The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1894-02-18

which / hare done 20 ragrf. to bald vn
farst-hesxuse felt that no man sAouis
Voluntarily discuss his domestic affairs
wan these who hare no right 30 question
t1eErs and. second. o<csusc doubled thAs
any person whose tses 70 me we're such a
20 Justify their coace-n In my rrivxss at
fairs lad really made them the subject 81
pne4io con1scs or discussion Then
again, I lasosed under the disaivartare Of
ixacraace concerning what was saia OF me.
sincs few people have the courage 70 sreak
70 the victim OF SANDER and gossip Of the
things which they freely communicate to
''oae--I believe shss understand the
ooiigassens l am Under TO the public at
large n the maintenance Of certain moral
oessrvances and legal forms Two-Ths
riEnfs OF rny creditors Three The feagsv
70 my friends. Feu--My duty to my re-
iafions and connections Eavs-The SEN
ttmentsl relations 10 my deceased wife,
but likewise my duty 20 myself and NV
right to the pursuit Of nav oxn happlnes,
and wcsl-besng. and also my duty 70 pro-
tect the homer and reputation Of NV wife.
40 the extent that have violated any
true prscert Of morality, or any law, or 20
fne degree that have encrcached upon
any right or privilege Of my relations or
connections. l ara willing TO suffer the
penaisy, hut certainly NOT beyond that
80 @~% ~ ~ aas SAA&Ak u 0E1 4fUEuHNtH
IN THESE respects 20 any person. or to what
extent either or my wife deserve the mall
Ign criticisms and uakind ISLANDERS which
are csFcuiated about ux As 30 the firss
proposition. have I done ANYTHING IN
lawful in riarryingf Have done any,
thing to shock public moraiss l have
faithfully performed the duties OF hus-
p.nd 20 my deceased wife. of father to
her children. These children have been
brought from childhood 10 grown men
ana women at my expense. have edu-
Gated them, clothed them. given them not
only all the abundant confor of home.
but have literally supplied all their de-
sires for pleasure. travel and other enter
tainmsnt- Years sgo divided my estate
20 tnat to each has been allotted his or her
Just share. None Of the rights of my
deceased wife's children have been
abridged they are not only seIf-support-
Ing. but have been measurahiy projected
Tor their future livee. All this In the re-
suit OF my unrsfnittsng labor and Industry
Tor many years. Has the public any riehs
to complain Of any step choose 10 take
In the arrangement of my domestic affairs
In view Of THAR Have done q thing in
marrying by which public morals are en-
dangered, have married Q lady younger
than myself. Ii this immoralf Can any
one truthfully say more than that Mrs.
Ward was compelled By the vicissstudss of
lie 10 make her own living in reputable
commercial business, tho ownership and
control OF which was awarded TO her by
the courts? tan any one say she il not 4
virtuous and loyal and educated woman?
Can any one object TO the reputation Of
her family or say she was not well bornf
believe none can point the finger of
seorn at her in any respect whatever. Has
the public tho right to condemn me, be-
cause. being feeble In health and worn
with the cares Of business, have chosen q
good and willing woman TO smooth the
me7
elias the public right to denouncs me,
because, pointing TO . calendar, IL says IL
Is not Jet time for Mr.. Cannon 10 marryf
II the almanac does not respect my body,
my suffering, my Loneliness or my anxie-
ties, has IL right to dictate to me when
which will do 90 much to make life bear
able for met
Concerning my creditors, 10 not all The
property have in the world in tho hands
Of the court to meet all their Just claims?
have never given my present wife any
money, property or other valuable things,
either before or aimee my marriage. either
before or since my business troubles. nor
has there at any time been . request or
suggestion from my wife that should do
%. Indeed. no conversation has ever taken
place between her and myself upon money
matters. Have my creditors any right 70
complaint think not :.
docs my marriage justify my friends or
my deceased wite's friends to turn their
backs upon met If / have taken step
fort, and, through the care and services Of
good wife, my health. ought they not 10
rejoice with ms7 Since / have taken
nothing from their purse or their dignity,
or even their vanitiss. have they any right
to complaint
passing from my friends, 90 called. to
my relations or connections. surely few
sacrificing than / 70 kith and kin. Look
ing over my long past. can remember no
instance when ever received anything
from any OF them. On the contrary.
have always given with an open hand and
willing heart. have kept this up until
circumstances have convinced me I hare
done my share.
as Il just that air-weather friends
should track me down like . criminal and
fill the papers with scurrilous stuff; at
tack the modsxty and virtue and honor OF
my wife: brand her - an adventures and
spread false reports OF my insanity and
villainy from ocean to ocean, because
did lawful and honorable act In behalf Of
my own happiness, ia . quiet and. Sc
Guided mannerf Would my kith and
kin have reioiced with me II I had taken
them in my confidence. or would they not
have sought to prevent met
Concerning the sentimental obligations
which it Ii claimed have broken In re-
gard TO my deceased wife by reason Of this
marriage. were the late Mrs. Cannon able
TO see and be heard know she would put
Gil my keen critics to the blush Of shame.
Her good sense and womanhcod--hsr
broad If and kinAnAsa ~
heart Vwere always opposed to the shams
and pretenses Of society. feel certain
that she would approve Of any woman
whose goodness and unselhshness went
80 far a. to undertake the care of . man
who had done his duty By her and whom
she could no longer aid In the struggle Of
life herself.
Il want to say. in conclusion. shat
married secretly only In the hope Of
avoiding the vindictivsness Of certain per-
sons, not for myself but for my wife. |
tried to maintain this secrecy when Il
seemed almost hopeless. only because /
could nos place those who had 10y ally
stood to their promise to deny my mar
rage in false position. My denial pub
Iished in your paper wss never seen by me
and never signed by me- requested
friend TO make the denial, and unfortu-
nately he made IL too strong aud in terms
too explicit, but IL had sped over the wires,
and by tho time be showsd me what he
had sent ii was too late to do anything
about 1t.
Il also wish to say that am more than
sat! SIZED with my wife; that she does not
regret having married man Of my years,
and Of my many failings. This being the
case, IL would te strange indeed II . COM
munity TO which had devoted the best
years of my life. 20 which / have sacrificed
fortune in the establishment Of the city,
the building np Of its industries, the care
Of its poor, the support Of its churches and
sehocls--I say ii would be strange IL the