The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-29
WOMAN TO KENTUCKIANS.
NARY DBSHA'S PLEA FOR TIM DE-
FEAT OF BKECKIyEIDG1.
In an Open Letter to the Ashland District
the Sister OF His First wife sca'h nx'y
Arraisns Col Ereck'nridge.

This is the full text OF the letter when
Miss Mary Desha, sister OF Colonel BrecA-
inridse's first wife, has written 20 '"o
voters Of the Ashland (ky) district az
pealing TO them to defeat her brother-ih
law:
ITO the Men and Women Of the BIue
Grass:
81 have hesitated for many days before
writing this letter. because hho" -
prejHlces Of Kentucky men ana l"ei.
opinion that II a woman hfts her Fo.C.
against the established order OK ln'q"''S
she is out Of her sphere. But the occasio"
is so grave that / venture even AZ '"S
risk of shocking my friends, 10 zen yon
some truths which ii Is necessary loi yOu
to know. knowing we'll you Will ntFeI
hear them from Kentucky men VINO "a
been In Washington. Jhey are po Eani,ng
keeping silence, either from tue a. ,,a,
of loyalty, which Is much stronger ~ u ii.'
than woman. or from teIv" i''''''0
that makes them wouGrous kIilu', -, ro
@That Colonel Breckinriize VIII DC re-
turned 10 Congress has never ,rho ~ vcrv
moment entered my mind. iho c,a,s
thought Of IL is aB insult 10 the 80" 49,
whose boast has been that her men VIZ
brave and her women vlrtuous. 10y LA LA
dOrsing Colonel BTeckinlldsc YOU 49,
accent his and Colonel Thompson pldt,
formEthat an men are libertiues. II an
the men Of the State are 1utIlillts' ~"
women cannot be pure ana YOU we a., a.
him would be an annObheeuit " '''
world Of the unchastity OF your WoHifl'
I am moi troubled about his reelection,
but / am afraid that the p1lllCdnS ~,
send some one Ike unto nm IA IN.
succeed IN renomiBatinE nun ~ III
other Immoral man. will the rcpuidNie
portion OF the community unite on ~ IHtH,
regardless OF politics, VINO can -
soiied banner of the Ashiahd u.s. 49,.
cleanse IS stains by pure NE; am H., I'm in
{. With such honor that we, VINO i've ~
Washingtcn and have been deeply nuii li
lated may again be able % say. win uP-
lifted heads. We are Kentuckians
"fhe plain truth Is mat OF al , tne i' nf
Kentucky * the worst with the iauloee
and breckenridge scandals ana tne low
ohscenity OF Thompson you WI ~
wonder at 81. What we need from Asn
land district Is clean, pure man. WIN
brains enough 20 know that 1t Is a man
actions and not his religious tWaddle
that make for righteousness ana no.
brains enough 70 fool q whole community
for half "a century into thinking nun Il
Christian and a gentleman when ne Is
directly the reverse see 10 II. III you
must have ALTERATION on your tanners.
that instead Of 'BreCknridSe ana brains
you have q name that will go well with
morality.
''ro the women of the blue grass
give my grateful thanks that nave re-
memheFct my SisfeT-Der kdlluIul, brhu-
tiful Hfe-and have shown by every
means in their power their appreciation
Of II and their detestauon Of the man
who dishOnored her while living. who
has desecrated her memory, and dis
graced her children
TO the Confederate veterans [ would
say-liyng she never forgot you, I'm per
secution. IN trial. IN exile her own people
were always remembered. You passed
resolutions Of respect when she died
and followed her 10 the grave With al
most the honors given 20 soldier Show
that your protestations were sincere by
retiring to private life the man who has
committed the objectionable sin against
her and by sending u Congress a re-
spectacle, reputable honest man. 10 lit
Kentucky-the State she loved 50 we'll
back 10 its proud place among its sister
States.
With pride in Kentucky's past, with
shame and confusion that even one man
Is left within her borders who Is willing
20 see her Inundated: With an abiding
trust IN the final triumph of law and
order deceucy and morality In her midst,
1 am, MARY DESHA."