The record-union., 1892-02-29
AN EXPLANATION.
Secretary Blaine Makes a Personal
Statement
PRIVATE MATTERS FROM A FAMILY
STANDPOINT.
An Accusation That His Son Was In
ticed Into Marriage by Undue In
nuence-AII the Outcome of the De-
cision Rendered in the Divorce Suit
in Dakota.
Special 10 the RncoRp-uNroN.

in Dakota.
Special 10 the REcoRD-UNIoN.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 2S-Mr. Blaine
furnishes the Associated Press with the
following, under the caption, ga Per-
sonal Statement:
Since the separation Of my son and
wife, three and a half years ago, my fam
lily have silently borne every lnisrepre-
sentation, slanderous attack and news
paper interview it has pleased the now
divorced wife to inspire. The person
aimed at has been Mrs. Blaine. We, per-
haps, have been at fault in allowing the
horror of puoiic discussion of private
matters, together with regard for the fu-
ture of my grandson, to permit so much
calumny to go unanswered. The last
outrage of the kind, embodied in the de-
cision of the Judge at Deadwood, as
sumes an official character which makes
it impossible to longer remain silent. To
Go so would be TO accept and perpetuate
great wrong to my wife, and greater
wrong to my grandson than even pub
LEGATION of the truth can intlict. A letter
addressed to Rev. Thomas L. Ducey, at
the time OF the marriage, gives important
tacts bearing upon that event:
AUGUSTA, Me-, Sept. 13, 1886.
Rer. Thomas I. Ducey: Last Wednesday
morning my youngest son, James G. Blaine.
Jr. SHOCKED me by the announcement that
on the preceding Monday you had united
him in marriage in your Tectory with Miss
Mary Nevins: that my son and Miss Seyins
were unaccompanied by friend or relative,
two OF your household servants being the sole
witnesses My sons announcement was the
first knowledge any member of our family
had OF evenlan attachment for Miss Nevins,
whose character is not in question and Of
whom, except for this rash marriage. | have
never heard q breath of censure. My son IS
but IL He has been living here under the
daily care of a tutor who was fitting him Tor
college. In order TO continue his studies he
Gt2sired to remain here during the summer
while the rest of the family were at Bar Har-
Dor.
Monday, august 10, Miss Nevins, her sister
and 1ather came to Augusta. Eighteen days
lfoerward my son, who mad never heard Of
her until she came here, lett his home with
out permission or knowledge of any of the
family, and accompanied Mss Neylns to New
York. Toe next day they presented them
selves to you for marriage. While he misrep-
resented his age to you, he did not, according
TO your own statements atterwald made, con-
ceal from You the fact OF his minority, or the
fact that his family knew nothing of his in
tended marriage. You agreed not to inform
his family. You took him 10 the Archbishop,
IN order 10 secure q d1SpeDSatlon, so that Miss
Nevins. a Catholic, might marry my son, q
Protestant You knew was in moments
reach by telegraph, yet you never gave the
slightest intimation TO me, the most deeply
interested and responsible party, OF what was
going on.
IN defense OF THIS cO1Quct you alleged the
confidence reposed in you as priest by my
son. The confidence of the confessional is
always respected-but by Your use OF the con-
Mdences reposed in you outside of the confess
s5Ilsil even By those net Of Catholic eelItnlu4s-
ION, you perforce become accompiice be-
fore the act OF any crime or lmprudence to
which YOU may listen. You further alleged
that if you had not performed the ceremony
some one outside o. your communion would
nave uone it. This is common defense of
evil-doing and is unworthy of a priest and
A HnOpr m
protection, most helpless, the least response
ole member of my family, cratic but con-
Urollable through his strong affections an OBJ
'ect of constant watchtulness to his parents,
brothers and sisters source of constant
anxiety, but not despair.
Because he Is of good abilities, as readily in
duenced to right wrong and because the
patience of love can never know WEAKNESS,
today. through your agency, this boy in
years, in experience, in judgment, in pIacti-
ctl capacity, leaves my home and care
Durdcned with the fun responsibilities of a
man, with the welfare of a woman in his
keeping. am poWerleSs. l cannot question
the legality of the marriage. l shall, at q dis
lance and Il disadvantage, try TO guide my
son. But as father living under the divine
institution of n family as a citizen living I'M
der the divine order of society, / protest
against your act. call God to witness be-
tween you ana me. OF WnateNerevlls resulting
rom this deplorable marriage my son may
be the author or victim, the guilt be on your
head. JAMES G. BLAINE.
When / wrote the foregoing letter
believed Miss Nevins had no other re-
sponsibility in marriage than in consent
ing to my sons appeal. Since then l am
prepared to say that the marriage was ar
ranged by her far more than by my son.
She did everything to promote it, sug-
gested every arrangement. anticipated
and provided for every emergency, in
fact. But for her personal, active, untir-
ing agency, the marriage would never
have taken place. In this she showed
knowledge and forethought not to be ex-
Dected in a woman of u years. Within
len days after her arrival in Augusta
within a week after the fist meeting of
my son, she was thus adjuring him for
several successive days:
write nothing until I see you. Let
me know at once about the law (of mar
riagel. / can't wait to hear. Can you
come to me moment? Am alone. Do
not send up your card. DO not ask any
questions that may lead people to suspect
anything. We are in the mouths of every
man, woman and child III Augusta.
Every look, every flush of your face is
talked Of Look into the laws only to-
morrow, and perhaps one question at the
bank (where he obtained money for his
marriage on my account, by inducing the
cashier TO advance him funds on his
memorandum, u thing he never learned
10 do before he met Miss Nevinsl. All
else can wait. Do be careful. You do
not know how vile the world is. Do look
up the laws. Did you look into the laws
of Massachusetts and New York ? l am
sure not. Answer tonight. [ have at
last thought of the only man on earth
whom we can trust for a Witness,
Another time, writing of this man "who
could be trusted she wrote: ~ have
known him since child and he would do
anything for me. II you say so, will
give him gentle hint. / will need his
services for am emergency, but do not tell
him for WHAT
When they reached New York. after
deeing from Augusta. she cautioned my
son not to forget a so gold piecein little
DoX Tor Ducey, and to look in the peck ct
OF his gray clothes for a ring. She oii-
rected the proceedings to the last minute.
1t was thus Il lI-year-old boy was tempted
nom school books and tutor and blindiy
led to the altar by a young woman of u.
with entire secrecy, contrlved by herself
and With all the instrumentalities of her
device complete and exact.
My eldest son, Walker, went to New
York 10 see Il the marriage was not in
valid or could not be annulled. lie was
met with the assertion that it was too late
Tor any proceedings to set aside the mar
Tiage.
l next purpose to show the falsity of the
assertion that my wife broke up the mar
riage relations OF my son and his wife.
Before we sailed for Europe, in June.
1897, Mrs. Blaine met her daughter-in-
law but three times. Fourteen months
later, when we returned, we found that
our son in our absence had not only spent
his entire allowance, but was deeply in
debt. At a family council in Angus,
H.. -. - - =