Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1874-07-15

ravage of the earth's surface, whose de
tails are so well-known from the expert
ence of the Mill river valley. The foo
, reached the lower dam at half-past 4, an
lasted for perhaps half an hour at its height
coming with somewhat less impetuosit
than at Williamsburg, as its less descen
would indeed render likely.
The Beecher-TiltOn Affair.
1t will be remembered that Tilton's Fl,
nous manifesto was published June %
Thursday. Mr.. Beecher returned to New
York, the next day, Friday, and on Satur
day following addressed this letter to tn
gentlemen named:
BROOKLYN, June 81, 1874.
Gentlemen: In the present state of pub
lie feeling l owe it to my friends and tn,
church and the society over which | an
pastor to have some proper investigation
made of the rumors, insinuations o.
charges respecting my conduct as compro
missed by the late publications made by
Mr.. Tilton. | have thought that both the
church and the society should be represen
ted, and l take the liberty of asking the
following gentlemen to serve in this in
quiry, and to do that which truth and JUS
tice may require-and | beg that each Of
the gentlemen named will consider this as
If it had been separately and personally
sent to him-namely, from the church
Henry w, Sage, Augustus StOrrs and Hen
| ~ M. Cleveland; from the society, Hor-
ace B. Claflin, John Winslow, and s. V.
White. | desire you, when You have
satisfied yourselves by an impartial and
thorough examination of all sources OF
evidence, to communicate to the examin-
ing committee or to the church, such
action as may then seem to you right and
wise. HENRY WARD BEECHER
The gentlemen asked by Mr., Beecher to
investigate the charges are of very high
character.
Henry w. Sage is deacon of the church
and a trustee of the society. He has given
$4,000 to found the Lyman Beecher
Lectm'eship on Preaching in Yale College,
100000 to found the Sage College for
Women in Cornell University; $4,000
toward the building of II church in Ithaca,
n. Y, his former home, and is in constant
exercise of generous private charities
Augustus Storrs, of the commission
house of Storrs Brothers, is a member of
the Plymouth Church Board of Trustees,
Treasurer of the Society: man of kind
charitable disposition, clear sense and con-
sistent Christian character.
Henry Nj. Cleveland was originally
Connecticut man, and a few Years since
was member of the State Board of Edu-
cation. He has been n member of Ply
mouth Church fourteen years, is member
of the examining committee, and is known
as a keen sighted, genial honorable, man.
In business he is a member of the large
paper house of II. c. Hubert & Co.
Horace b. Clafin, one of the trustees of
the society (and, with the exception of its
President, James Freeland, the Oldest
member of that Board in service). has
always been known as one of the foremost
men in the affairs of the society.
John Winslow is the District Attorney
for Kings county, appointed by Gov. Dix
and is Il member of the law firm of Wins
low & Van Colt in Brooklyn. His partner,
Judge Van Colt, is a leading member of
the Church of the Pilgrims Or r. S
StorrS), and was member of the special
comm ,ttee which called the late Congrega-
tional Council.
S. V. White, the Church Treasurer is
prominently active in all the Plymouth
Church and Sunday School work He is
a banker and broker in New York.
The examining committee of Plymouth
Church, recognizing the character of these
men, unanim ously adopted the action of Mr.
Beecher and authorized them to act on
behalf of the church.
Mr. Beecher addressed the following
letter to the examining committee.
BROOKLYN, July 6.
Dear Brethren inclose toyou the letter
in which have requested three gentlemen
from the church and three from the society
of Plymouth church, gentlemen of unim-
peachable repute and who have not been
involved in any of the trials through which
we have passed during the year, to make
thorough and impartial examination of
all charges or insinuations against my
good name and to report the same to YOU
and | now respectfully request that YOU
will give to this committee the authority
to act in your behalf; also it seemed wise
to me that the request should proceed from
me, and without Your foregoing knowledge
and that you should give to it authority to
act i'll your behalf in so far as thorough
investigation of the facts should be con
cerned. HENRY WARD BEECIIER
The gentlemen appointed are making
thorough examination, and though various
rumors are afloat as to what they are find
ing to be true, we await their report which
will be the only reliable account rs they
are very reticent.
Mr.. Titon on Monday the 18th, sent the
letter to the investigating com
mttee:
Gentlemen: When, on Friday last.
met You ut Your invitation, the appoint !
ment of your committee had not then been
known to the public. You sat in Il private
Moreover, one of Your legal
advisers had previously given me a hope |.
hat if, on my appearance before you, /
would preserve Il iudicious reticence CON
:erning the worst aspects of the case. /
might thereby facilitate through You such
l moderate public presentation of Mr.. /
Beeecher's offense and apology as would |
close rather than prolong the existing
scandal. | rejoiced in this hope. and |
reciprocated the kindly feeling
which was reported 10 me as shared by
you all toward myself and family Ac-
when | met you in conference
NY brief statement was in substance the
5wo following points: First, that my letter
o DR.. Bacon was written, not as an act of
aggression, but of self-defense, arising. us
herein set forth, from great and grievous
by your pastor, your church,
he Brooklyn council and the eN-modera-
or's criticisms on my supposed conduct,
I'll uniting to def;tme me before the world,
md to inflict upon me an unjust punish
nent for acts done by another; and second,
hat, having by that letter defended N.Y.
elf so far as [ thought the occasion re-
Iuired me to carry my reply, felt I'M
Wiling to proceed further against Mr..
5eecher without further public provoca-
ion or other neces sity. Such a necessity
S now laid upon me by Mr.. Beecher him
elf, in the publication of direct request ;
y him to you to inquire officially into his
haracter as affected by his offense and
nn1on,- to I