San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-03-29

his religious principles and the
fidelity he had vowed to his wife,
he became as wax in the fire. The
citadel of his virtue was captured
at the first assault.
Had this been all that happened
il would not have been so bad. No
man is wise at all times. n new
and unexpected temptation, and it
NAV be that Col. Breckenridge had
never fallen from grace before
NAV get the better of almost any
one. But a man who has been led
astray once by arts to which he had
previously been q stranger, ought
not TO yield to the,same arts again.
His virtue should be strengthened
by his cad experience. Such was
not the case with Col. Breckin-
ridge, however. He seemed to learn
nothing by experience. He was
tempted, fell, repented, was tempt
ed again, and fell again, during an
entire decade.
The wQman was not beautiful.
She was not especially attractive.
He was familiar with her past rec
ord. He never could have been
sure that she was true to him, eX-
cept so far as self-intereSt made 1t
eXpedient for her to be so. Yet for
ten long years this siren OF the blue
grass region kept on seducing poor
Col. Breckenridge. He tried to
break away from her. He went to
religious gatherings to inspire 9TH
ers and to be inspired and strength
ened himself. 1t was all in vain.
1t is not customary for a gentle
man to take his mistress to the
house of lady of irreproachable
character, but Colonel Breckin-
ridge took Miss Pollard to Mrs.
Blackburn's house with a little
hesitation as to that of the col
ored woman at Lexington. He was
under the spell of the enchantress
on both occasions. His wife being
dead. Col. Breckenridge fell IN love
with his present wife. One would
have imagined that this new at
| tachment would have been some
protection against the guile of Miss
Pollard. Not the least. Even after
| the secret marriage in April of last
wear Gree tempted him and he fell.
There is no telling what would hap
pen tomorrow if Miss Pollard were
to drop this suit for damages and
play the part of the tempter once
more.
If Col. Breckinridge's story is
true what must he have suffered
during the last ten years? When
he seemed most virtuOus and most
happy, " hen he was lecturing in
church, or eXpounding the beau
ties Of free trade, or showing up
the iniquity of the Republicans, or
clarifying the good qualities of the
Kentucky gentleman, the worm OF
remOrse must have been gnawing
at his heart. How many tears Of
repentance must have believed
his pillow in the intervals between
temptations which always over
came him! How many good res
olutions he must have made and
broken!
| What Col. Breckenridge needed
and possibly needs still is prOtec-
ton protection from the Circes OF
Kentucky and the rest Of the Unit
ed States. 1t would have beer
better had he not had so very
much confidence in his own
ability to remain virtuOus. He
should have appealed to the courts
for redress when Miss Pollard frs
deprived him Of his honor. Had HI
sued her for damages then and re
covered a verdict, it might have
put an end to her nefarious prac
tees.
The Hon. Elijah Morse, of Massa
chusetts, sometimes called "Sun
set" has introduced a bill in tn,
House to enable person who ha
been seduced in the District Of Co
lumbia to sue for damages there
for, which cannot be done now. /
Breckenridge is to stay in Congress
/. this bill should be modified so a
/ to provide that ruined men as wei
as betrayed women may sue. II
that case if any other gay seduce
= gets after the Colonel, trifles will
his young affections, and makes al
OutCast of him after the Pollard
, fashion then he can sue and get BIZ
. damages. 1t is the opinion of tn
:, Tribune, however, that the voter
= Of the Ashland district will no