Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-05-22

mencemenf OF the publication of this
weekly some years ago, 1t has been
freely and gratitously sent to various
parties throughout the country espe.
cially has it been sent, unasked for, to
the press of the country. Again we
are in receipt of the number of May
18th, addressed to the COURIER. 1t is
filled with an extended addenda to
the well known Beecher-Tilton scan.
dial. We confess that the particular
ity with which these charges are made.
seems to call for some defense more
than has been made. We can readily
perceive how It is not best to always
turn aside to meet and disprove scan
dial from some sources, yet the peril
nacity with which this is followed up,
must sooner or later receive attention,
or the public mind will be effected by
It to the discredit of Mr.. Beecher, and,
indeed, it already has been to some
extent. However, while silence can
not, We think, be always maintained
without injury in this case, still it is
wonderful how credence can be given
to woman who seeks to dishonor the
great popular preacher for the purpose
she alleges. The astounding aud bra
zen audacity with which she strikes at
the sacred marital relation between
husband and wife, would anbridle
lust and convert the world into a
thousand fold greater charnel house of
sin than il now is. IF there be one
virtue in law more dear, more benefi-
cial to the human family than another,
it is the guards which it throws around
the marital relation and the domestic
circle. That human passions disre-
gard these in many cases, is the fault,
not of the law, but of the weakness Of
human nature. 1t is TO sever all these
legal bonds of matrimony, which this
strange woman, Victoria Woodruff
advocates.
| While we would not often lay be.
fore our readers such language, still
we are constrained now to do 80, tina,
q proper knowledge may be obtained
Of what the views of this woman are
who charges Mr.. Beecher with lewd
ness. We quote from an article owe
her own name in the number of tn
paper mentioned above. She says:
Every great man Of Mr.. Bcecher'
! | type has had in the past, and will eve
have the need for, and the right to tn
love OF many women, and when tn
public graduates out of the ignoranc
and prejudice Of its childhood, il viii
, recognize this necessity and It's ow
past injustice
| Again:
4 "Thc evil lies in the belief that soc
! ETY. has the right to prohibit, to prt
, scribe and regulate, or in any mamie
to interfere with the private love man
! festatiOns of its members, any NOR
than II has to prescribe their food an
1 their drink
Still more she adds:
THAT in my view and in the via,
of Others who think with me. and q
! oil, as ! believe, who think rightly q
8 this subject, Mr.. Beecher is to.da,
and after all that l have been callc
upon to reveal of his life, as good, a
pure, and noble man as he ever WI
Q in the past or 40 the world has eve
held him to be, and that Mrs. Tito
IS still the pure, charming, culture
woman. It is, therefore, public opi,
r ION that is wrong, and not the indivit
uals who must, nevertheless, for a tim
suffer its persecution"
Thus it will be seen that the charge
ssainst Mr.. Beccher, in SO far as the
come from this woman and those VIII
entertain her sentiments, are the of
spring OF those who believe in prost
titution; union of the sexes control
ed in no way by law, but only by wha
she calls love, viz: the lu,
or passion of the hour. This concl,
sion is inevitable. It is well know
that Mr.. Tilton lost his situation q
3 editor-in-chief upon the Independen
and $4,000 . year for the advocacy Z
strikingly similar views. We wi
only say in conclusion, that if thel
be guilt, as charged against Mr.. Beecl
er, he should be hurled from his hie
place at once. But pardon us if "
n cannot rely upon those for proof, WI
0 If not prostitutes themselves, yet d
: fend the cause of prostitution.