The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-07-24
MRS. TILT0N'S STATEMENT.

To pick up anew the sorrows OF the last ten years.
the stings and pains had daily schooled myself
70 bury and forgive, makes this imperative duty,
~ called forth by the malicious statement OF my
husband, the saddest act Of my life. Beside, my
thought of following the Master contradicts this
act OF my pen, and a sense OF the perversion of my
nfe-fath almost compels me now to stand aside,
I'LL God Himself delivers.
Yet see in this wanton act an urgent call and
privilege from which shrink not. TO reply IN de-
sail to the twenty-five articles Of arrangement
shall not attempt at present. Yet If called upon
10 testify each and all OF them shall not hes-
tate to do so. Suflice 1t for my purpose now
that reply to one or more of the most garing
charges.
Touching the feigned sorrow OF my husbands
compulsory revelations, solemnly avow that long
before the Woodruff publication l knew him, by
tnsinuatOn and direct statement, TO have repeated
80 my every near relative and friend the substance
Of these accusations which shock the moral sense
Of the entire community this day. Many times,
when hearing that certain persons had spoken Ill
Of him. he has sent to chide them for doing
and then and there learned he had been before
me with his caumnies against myself so That
was speechless.
The rei,eration in his statement that he had ''per
sistenty striven TO hide" these socalled facts is
utterly false, as his hatred to Mr.. Beecher has ex-
listed these many years. and the determination to
rum Mr. Beecher has been the one aim OF his life.
Again. the perfGy with which the hottest love
wife ever offered has been reckessly discovered in
tnls publication reaches well nigh to sacrege;
and, added to this the endeavor, like the early
scandal OF Mrs. woodruff, to make my own words
condemn me- has no parallel.
Most conspicuousy, my letter quoting the read
ing OF 'GrInith Gaunt." Had Mr.. Tilton read the
pure character OF Catharine, he would have seen
that / lifted myself beside it-as near as any hu-
man may affect an ideal But it was her charac-
ter, and not the incidents Of fiction surrounding
It, to which referred. Hers was no sin OF crimi-
nal act or thought.
like confession with hers had made to Mr..
TiltOn IN telling OF my love to my friend and pas
tor one year before And now add that. not
outstanding all misrepresentation and anguish
Of soul, owe to my acquaintance and friendship
with Mr. Beecher, as 10 no other human instru-
mentality, that encouragement in my men tai lie
and that growth toward the Divine nature which
enables me to walk daily lively hope Of the life
beyond.
The shameless charges in articles seven, eight
and nine are fearlully false IN each and every par
tcular. The letter referred to in Mr.. TltOns tenth
paragraph was obtained from me by importantly,
and by represen tations that /: was necessary for
him to use in his then pending dircultes with Mr..
suffered miscarriage only Jour days before.
signed whatever he required without knowing or
understanding Its import The paper have never
seen, and DO not know what statements it con-
tanned.
In charge eighteen, a letter OF NINE addressed
to Mr. Francis MoultOn, Is quoted to prove that I
never desired a separation or ADVISED by Mr..
or Mrs. Beecner TO leave my husband, reply. the
letter was OF Mr.. 1ilton's own concoctng, which
he induced me to copy and sign as my owD-an act
which, in my weakness and mistaken thought TO
help him, have done too often during these uD-
happy years.
The implication that the harmony OF our home
was unbroken till Mr. Beecher entered IL as re-
quent guest and friend Is iamentable satire
upon the household where he himself, years be-
fore, laid the corner stone OF free love and desc
Grated its affairs up to the time OF my departure
20 that the atmosphere was not only goddess, but
impure for my children. And in this effort and
throe OF agony would fan lit my daughters ana
all womanhood from the insidiOus and dlabocal
teachings OF these latter days.
His frequent efforts 70 prove me inane, weak
minded Insignificant OF mean presence, all rank
IN the category OF hcartlessness, selfshness and
falsehood, having Its climax in his present endea-
vor to convince the world that am or ever have
been unable TO distinguish between an innocent
and guilty love.
In summing up the whole matter, af1lrm myself
before God to be innocent OF the crimes laid upon
me- that never have beer guilty OF adultery with
Henry Ward Beecher in thought or dead; nor has
he ever offered TO me an indecorous or improper
proposal.
10 the further charge that was led away from
my home by Mr.. Beecher's friends, and by the adj
vice OF lawyer whom Mr. Beecher had sent to
me, and mho In advance OF my appearing before
the committee, arranged with me the questions and
answers which are to constitute my testimony IN