
servants were the sole witnesses. My
sons announcement gave the first knowl-
| edge that l or any member of my family
had Of his marriage, or even of his at
| tachment to Miss Nevins, whose charac-
| ter, l wish to say at the outset, in not at
all in question, and of whom, but for
| this rash marriage, have never heard q
breath of censure.
"My son was born October l2, 1858,
| and is not, therefore, 10 years old. He
was living here in his own home, in the
| house in which he was born, surrounded
| by neighbors who had known him all his
| life, under the daily care of q tutor who
| was fitting him for college, which he
hoped to enter this autumn. To facili-
tate his preparations he desired to remain
| here during the summer, while the other
members of the family were much Of the
time at Bar Harbor. AS 1 have since
learned, Miss Nevins, in company with
her sister and her father, came to
Augusta on Monday, August 16.
F'On Friday, September 3, eighteen
days after her arrival in Augusta, my
| SON. who had never seen her nor heard
her name until she came here, left his
home without permission, and without
| the knowledge of any member of his
| family, and accompanied Miss Nevins
and his sister to their mother in New
York. On Saturday, the 4th, the young
persons presented themselves to you for
| marriage.
Through my Oldest son, Walker
Blaine, who went to New York as soon
as heard these unhappy tidings, learn
that James misrepresented his age to
you, stating that he was within month
or two of 81. But he did not (accordiag
to your own narrative to my son Walker)
conceal from you the vital fact that he
was a minor; he did not conceal from
| you, but openly avowed, that had no
knowledge whatever OF his intention to
be married, and that his special design
was to keep all knowledge of 1t from me.
"in this concealment he sought your
aid and allotment, and you held his
secret under consideration from Satur-
day antil Monday, agreeing with my son
not to advise any member of my family
of his rash purpose. You took him to
the Archbishop in order that dispense
ton might be secured to enable Miss
Nevins, who was reared Catholic, to
marry my son, who was born, baptized
and reared q Protestant. You knew that
during the long interval in which you
were making these preparation l was
within a moments reach by telegraph,
and yet you never gave the slightest in
tip.ation to me, the most deeply inter
ested and responsible party.
I'm defence of this conduct you
alleged to my son Walker the con
my son. The confidence of the CON
fessional is always respected, but
by your use of condolences reposed in you
outside the confessional, even by those
not of the Catholic communion, you per
become an accomplish before the act OF
any crime or any imprudence to, which
you may listen. 1t is not for me to ad-
wise a minister of your intelligence that
your position is absolutely untenable,
would be dangerous to society, anC
would not be respected by any court Of
the land.
'sYou further alleged in justification o.
your action that if you had not performed
the ceremony some one else outside YOU
| communion would have done 1t. This l:
common defence Of evil doing, and il
unworthy of priest and a man.
"A week ago my boy was under my
protection-the most helpless, the leas
responsible member of my family; er
ratio, but comfortable through his strong
affections; an object of constant watch
fitness to his parents, his brothers ant
his sisters; source of constant anxiety
but not of despair, because he is of good
abilities, as readily influenced to thu
right AS to the wrong, and because thu
patience of love can never know weari
ness To-day, through your agency
this boy in years, in experience, in judg
ment, in practical capacity, leaves my
home and my care, burdened with tbs
full responsibilities of man. with tn,
,,elfara of a Woman In his keepinR.