“It is true that in our part of the country no union of the sexes is looked upon as a legal marriage unless the parties to the union are married according to the form prescribed by the local statutes.  While that is true it is also true that there are many unions, which, but for the local statutes, would be recognized and accepted as legal marriages and which, even under existing conditions, are tolerated by local sentiment and sanctioned by custom.  Such unions are known to exist, and yet are presumed not to exist.  None are so blind as those who can see but will not see.  One of the unwritten but most effective and rigid laws of our section,—­which everyone respects and never violates,—­is that a man’s private and domestic life must never be made the subject of political or public discussion or newspaper notoriety.  The man, who at any time or under any provocation will so far forget himself as to say or do anything that can be construed into a violation of that unwritten law, will be likely to pay the penalty with his own life and that, too, without court, judge, or jury; and the one by whom the penalty may be inflicted will stand acquitted and justified before the bar of public opinion.  If, then, this able and brilliant young man,—­whose bread and meat you now have at your disposal,—­had lived in concubinage with the mother of his children, no law against custom and tradition would have been violated, and no one would suggest that he be punished for what he had done.  Knowing these facts as you do, you ought to rise to the dignity of the occasion and protect this good and innocent man from the cruel, unjust, and unreasonable demands that are now being made upon you to dispense with his valuable services.  This gentleman, to my personal knowledge, is not only worthy of whatever you may do for him, but his elegant and accomplished wife is one of the finest and most cultivated ladies it has ever been my good fortune to know.  She is not only remarkably intelligent, but she is a woman of fine natural ability and of superior attainments.  She is such a brilliant conversationalist,—­so interesting, so instructive and so entertaining,—­that it is a great pleasure and satisfaction to have the opportunity of being in her delightful presence, and of sitting within the sound of her sweet, charming, and musical voice.  In physical development she is as near perfection as it is possible for a woman to be.  I have had the good fortune of knowing her well for a number of years, and I have always admired her for her excellent traits and admirable qualities.  She is a woman that would ornament and grace the parlor and honor the home of the finest and best man that ever lived, regardless of his race or nationality or the station he may occupy in life, however exalted that station may be.  She married the man of her choice because she had learned to love and honor him, and because, in her opinion, he possessed everything, except wealth, that was calculated to contribute to her comfort,