The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-08-25

Wedk 10 carry the.u Jul. I'D managing him
Moulton exercised - wonderful amount OF
discretion and achieved great success. II
gentlemen of the description OF Drs. Storrs
Buddington and Bacon had Kept themselves
out OF the business, Moulion would have
held the dangerous scandal under water Tor
another year or two at least, perhaps for
ever. But with those gentlemen, he could
do nothing; for they moved according 10
principle and with q beautiful disregard of
what damage might be done 70
other people. He could bully Bowen. the
Uriah Hcep of religious journalism, and stay
the tongue of the loquacious Carpenter, but
the little sources of annoyance outside his
sphere he could not control. The final OUT
break of the scandal may be attributed
directly to Tilton's irritation at attacks from
persons whom he considered under the in
fiuence OF Mr.. Bsecher. and indirectly to the
fact that he had grown tired of his martyr
dom, aud bscome possessed of a determina-
ton to snow the world that he who had
fallen so low was at least capable of pulling
down the pillars of great temple aloag
with him.
As before said, Mr.. Mnulton's statement
brings but little strength to the chain
of evidence binding Mr.. Beecher, but it
serves as a complete vindicalion OF its
author and Mr.. Triton. And now, in con-
clusion, it may be we'll to add that the con-
viction at which each one arrives is not by
any means likely to depend upon the
amount OF evidence produced by either
party in the case. Opinions are formed i'm
some minds from trivial circumstances
which are put aside with contempt by
others. To many people the word of Mr..
Beecher is warrant for his virtue beyond
which they do not care to go. They set at
naught the confession Of Mrs. Tilton, who
has once and again contradicted herself,
vacillating like reed shaken in
the wind. They repel with contempt the as
sertion of Tilton, that the pastor of Plymouth
made to him confessions of adultery
They pay no attention to Moultons de-
claration to the same effect. The sin charged
is one that admits of no direct proof, and it
is doubtful If even direct proof would shake
their conviction. There. are others, and
among them the Sentinel may be clsssed.
who would not weigh for moment the
word of MoHlton Or Tilton. or a dozen of
the same tribe against that of Mr.. Bee.her,
but to them conviction comes rather through
evidence than through the
of witnesses. There is sort of
in the character of men and
their course OF sction for a series of
years-a harmony bstween human motives
and human conduct-that can not
be violated. II is natural for such people
TO say: "Under such circumstances
a guilty man would have followed such a
line of conduct, an innocent man the oppo-
site. Tried by certain exigencies such one
would have spoken in such a way" In the
eyes of men of this class the course of Mr..
Beccher tor the past four years, adopting the
theory of his innocence, is a series of incon-
sstencies and his letters seem not to be such
as he would have written il guiltless. Herein
lies the main source of doubt and
suspicion. Once engendered, OF course,
doubt and suspicion grow on such little cir
,umstances IS the unwise and partial action
ofthe investigating committee. and the cor
roborative accusing testimony offered. With |
put, therefore, belonging to that great class |
which is quick to think evil and has con-
lemned Mr.. Beecher with indecent haste, the |
sentinel confesses once more that his vindi- |
,ation is unsatisfactory, and we remain,
ike Othello, "perplexed in the extreme"
L