The World. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1891-1896, 1892-02-29

took him to the archbishop IN order that
dispensation might be secured to en-
able Miss Nevins, who was reared 4
Catholic, to marry my son, who was
born, baptized and reared Protestant
You know that during the long interval
In which you were making these prepa-
rations was within moments reach
by telegraph, and yet you never gave
the slightest intimation 70 me, the most
deeply Interested and responsible party.
"a week ago my boy was under my
protection the most helpless, the least
responsible member Of my family; err
ratio but comfortable through his strong
affections; an object Of constant watch
fulness to his parents, his brothers and
his sisters, source Of constant anxiety,
bnt not Of despair, because be Is of good
abilities; - readily innuenced 70 the
right as to the wrong. and because the
patience Of love can never know weari-
ness. Today, through your agency. this
boy In years, in experience, IN Judgment,
in practical capacity, leaves my home
and my care, burdened with the full re-
sponsibilities of . man, with the welfare
Of q woman in his keeping.
"sIn defense of this conduct you al
legged to my son Walker the confidence
reposed In you Is priest by my son.
The confidence Of the confessional ID al
ways respected, but by your use Of con-
fidence repoeed IN You outside the con-
fessional, even by those not Of the
Catholic communion. you perforce be-
come an accomplice before the act of
any crime Or any imprudence TO which
/ You may listen. II Is not for me to adj
tv.taIltnxav.S.r
your position Is absolutely untenable,
would be dangerous to society. and
would not be respected by any court Of
the land. You further allege in your
| justification of your action that IL you
had not performed the ceremony some
one else outside your communion would
have done 30. This Is q common defense
of evil doing and Is unworthy of a
priest and q man. You might as well
| Justify your murder of man by chloro-
form on the ground that otherwise
isome one else would murder him with q
dagger.
sss am powerless. cannot question
| the legality Of the marriage. shall at
3 distance, and at every disadvantage,
endeavor to guide my son. But as q
father living under the institution of
the family, Is q citizen living under the
divine order OF society, protest against
your act. As b servant Of God, to whose
ministry you are ordained, call God
to witness between you and me. OF
whatever evils resulting from this do
plorable marriage my son may be the
author or the victim the guilt viii be
on your head. JAMES G.. BLAINE =
when wrote this letter believed
that Miss Neyins had no other response
bility in the marriage than In consent
ing to my sons appeal. Since then
am prepared to say that the marriage
was arranged by her far more than by
HWithin ten days after her arrival IN
Augusta, within one week from the day
she first met my son she was adjuring
him for several successive days to write
nothing until she saw him. She asked
him to look into the marriage laws of
Massachusetts and New York.
when they reached New York after
| they had fed from Augusta she eau
gold box for Ducey,' and to look into
ring In short she took charge of every
matter and directed all the proceedings
| to the last minutae
ut was thus that boy OF II years
and 10 months, in some respects mex
perienced even for his age, was tempted
from his school books and his tutor, and
blindly led to the altar by q young wo-
man of full 81 years, with entire secrecy
contrived by herself, and with all the
instrumentalities Of her device complete
and exact.
II purpose next to show the falsity of
| the assertion that Mrs Blaine broke up
the marriage relations of my son and
his wife. She did not see her daughter
in-law until May, 1887, eight months
after the marriage, when, being in New
York the latter called on her twice dur
ing her two days stay. The next time
she saw her was a month later. When
about to sail for Europe on June 8 she
was SINCE day in New York and saw
the young woman on taking leave.
Within two or three days 1 learned
the details of the dismal failure Of their
New York life, and after full consulta-
ton with Mrs. Blaine, and with her free
approval, proposed that they should
come to live in Augusta and occupy our
old home. Iassured them in addition
to house, fuel, light and the wages OF
a man servant, the sum of 81, 500 year
until my son should be able to earn an
income for them.
MY son Immediately told his wife in
detail what my offer was. Her reply
was that she would not stay in Augusta
on any terms.
1--WE then learned that during our alb
sence in Europe he had become grad
ually enstranged from her, and her re-
fusal to accept the residence In Augusta
was merely the last of long series of
disagreements which led finally to a
separation. During the two weeks that
my sons wife stayed at Augusta it be-
came patent to every member OF my
family and to every visitor, and to no
one more than myself, that separation
was the least disaster to be dreaded.
1.-THE immediate occasion of her de-
parture was my sons going to Bangor
at my request on Friday, Aug. 81, with
some documents for which autographed
q was occupied with the campaign of
the statel and he continued with me to
Ellsworth, where had to speak. After
the meeting james returned with me to
Augusta, only to learn that his wife had \
gone to New York at 3p. M.
Before going Mrs. Blaine repeatedly
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