Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1892-03-01
BLAINE, JR. --NEVlNS.
we STORY OF THE UNHAPPY MAR
RAGE TOLD BY BLAINE, sR.
x.,ber puoey Bsproaohed for Perform
Ing the Ceremony-Thc Court Caiumny.
A Cans,io letter TO the Priest.


. 49, three and "a bali years ago, my family
lave silently borne every misropfesenta-
Ian every slsndorous attack. every news
....cr interview. which It has pleased the
livorcod wifo % inspire. The one
Icon aimed NJ has been Mrs. Blaine and
l.,o nerbaps been az fault IN allowing
'--.r az The pGbhc discussion OF private
...tt.-. combined with regard Tor the
''.r. ~ my grandson. 60 permit so much
'..'rty 10 20 unanswered. The last out
,,.. III fhe KIND. embodied IN the decision
'fl. iudro 40 DeadwoOd, OAK, assumes
Nr.sl character. which makes II i'm
..h.r % remain longer silent.
.Is remain silent would be 20 accept
perpctuate a great wrong 10 my wife
4. .feater wrong % my grandson than even
-. i.rtiion of the truth can Infiict upon
I, is necessary tn speaking that
...l GIVE % summary as brief n possible
en-. marriage and the incidents which
,.f.,.al % oul led 20 the SCRANTON. A
i..r which I addressed 20 the Rev.
T..r1s /. Uucoy az the time OF the mar
... ulIl distinctly state the important
.ts bearing upon that event;
"'ArorsTA. Nh, September 10. 1856.
..p., Thomas l. Buccg, Rector 81 L0o's
Ua-l. 20 east 1,naiy-ninh street, Ae,c
r'lt
.+er ON Wednesday morning last. the
e.. Instant. mv youngest son. James g..
.. Ir.. shocked me By the announce
t..t % tho preceding Monday be had
.r.fcd 100 marriage with Miss Marie
, .r-. chat you had performed the cere-
..fn ynur own rectory that my son
Eli f.- hcvirs were unaccOmpanied by
...i ur relative, and that two of your
......i servants were the sole wit
SIS sons announcement gave the
... .r.wiclge that 1 or any member Of
.t.uf. bad Of his marriage OF even Of
attachment 20 Miss Nevins, whose cha
...r wish 90 say at the outset, Il not at
III question, and If whom-but for this
r... Llrfago-l never heard
AmrarH or CKNsuRF.
..tf. son was born on October ~. 1868.
.-rnt therefore. II years old. lie was
I.re % his own home, IN the house
,.r. .. wl- born. surrounded by neigh
... tli known him all his life, under
b.. /. care AZ B tutor who was fitting
.. tr college. which ne hoped 10 enter
umn. To facilitate his preparation
i Oh remain hero during the sum-
,.- uu.a the other mombeTs of the fam
...r. much ~ the time az Bar HarbOr.
Iye since learned. Miss Ne
,.. company with her sister
,.I |.fner. came 10 Augusta on
t.l August 10th. On Friday. Sep
t...r . eighteen DAYS after her arrival
D. t..u.4 NY son. who had never seen
l- .. beard her name until she came
i..t his home without permission
without the knowledge Of any men,
t hs family and accompanied Miss
R...- aud her sister 20 their mother in
,.ulur6. On Saturday. the 4th, the two
r.tr persons presented themselves to
ra i.r marriage. Through my eldest son,
..s.r Blaine. who went 20 New York as
-.r.- ] heard these unhappy tldings, /
I...n t.at James mlsropresontcd his age TO
t.. stating that he was within month
fW.uf %. But be did not according
O.. y.ur own narrative to my son Walker
l.l. d.. from You the vital fact that
LIE WAS A MINOR.
81. l.l not conceal from YOU, but openly
a..uDl. that had no knowledge whatever
..t h-Irtouti0u TO be married. ard that his
81. i design was 10 keep all knowledge
. Do from me. In this ConCealment he
sought your aid and allotment, and you
Dol. Dds secret under consideration from
Saturday until Monday, agreeing with my
SOD Dot 60 advise any member of my faml-
D. ~ his rash purpose. You took him to
tle archbishop IN order that dispense
f.u might be secured TO enable Miss
NeVus. who was reared n Catholic, 10
marry my son. who was born, baptized.
and reared Protestant. You knew that
during the long interval in which you were
making these preparations was within a
moments reach by telegraph, and yet you
never gave the slightest intlmation 10 me
the most deeply interested and RESPONSE
Die party.
lin defence Of this conduct you alleged
% my son Walker the confidence reposed
iu YOU a. priest by my son. The conf
donce Of the confessional is always re-
spected but by your use of condolences
repOsed in YOU outside the confessional,
even by those not of the Catholic COM
muulOn. you perforce become an
ACCOMpLIcE BEFORE THE ACT
of any crime OF any imprudence TO which
you NAV listen. IL is not for me TO advise
q minister Of your intelligence that your
position Is absolutely untenable, would be
dangerous 10 society. and would not be re-
spccted by any court of the land. You
further alleged IN justification of your
action that II you had not performed the
ceremony some one else outside your CON-
mumon would have done IL. This IS a COM
mon defence Of evil-dolng and Is unworthy
Of priest and man. You might as well
Justify your murder Of man by chlOro-
form on the ground that otherwise some
one else would murder him with dagger.
"A week ago my boy was under my
prOtectiOn-the most helpless, the least
responsible member Of my family; erratic.
but conirollable through his strong afec-
tons; an object of constant watchtulness
o. his parents, his brothers, and his SIS
q -. -. l.tt4 -
Of despair. because he il OF good abill-
ties. az readily influenced to the right as
10 the wrong. and because the patience of
love can never know WEAKNESS. To-day.
through your agency. this boy In years, IN
experience, In judgment, in practical ca
uacity, leaves my home and my care, bur-
doned with the full responsibilities OF a
man. with the welfare of woman in his
keeping.
81 am powerless. cannot question
the legality OF the marriage. l shall at a
distance and at every disadvantage en-
dcavOr TO guide my son. But as father
living under the divine institution Of the
family, as a citizen living under the divine
order of society. protest against your act.
Is IA servant of God to whose ministry you
are ordained, call God 10 witness between
You and me. OF whatever evils resulting
nom this deplorable marriage my son may
be the author or the victim the guilt be on
your head. 'JANEs q. BLAINE
HK HAS CHANGED HIS MIND.
when / wrote this letter 1 believed
that Miss Nevins had no other response
bility IN the marriage than in oopsenting
20 my sons appeal and was blsmeworthy
for this alone. Since then | am prepared
70 say that the marriage was arranged by
her far more than by my son that she did
to promote II, suggested every
arrangement. anticipated and provided for
every emergency, and that, In fact, but
Tor her personal. active. and untiring
agency the marriage would never have
taken place. In this she showed know
ledge and forethought not TO be expected
IN q woman of n years. Within ten days
after her arrival in Augusta, within one
week from the day she first met my son,
she was adjuring him thus for several sue
oessive days:
Write nothing until see
y gu. Let me know az once about the law
Ioi marriaee). l can't wait to hear. 1t
makes me ILL.,
Can you come TO me a momentl am
alone. Do not send UP your card
80 Did you see the lawsS Do not Keep
up the suspense
80 The Bar Harbor House is perfect. but
l love the dear old place here better
Don't ask any questions that may
lead people TO suspect anything. Remem-
Der that We are IN the mouths OF
every man. woman. and child in Augusta
Every word you speak is repeated and
Every look Of yours. every
flush of yonr fare ia falked NJ Look into