New-York tribune., 1874-09-19


that Mrs Tilton should separate from her husband-I
hold that such advice given the theory that her
husband had deprived her Of food. fuel and personal
liberty, would NOT have been bad. but good and the
gver Of such advice would need TO have repeuted
gvingt But will 90 further that granting such
advice to have been given and TO have been bad yet
since Mrs Tton did accept this advice but rejected
it-since she did not separate from her husband and
home but remained with her family as before-n other
words since Mr. Beechers bad advice was not followed
by III consequences but no harm whatever came OF II
II Is q mockery OF human TO that he spent
four years Of remorse tn contemplating the giving OF
bad advice which taken and which produced
no effect of harm OF i'll
Such an explanation OF Mr. Beecher's letters Is gar
bling" indeed Had Mr. Beechers alleged advice ever
been given as believe II not had this advice been
followed by Mrs Tltons separation from her husband al
that time though no such separation then ensued;
had permanent sundering actually taken place De-
tween husband and wife, induced without other
cause than simply clergymans bad adviee-in-
volvng the scattering OF family of children made
fsherless and motherless by that worst OF all Or
phanage which by the divorce of parents; mad
Mr. Beecher ali this during the past four years as
he will see II during the next four. he might well have
had occasion the giving OF such advice but
repeat that the advice which he petends TO have given
was not followed and there is the best evidence that
he gave any such advice at ALL nor ever wrote one
Of his letters for any sucn reason.
II is he, then who has garbled away the meaning
from his letters Mr.. Beecher's adrot effort to per-
suade the public accept false Interpretation OF these
letters is vain They have q plain meaning which no
counter explanation ever blot out They are all
based on one central fact criminal intimacy between
himself and Mrs. Tton, which has been confessed by
both parties to her husband and to Mr. Mouton This
simple fact is the key which unlocks all the mysteries
Of these etters- mysteries they contain All the let
terra notes. and memoranda refer to the crime OF adu
terry to the fear of disclosure and to the consequent
devices" for the safety of the participants.
When Mrs. Tton made to me her confession OF July g.
1870 it was confession Of adultery When in her note
OF December 80, following she said "I gave letter
duplicating my friend Henry Ward Beecher" 1t was an
implication of adultery When her second note OF the
same evening she said Mr. Beecher had visited her
bedside and reproached her for having struck MIN
dead" IL was because she had disclosed his adultery
When Mr.. Beecher cast himself upon Mr. Moulton's
strong and faithful protection, 1t was because the
vretched man had detected in his adultery When
during the four years that followed the 1st OF January
1871 hardly month week passed which did not Wit
ness Mr. Beecher in some consultation with MI Mou
ton either by letter person. IT was 70 concoct meas
ures for conceang this adultery. When MI Beecher
conscious of his guilt and fearing deteeton tell olten
hopeless gloom at the prOspec OF disclosure IL was
because the crime to be disclosed was adultery "hen
from the beginning to the end of Mr. Moutons relation
ship with Mr. Beecher those two men pursued common
plaun which partcipated-ths plan was to guard
two families of children from the consequences OF TINS
adultery When Mr.. Beecher wrote to me bis letter OF
contrtion, it was because he sought TO placate me
into forgiveness Of his adultery When he asked me
to remember all the other hearts that would ache IL
was because OF the misery which two households ana
their wide connections would suffer by the discovery OF
his adultery. When he wrote to Mrs Tlltn that MI
Moulton had tied up the storm which was ready 10
burst upon their heads" it because Mr.. Moulton
| faA cd
ings against Mr. Beecher for adultery When Mr. Beech
er wrote that it would Kill him Mr. MOuon we're not
friend TO TtOns honor he meant that this ladys
honor" like every other ladys honor" was her repu
tation for chastity and relied Mr. MOulton 10 keep
the world from knowing that this lady's pastor had
soiled her honor" by adultery. When Mr. Beecher re-
quested Mrs. Morse call him her son." which she
did and when she begged him 10 come and see her.
pledgng herself not TO alude TO her daughters Sc
eret" II because this mother knew that this son
and daughter had committed adultery. When TINS
mother gave this 4" son" the troublesome Information
tnat twelve had been put in possession OF this
secret it was guilty and perous secret OF adultery
When Mr. Beecher shuddered the likelihood that Mr.
BoUep had communicated 70 Mr.. Claim " the bottom
facts it was because the chief fact lying at the bottom
OF all was adultery. When MIR. Beecher said TO MT
Moultop. "Can't we nit upon some plan TO
break the force of my letter TO FtonP 1t was be-
cause the letter force he wished 70 break was his
be wrote Would 10 God, Theodore. Elizabeth and
could pe friends agan-TheodOre would have the hard
eet task IN such case" it because this hardest
task would consist Of forgiving wife and her para
mour for their adultery. When Mrs Tlton wrote lm-
ploringly both Me- MOultOn ana 70 Mr. Beeeher that
the papers should be destroyed was because those
papers were records of adultery. When in brokenness
OF spirit Mrs Tton to ask her seducers forgive
ness IL was because Of her wOmanly distress
ar having betrayed him for his adultery. When
in one OF clandestne notes TO him she referred
10 her "nesthidng" it was means Of more PLEASANTLY
reminding him Of his poetic expression for their
adultery When her destroyer wrote 70 Mr.. Moulton,
Feb g. 1872 saying II would not believe that any one
could have passed through my experience and be alive
or sane he confessed agony OF living the verge
OF public punishment for adultery When he said to MI
Moulton You literally all my stay and comfort"
IT, was because this brave and tender friend was the bar
rer between the public and the knowledge Of clergy
mans adultery When Mr. Beecher who was never tired
of sending to this friend such love-etters as man
seldom writes to a man, said TO him, " l
would have fallen the way but for the
courage with which Vou inspired me-" it was his
ever grateful acknowledgment TO one who was saving
him from the fate which punshes cergymen for adul-
terry When ne bewaed the keen suspicious with
which he was pressed" these the dangerous sus
picions of a congregation 10 whom public rumor had
carried horrible hint of their pastors adultery. When
ba feared an appeal 10 the church. and then
c" and prognostlcated thereby a " conhagration 1t
was because he foresaw how the public mind would
be Influenced by the knowledge OF his adultery. When
he portraved himself as standing IN daily dread OF
those personal friends who were making "ruinous
defense" OF him. it because he feared that their
clauorous statements Of his innocence would blum
deringy lead to the detection Of his adultery When he
cried out that be was suffering the torments OF the
damned he was pouring out his hearts anguish to the
only man to whom he had liberty to unburden his re-
norse for his adultery When he said that he could not
carry this burden to wife and children It was be-
eause he was ashamed to acknowledge TO them his
---o4n fee