The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-16
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public man, and that he must reply or be
deemed the ''dog and knave" that the doc
tor had characterized him, and be forever
held to be simply "creature of Beechers
magnanimity;' that he had given to Beech
err as l knew myself from being present at
the time, an opportunity to repair the mis-
chief which Bacon had done him, asking
| Beecher merely to write letter to Bacon
making it clear that he (Ti'ton) was not the
creature of Beecher's magnanimity. | said
to him. "Do you remember that Beecher
pleaded the cmbarrassments of his situa-
ton, which hndered him from doing such
a thing as that without in reality making a
confession?' Tilton replied: "Beecher
has acted in this matter simply with refer
ence to saving himself, and thus leaves
nothing for me but my own vindication by
myself
While the Bacon letter was being pre-
pared did not see it, but after it was writ
ten | thought it was hut just to al the in
| terests for which | was caring that should
see its contents, and therefore accepted an
invitation from Titon to hear it read. |
again objected with g.eat vehemencc and
warmth to its publication in the presence Of
witnesses one of whom was Mr.. Frank
| Carpenter, who, as his friend, had been
brought by Tilton into the case without my
Intervention. After considerable discus
sion, finding it impossible to control its
publication, / then sought to altor the
phraseology of the inculpating portion of
it in such manner as would still leave op
portunity for such a reply from Beecher as
might satisfy rilton and would prevent the
disclosure of Mr.. Beecher's acts. To all
my arguments and urgings, Tilton replied
that he would not hold me responsible at
all for the consequences that he accepted
them all for himself alone, and that he could
not take my advice upon this subject, since
Beecher and his friends had chosen to dis
regard my counsel by continuing their at
tacks upon him. After much persuasion,
l induced him to strike out the words in the
letter as originally written--"Mr Beecher
has committed against me and my family
revolving crime'-and instead thereof to
insert the words ''has committed against
me an offense which | forbcar to name or
| characterize !" thus emitting the word
| "family,' aad substituting softer word,
''ofIense," susceptible of various nterpre-
tations, instead of "revolting crime" against
| the family, which might have been regarded
| as capable of only one. When thus modi-
| fed even, told Tlton that Swould rather
| give him, from my own pocket, five thou
| sand dollars in gold than to have him pub
| fish it.
During the time of the composition of the
paper, while my opportunities with Iilton
were going on, had frequent consultations
with Beecher in regard TO the letter; in which
told him that should do aeverything in
my power to prevent its publication, which
l most assuredly did, as more than one per-
son can testify. He understood as fully
from me as l had from Tilton that he Gill
tom might be goaded in self-defense to ex-
pose Beecher for msbehavior toward his
family The evening that i caused the
| change in the phraseology above stated was
| the first time had heard it read, and was
| a day or two before its publication; and at
terward, on the day that it went to press,
and before l knew that it had gone, at the
office of the Golden Age, | again urged III
| had, not to publish it, and suggested Goa tain
other changes which would render Beechers
course in regard to it less difficult.
Immediately after the publication | sent
| for Gen. Tracy. Mr.. Beecher's counsel, to
come to my house in the evening, where
read him the letter, and he was much in
censed at its contents. | called his atten-
ton to the change in the phraseology that
| had procured from Tilton, and tried to
show HIM that this letter, had as it was,
would, if properly met, by the means of ar
living at final settlement and peace be-
tween the parties and safety for the fami-
| lies, for which purpose / had made writ
ten analysis of the letter, in order to show
how | thought the parties might be recon-
ciled. | showed him that i, did not charge
| a crime but an ofiense for which it quoted
an apology, and that Tilton in the letter it.
self stated that settlement had once been
brought about between him and Beecher
upon the basis of that apology, which he
| deemed an honorable one. and which wonld
have been observed but for the attacks up
on him of Beecher and his friends, and the
the speech of Baron to the students of Yale,
and the articles in the independent, which
speech and articles Tilton had already given
Beecher an opportunity to qualify so far as
they related to him (rilton.)
At first Mr.. Tracy did not accept this
view of the case, but came to me short
time afterward and said that after thinking
over my remarks and plans, he chad be-
come converted to my view of the case"
The question then was as to the best course
for Beecher to take in relation to the let
ter; and upon this matter l consulted with
Tracy, and he agreed with me that we
should undertake to settle the controversy
upon the basis of an ''offense."
A few DAYS after the publication of the
letter met Titon in company with three
of his friends. when again strongly repre-
sented the mistake which in my judgment
he had made, especially toward himself, by
the publication; and told him that he owed
: it to himself his family and his friends,
and to me in an especial degree, as well as
all other interests involved, to help me to
find a way still to suppress all further pub
LEGATION and to bring peace and reconcila-
ton between himself and Beecher. lie
said, in the presence of witness, that he
would say nothing more, and be satisfied if
Beecher made no reply to the letter, and
that he would not, publicly or privately, in
sist upon Il reply; and after diseaslng the
policy of silence or q reply by Mr.. Beecher
/ dictated to the party then present the fol-
lowing, which | said | would advise that
Beecher should say in substance in his lee
ture-room to his church as n reply to the
letter, or, if not, that lie should be silent,
with either of which courses Tilton had al
ready expressed himself satisfied. The pa
per is marked "a"
, MouLToN's PROPOSED STATEMENT FOR
BEECHER.
"This church and community are UNI
auestonably and justly interested through
the recent publication by Theodore Triton
in answer to DR.. Leonard Bacon OF New
Haven.
, alt is true shat have committed an Of
Tense apainst Theodore Tilton, and, giving
to that ofiense the force of his construction,
5 made an apology and repatriation such as
no and I Mt the time declared full and nee
: essarv am convinced that Mr.. Tilton
has been goaded to his defense by msrepre
, sensations or misunderstanding of ny pc !,
r tion toward him. l never shall be a party
to the re-opening of this question, which
has been honorab!y settled as between
Theodore Tlton and myself. have COM
7 mitted no crime and if this society believes
I that it is due to it that should reopen this
, already too painful subject or resign, will
l resign, know, as God gives me the power
to judge of myself, that am better lifted,
to-day, through trials and chastening to do
{ goo than l have ever BEEN
This manor now have in the handwriting