The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-12-04

ELEcT-TEe testimony In the BuIch divorce
case Is becoming more piquant and contcadio
tory as it proceeds. The confession and let
ters Of Mira Burch would seem TO have left no
doubt as to the main fact charged; but these
documents have since been discredited by the
evidence Of Mr. Stuart and Of the defendants
uncle Mr.. Corning. The testimony Of the for
mer ie suhjf CT to the imputation that the wit
ness felt bound to shield at all sacrifices the re-
putation Ct he unfortunate lady who il incImi
mated. The impressive aud umembarrassed
manner in which be gave his evidence, and the
explicit ard unqualified terms Ia which he de-
MED even he slightest approach to criminal "a
miliayty With her, will however, 10 many minds.
create o belief uDfavorsble to the plaintiff
The fact deposed to by Mr.. Corning, from the lat
ter's admissions, that when he extorted the con-
fession from bis wife il was done under threa.
Of personal violence. and viii bis d.. clenched In
her face, will go fsr to confirm this impression
The history q juocial Investigations establishes
The fact that 10 the Gaze OF persons Of weak
mental or physical organizations 1t requires
but slight appeal to their nervous sus
capabilities to Induce them to accuse them
selves wror gully. II this be true in regard
to charges involving a capital penalty, how
much more so ia it likely TO prove ia cases In
which Disgrace and the loss Of social position
are merely the consequences to be appre-
hepdeds
IL Is not our purpose, however, to draw infer.
ences from the evidence ut this stage Of the
TRIAL. We allude to II merely to call attention
to feature which distinguishes ii in common
with two similar cases which have recently
been tried in this city and Brooklyn. In the
Brown and the Beardsley suits, as well as in
the Burch, the public must have been struck
with the prominency Of the part which the mo-
raj and religious elements have played in
them. In the first Of these cases figures q phi
lsDthropist who, from purely disinterestei mo-
tivee, comes to the aid FIRST OF the wife and
then Of the injured husband but whom the
lawy eis--skeptical as to virtue aud venal as
they are-accuse Of having cohabied with the
one and assisted the other, in order to get
back the money which bis maintenance Of
the lady had cost him. In the second
We have 10 one Of the principal wiinesses-ihe
father Of the unfortunate woman whose conduct
was iDonlpated-a clergyman Of one Of the con-
grsgatiops Of that city OF the elect-8rooklyn
In The Chicago case the plaintiff has for years
stood before The world as model of financial
integrity. and as one Of the shining lights and
pillars Of the church Joseph, Ia TACT not only
above ieproach but above suspicion. Add get
We learn from he evidence that this high prin-
cipled and impeccable individual. when warned
against the dangerous irlliences by which he
allowed his vile to be surrounded, made light
Of them, and, when she incurred his jealousy,
dealt with her, not as the Saviour did with
Magdalep, but as the hea'henish Arab or In
dian would deal with frail spouse.
The moral OF all this is plain. Under the
Phsrisaical sfectation which, beginning with
abolitioniim, peiDeates every phase OF our
social structure, there Is to be found underly-
ing as much real vice and immortality as Is to
be detected 10 their re coepjzed haunts And il
IL not the less certain that notwiths landing the
outcry raised In particular against the iniquity
or New York, the moral status Of the metropolis
will contrast favorably with that OF most other
cities Of the Union. Whatever may be the evil
tendencies laid to our charge, We can, however,
console ourselves with the reflection that we do
not drag religion into the dirt by associating II
with our vicioUsness.