Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1869-12-10
Justifiers of Seduction and Abef-
tors Of Bjgamy."
The World thus discourses on The

eulogists of Albert d. Richardson:
II such friends of Richardson 90 Vice
President Colfax and the Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher had not sfronted the pub
lie sense of decency by osteptatious
sympathy for seducer aud justification
of his conduct, the press would have no
other duty in connection with this tragedy
than is laid upon it in the similar cases
which are OF such frequent occurrence.
Richardson was no such novice as not to
know that man who seduces wife from
her allegiance carries his life in his hand,
and may expect to forfeit it to the ven
geance Of the outraged husband. He
dared the consequences, and they came.
He doubtless thought the prize worth the
risk and the forfeit; and we will do him
the justice to say that, so far as the pub
lie is informed, he met his fate without
any unmanly quailing, or any protest
against its righteousness. The aveDging
Neues which is ever on the path OF
such transgressors, speedily overlook
him; and if his euiougsts had not at
tempted to blunt and pervet the moral
sense of the community, it would be sale,
his reward without any remsrks
Bat when the most popular and elc-
quent divine 10 the country, and the
sscond functonsry in the Government,
undertake to "blazon evil deeds and con-
secrate crime" their attempt to lower
the moral ton0 of the community cannot
pass without rebuke. Whatever lenity
might be practiced towards the infat'
uated parties to this tragedy in copsid'
Grafton of their terrible punishment, is
swallowed up in feeling of indignation
and disgust against those who have pros
tituted their indnence and talents in de.
fense of an intercourse which the moral
sentiment of the community condemns.
Mr.. Beecher cannot escape by turning
upon the public, as he did in his funeral
remarks yesterday, and denouncing in a
strain of coarse vituperation, those who
regard the marriage tie as sacred. The
lion in his strength, said he, meaning
Richardson, "and in his own fastness, is
able to defend himself; but no sooner
has the arrow of the huntsman laid hun
low than he is set upon by ecery uile
thing, every fly, eUery craWling acorm
Now that he is down, fresh flies are sll
around about him, aud death, that is to
most men truce to old enemies, is the
very arraying of the battle against him. .
II is not against the dead seducer, but
against you, Mr.. Bsecher. and such IS
YOU, that the public Indignation is let
loose, on this truly mournful occasion
Had you, end such as you, been content
to cast o silent mantle of charity over
the erring, and withhold the public eulo-
gies by which you have shocked the SEN
sibilities of rght-thinking people, there
would have been no occasion for you 10
stand de6antly on the defensive, and in
terpose the perforated corpse ot your
dead lion as shield between you and
the public censure. 1t is against you and
such as you, that the scorching breath of
ncense6 virtue is directed; you, who,
without the apology of temptation, free
from the passions which blinded thole IL
licit lovers, coolly insult a Christian com
munity by fulsome and indecent praises
of their guilty connection. But for you,
and such as you, this terrible case would
have operated as an impressive warming;
BY your eulogies and your marriage cere-
mouy, you hold it up as an example.
The Indiana divorce was fraud and o
sham. You married the parties know
ing il to be mere Indiana divorce, pro-
cured on ee parte representations, with
out notice TO the offended husband, in a
place distant from the real residence OF
the parties. You know, Mr.. Beecher,
and everybody knows, that Mrs. Mctar-
land would not have dared to apply for a
divorce here in the State of New York,
where the parties resided. and the facts
would have been investigated. la the
eye of ourJsws, end by the rules of our
courts. the marriage with Mcfarland has
never been dissolved; and your per.
| formsree ofthe marriage ceremony made
you not only justifer OF seduction, but
an abettor Of bgamy.
In the light of the sworn testimony
| taken in McFarlsnd's application for the
| custody of his children, this is as clear Q
case OF seduolion as was ever proved by
evidence. The landlady of the house in
Amiiy street swears that Mrs. AcFar
land applied to her for room for X ch
ardsop, and that he came there In conse
auence Of an arrangement which abe had
made for him. The room s6joined hers
and the inmaies Of the house testify thai
sbe was freuuestly in il in the absence o.
her husband. All this might be innocent
enough, If it were not for the light thrown
back upon i, BY the subsequent develop
ments. She afterwards sbandons hel
husband and puts herself under Richard
sons protection. When be is wounded
she goes to Mr.. Sinclair house and takei
cara Of him, passes whole days snt
whole nights alone with him, bestowinG
the most eudearing caresses upon him
and permitting il to be understood in Mr.
Sinciair's family, and BY other scquain
tances, that she and Richardson we're un-
der sn engagement of marriage. It's i'm
possible to resist the conclusion that she
iorsook her husband IN the expectation
| Of marrying Richardson; that. he hac
knowingly excited that expectation, .ane
h.d thereby alieDated her from her has'
band; and that the Indiana divorce
procured probably by the friendly inter
ventiUn and assistance of Mr.. Colfax-