The weekly Louisianian., 1872-12-07
WoeDHpLL-
APPEALS Fon LIGHT ON THE suBJEcr

~'-- Wv0Dhplb-bEECAbb.
APPEALS Fon LIGHT ON THE SUBJECT
The allegation is this: A crimi.
nal intimacy once existed, if it doe.
not still, between Rev. Henry Ware
Beecher and Mrs. Theodore Tilton.
The fact that Mr.. Beecher is q
clergyman, and hitherto unsmirched
in reputation by the faintest
whisper Of reproach, and that the
Woodruff is. a notoriously bad
woman, go far to exonerate the
accused. For twenty-five years the
Plymouth orator has been before
the public. His spotless reputation
raises very strong presumption in
his favor. As between the accused
and 'his accuser, no person whose
opinion is worth anything would
hesitate a moment. But in tile
shape Mrs. Woodruff has put her
accusations, the relative regulations
OF the two persons are not decisive.
1T is asserted that MIR. Tilton him
self knows all the allegations made
to be true; also, that Mrs. Elizabeth
Cady Stanton and Mrs Hooker, Mr.
Beecher's own sister, do. A Mr..
Frank Moulton, member of Ply
mouth Church, is another authority
given. Here are four persons
named as conversant. with the facts
in the case. They can severally or
jointly protest that, so for as they
know and believe, the charge is
false. Having been dragged into
the affair, these persons cannot re-
main silent without asserting to
the truthfulness Of the charge made.
This is at once the bad feature of
the case and it's good feature. It
gives power to the charge, making
it impossible for MIR. Beecher to
crush it away with a wave of his
white hand; at the same time it ena-
bles him to rest his vindication up
on the most substantial ground.
Mr.. Tilton edits the Golden Age,
Mrs. Stanton is widely known, and
so is Mrs. Hooker. We are in
formed that Mr.. Moulton is a gen.
aeman Of high standing. Their
duty is plain. It would be a great
mistake to suppose that the reputa-
lion Of Mr.. Beecher is of itself am
pie refutation of the charge. We
Ill know that men and women of |
The very highest standing, some
times fall, never to rise again. The
black list is not without it's reverend |
doctors and its reemingly sanity |
women. Had Woodruff refrained |
rom giving any names, there would |
lave been no direct way of demol-
shing her scandel, nor would it !
nave amounted to much any way.
t would have passed for merely
he malicious babble of a vile women
But now it has strength which may
70 made its weakness. The public
las a right to demand utterance
rom the four witnesses named.
Such a man as Mr.. Beecher belongs
o the public. He is a distinct fac
or in the civilization of this day.
de is q host in himself. What
fleets him affects all, only in a
liferent way and degree. He has
xerted wider influence upon the
moral purpose and religions
bought Of the times than any other
nan Of tho century, and to allow
he least suspicious of immortality
0 rest upon his name would be q
erious misfortune. Once more,
hen, we urge the men and women
nentioned as authority, to speak.
10 elaborate defense is needed. If
hey, answering for Mr.. Beecher,
hould join in an unequivocal mot
uilty," that would put an end to
he scandal Immediately, and for all
lme to come.-Micago Journal.