, 1874-09-27
A GAME OF BLUFF.

A GAME OF BLUFF.
All the signs Indicate that Beecher's body
guard have made up their minds to browbeat
public opinion. The tremendous effect produced
By Tilton's last atatemcnt has only served both
to reveal and enboldeu this policy OF despairing
bluff In fact, Tilton has silenced every gun Of
the Plymouth fortress except this, and it is not
to be wondered ut il this ono should make almost
as much sputter and smoke Is has hitherto been
made by all the gums in chorus Na read .of
TIE advance Of whole army being retarded by
the tkillful rapdty with which G-poun0er Was
handled BY the retreating force. Nor was tho
little guu any the less effective for being made
OF brassl Beocher's unbiencod gun ls some
times loaded with his age, sometimes with bis
iocos1ty, sometimes with his robustuousness,
sometimes with arguments drawn from the
flowory character of his connubial nest, and
sometimes with arguments drawn from tho
br1ery nature Of the same But invariably tho
charge is made up cEieay OF his intellectual
greatness. He is too great genius to be held
amenable to laws Of evidence applicable to ordi-
nary nlortals.
Mr. Beochcrs' 'organ-the Christian Union-~has
not word to say in answer to Iilton army of
documentary evidence. but INDUCES in its weekly
reiteration that tho accused iB s'noble aud
Ereat-souled man," and tho accuser Ill utterly
baRe man. Consequently *' the world will not
accept the portrait " of the accused as drawn by
=,
taken Bcecher ia to stick to bis denial con-
tinue his jokes and his prayers, keep up his
''health y and lis check. resume bis preaching
III Plymouth pulpit at IN increase Of salary
(530,000), and his lecturing at $500 an evening.
travelling By chartered caEs to avoid public curl
oHi!y. Meanwhile. how about the. trial ? 1t is
confidently expected that the jury Will. to say
the least, disagree, If under this argument Of
privileged genius they cannot be induced to ac-
quit. But suppose Mrs, 11lton makes another
confession. rs it il feared in Brooklyn now that
she will either under oath in court. OF before !!
One OF the Beecher organs iu New York, Which
has been obliged to CRY for quarter-that is. fer
trial by ju,y-anticipates such testimony: and
pronouuces it Enthusiastically. Becchcr's hand
organ is OF the same mind, and Bays: "The un-
happy lady has been shown on every side to have
been 30 given to excess CT emotion, and to Ian
guago ont Of all proportion to the occasion, :"
that her word "must be taken with the utmost
reserve" But when Assistant Halliday says he
would throw out the testimony OF Gabriel and
lawyer Tracy says he would eyen challenge that
OF Beecher, If he criminated himself, We recoil
We might suspect the A1cllangel OF ''conspir-
acy," but-Beechcr! How could We get over his
rhetorical facility and his tluencg in prayer?
Driven from every other position which they
undertook to hold. the Beecher body-guard has
fallen back upon this one, which, although the
ragged edge Of despair to them. gives them the
advantages of the desperate. by drawing to
them tho sympathy which even the wicked some
times secure when they are ut bay. It was so in
the case OF Bishop Onderdonk, who died game
and guilty after fighting fro" for sixteen
years. This, We must infer from present indi-
cations. is to be the policy Of Beech
er during that " fifteen years of work"
which, ho says, is Tin ,him,' notwith-
standing his momentary expectation Of
death. Onderdonk, it should be remembered,
however, passed his life after his conviction un-
der cloud OF public opprobnom. But it is ev-
IDENTITY the purpose Of Boecher's friends to create
and perpetuate public sentiment that shall up
hold him, guilty or not guilty. No sentiment
could be more mendacious, and 10 policy more
mischioyous. We have maintained, and still
maintain. that Beecher's crimes. however nume1-
Gus or odious, would not seriously damage the
Christian religion or public morality, if, whc1,
proved, they are punished with the reprobation
aud abhorrence Of the Christian community.
But ii his guilt shall be established beyond rea-
sonablo doubt, and he shall still be sustained By
any considerable show OF public sentiment, it
will bo calamity to morality Of portontous pro-
PORTIONS. It wil1 shake society to its founda-
tions.