Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-11-04

mine In the FREEMAN of October 9TH, and
says that he wishes to give view of the
Beecher case - rs it appears to 4 judicial
mind" the sum and substance Of which
is. that:
lst. There are circumstances against
Mr.. Beecher: and
I'd. He does not think these circum-
stances sufficient to prove him guilty
1t is remarkable that in all the com
ments by the newspapers and others who
wish to make an impression against Mr..
Beecher, they almost invariably have to
admit that there has not sufficient evidence
been pro lucel to prove e ,ilt. Turned
and twisted rs the circumstances have
been by the most skllfll opponents. yet
they fail. utterly fail, rs | said in the
other article. " to overcome 4 presumption
of innocence"
But there are circumstances against Mr..
Beecher. says Bro. H. Yes, certainly
there are, and there has never vet trans
pircd a criminal trial where there were
not circumstances against the accused.
1t is alWu3s so. You cannot put Your
finger on 4 single case in all the records
Of Jurisprudence where there was not Il
web of circum stances, more or less I'M
penctrahle to human sight. thrown arc und
the accused Hundreds of iu2ore,A men
have found themselves thus cncompi~ ~>cd,
IL Il
thcm have cried ont, All these things
are against me" And, dear reader, be rs
innocent as 4 sucking lamb be aS prudent
rs You may. Vet ere another "rolling
sun, vou, even you, may be involved in 4
net work of circumstances rs dark a Eru-
bus. as intricate Is the schemes of hell, AMI
YOU may see. rs hundreds of innocent
men have seen. friends, good and holy
men. pas>ing by on the other side not
needing the rule of law that treats man
rs innocent until pror6d guilty. nor the
voice of the great Law Givcr rolling down
to us with increasing volume through the
leightcen centuries. coUtnlntliny us to
"iulge not" nor the lesson Of Charity
lCovc) given u, 10y the Holy Ghost. the
hardest lesson of the whole Bible. and
usually the last lesson that holy men and
women learn. Yes. there are circum-
stances against Mr.. Beecher- 50 there are
circumstances occurring around Us every
day, and many which we cannot explain :;
Vet that is no reason why We should hang
ourselves, OF hang any of our nrirhbor>.
Iou can Sllo|' Mr.. Hrcrhcr guilty, and
then II l. easy enough to suppose that he
would deny ii. 1t i good rul" that any
er~on who commits hclnous crime will,
II 4 general thing. deny It. Il Is mucf
more rra~onable 10 suppose that man
who Is guilty of 4 state prison offence
would deny it, than to suppose that Mr.
Brcchcr. even if guilty, vet having hi~
senses. woIll o1nt,SS h.> graft u II hri-
ttr,re c'ert. Bat what good does it do to
>'tproS, There is no erid.Q"c i'll >uppo>
iny. Tymlall and Huxley suppose man,
things and ask Il, II accept their >uppo y
tions contrary to facts that are p.Dvcd be
vond 4 shadow of doubt. But We canno
safely follow them any further than th"
ltm0HStrtte. Their potency of matter,
their protoplas1n or animated mud. ant
quitv Of man. gaseous molten and cru~tc
rlole. their Paleontologic;.l histories ,
plants and animals. their Silurian. Can
b niferoue. Olitic and Tertiary. wit
Thallorcns. GvmnoLen> and Dvctvlodon.
We say: Gentlemen, We accept as sc
encc ou1y what i prored And they l.,
" pIv: 80, YOU take a narrow view" An
that is true. For if we conne ourSclv,
take a narrow view of difficult question
= Because there i but Il narrow range t
human ken. The visual angle Of hanna
siuht !. limited. The truth is. we caur
see into. or through OPAQUE bodies )
that uur nrtll,tI k1l0fr'.Ii, of what TAX
-" nI,re behind the scenes is very sli~l
We cannot look into the unseen. "
h,vc no such bowers, of penetration
e,,un fry tn exercise Here we c,
- through q class darkly." This is ofte
ia times too hum!latlng for proud hum;
.lv nrt'r", and it is quite common for men
-, be dissatisfied with the narrow view
-, common sense, 80 they plume their feel
wings for dizzy flights in the regions
10 speculation, 1t is all well enough
J. drctm; 1t Is often beneficial to eNerci
~ the imagination, but we should alwa
+J
when we come TO reputation, the dearc
possession of earth, let us be caaNio"s, III
not forget that it is Wtcrly Impossible
human perception to 90 farther than Il
o demonstrated J1ctS. We cannot look
~ w. to the human soul. Our nearest friend