Asheville daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1890-1900, 1892-03-01
FATHER DUCEY'S ANSWER
BLAINE SAYS 1T AMOUNTED
TO NOTHING.

The Secretary Will Not Give It
Out But the Reverend Father
Can DO So If He wishes-The
Text of the Letter.
WASHINGTON, March IA reporter
today asked Blaine for copy of the let
ter from Father Ducey in reply to Blaines
letter censuring him for the part he took
in the secret marriage of James G. Blaine,
jr., to Miss Nevins. Blaine replied that
he had no objection to the publication of
the letter, but that he would not give it
out himself. j. was Father Ducev's priv
ilege to publish it. He added casually
that the letter did not amount to any
thing.
Following are the material portions of
Mr.. Blalne's letter to Father Ducey:
Miss Nevins, in company with her Sis
ter and her father, came to Augusta on
Monday, August 16 On Friday, Sep
tember 3, in eighteen days after her ar
rival in Augusta, my son, who had never
seen her or heard her name until she came
here, left his home without permission
and without the knowledge of any mem
her of his family, and accompanied Miss
| Nevins and her sister to their mother in
New York. On Saturday, IA, two young
persons presented themselves to you for
marriage. learn that James misrepre-
scnted his age to you, stating that he
was within month or two of 81. But
he did not (according to your own mar
rativc to my son Walker) conceal the vi
tai fact that he was 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 it from me. In this concealmcnt he
sought your aid abetm ment, and you held
his secret under consideration from Sat.
urday until 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 a
dispensation might be secured to enable
Miss Nevins, who was reared a Catholic
to marry my son, who was born. bap
t'zed and reared Protestant. lor
knew that during the long interval II
which you were making these prepare
tions was within moment S reach by
telegraph, and yet you never gave th'
slightest intimation to me, the mos'
deeply interested and responsible party
In defence OF this conduct YOU alleged t.
my son, walker, the confidence repose'
IN you as priest by my son. The con
hdence OF the confessional IS always res
pected. but by your use OF confidence re
posed in you outside OF the confessional
even by those not ot the Catholic com
mun,on. you pertorce become an accom-
plice before the act OF any crime or any
lmprudence to winch YOU may listen:
1T is not tor M t" ADVISE ministc
OF your intelIigencs tnat your position II
absolutely untehaple, and would be dan
igerous TO society ana ~ouid NOT oe re
spected pV anV court OF the lana'
You fui ther alleged Ill lustlhcatioh o
your action that II you mad not per
formed the ceremony someone OUTSIDE o o
your communion "ouiu nave uone II
ms is the common defence OF eV'l aoihi
ana IS unworthy 0I priest anu a man
You might as weli lustiiy your murde
OF man by chloroform on the greu'l'
that otherwise someone else Would mur
der HIM with dagger
week ago my boy was under nj.
protection' the most nelpiess' the ieas