The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-15

amcable settlement. The. result of this pro-
ceeding was that Mr.. Bowen paid Mr.. Tilton
over $1,000, and that written agreement was
entered into by Bowen, Tilton and myself OF
concord and future peace. 1t was
agreed that the offensive article, the publication
Of which had produced such an effect upon Mr.
Bowen, and secured happy settlement should
be destroyed without seeing light IL was an
act of treachery peculiarly base that this artl-
Gle was permitted to get into hands which would
insure its publication, and that 1t was publish
ed. was assured that every yestlge OF 1t was
destroyed, nor until a comparatively recent
period did understand how Mr.. Tilton secur-
ed its publication without seeming himself to
be responsible for the deed. finally, after vain
ly attempting to obtain money, both from my
self and my wife as the price of its suppress
sion, the Woodruff women published their YER
sion of the Tilton scandal in November of 1872.
The details given by them were so minute,
though so distorted, that suspicion was univer-
sally directed toward Mr.. Tilton as the real au-
thor of this which he so justly calls "a wretch
ed and horrible scandal though it is not
whit more horrible than that which he has now
fathered, and not half 50 wicked, because those
abandoned women did not have personal knowl-
edge of the falsity OF their story as Mr.. Tllton
has of his.
To rid himself of this incubus, Mr.. Tilton
drew up voluminous paper called true state
ment, but which was Familiarity called iii
toms case.'' had some knowledge of its COM
some documents were only referred to as on
file, and others had not yet been manufactured.
Tilton's fervor for confding statements was
one of my familiar annoyances. Moulton
used to tell me that the only waysto manage
Theodore was to let him work off his periodi-
cal passion on some such document aad then
to pounce upon the document and suppress 1t.
This particular statement was special plea OF
a. a enent of the prejudice excited by his
Woodruff partnership. 1t was middle OF
1ol for ta
and downright falsehoOd. This paper l knew
he read to many, and am told he read it to
not less than fifty persons, in which he did not
pretend TO charge criminality upon his wife; on
the contrary, he explicitly denied it and as
serted her purity, but charged me with improp-
er overtures to her. 1t was this paper which
he read to Dr. Storrs and poisons with this his
mind; this leading to the attempt to prosecute
Tilton in plymouth Church; the interference
of neighboring churches and the calling OF the
Congregational Council. After the Woodruff
story was published and while Mr.. Tilton
seemed really DESTROYS for a short time of pro-
tecting his wife, l sent through him the follow
ing letter to her:
BEECHER TO MRS. TILToN.
My Dear Mrs. Tilton L hoped that you would be
shielded from the knowledge of the great wrong that
has been done to you and through you to universal
womanhood I can hardly bear to speak Of it or al
lude to matter than which nothing can well be
more painful to a pure, womanly nature ! pray
know the way and the power of prayer. God has
been your refuge in many sorrow before. He will
now hide you in his pavilion until the storm be over
past The rain that beats down the flower to the
earth will pass at length and the stem bent but not
broken, will rise again and blossom as before Every
pure woman on earth will feel that this wanton and
unprovoked assault is aimed at you. but reaches to
universal womanhood. Meantime your dear chill
dren will love you with double tenderness, and Theo-
dore at whom the shafts are hurled, will hide you in
his heart of hearts. am glad that revelation from
the pit has given him sight of the danger that was
aness Nay God Keep him in in the ard9
Gus struggle which he wages against adversely and
bring him out though much tried, like gold seven
times refined. have not spoken of myself. No
words could express the sharpness and depth of my
sorrow in your behalf my dear and honored friend.
God walks in the fire by the side of those he loves,
and in heaven neither you nor Theodore nor shall
regret that discipline how hardsoever it may seem
May he restrain and turn those poor creatures
who have been given over to all TINS sorrowiul harm
their hands. commend you to my mother Is God,
my dear friend; may His smile bring light in dark
ness, and His love be perpetual summer to you.
Very truly yours,
The whole series of events, beginning with
the outbreak of the Woodruff story, repeatedly
brought me terrible accumulation of ankle
ties and perils. Every ing that had threat
ened before, now. started up again with new
violence. Titon's behavior was at once mex
plcable and uncomfortable. His card to a
complaining friend did not produce the effect
he pretended to expect. Then his infamous
article add letter to Mr.. Bowen mada its ap-
pearance in the Eagle It had been suggested
that the publication of the Tripartite Covenant
would have good effect in counteracting tie
slanderous stories about Mrs Tilton and N.Y.
self, which Theodore professed to regard, but
which his foolish card and publication of that
article has done so much to revive and render
mschievous. Mr.. Moulton urged me to get
from the gentleman who held the tripartite
covenant, copy of it for use, when Mr. Will
knson came ont with it on his own responsible.
ity. Its publication in this maunerI made
strenuous but unavaillng efforts to prevent.
He had originally kept copy of it. every
except myself) On the appearance Of that
paper Theodore went into rage. 1t put him,
he said, in false position before the public,
and he would publish another card giving a
statement something like what he afterward
wrote to DIR. Bacon (that is as recollect the
matter,) declaring that had committed an Of
fence, and that he had been the magnanimous
party in the business. 1t was necessary to de-
eide what to do with him. Moulton strongly
urged a card from me generating Theodore
(as l could honestly do) from the authorship of
the particular scandals detailed in his article to
Mr.. Bowen and alluded to it in the covenant.
/ said would think it over, and perhaps write
something. This was Friday or Saturday, the
covenant appeared on the Friday morning, and
the alarm was sounded on me Immediately,
not restrained on Sunday. l had made up my
mind to write to Mr.. Moulton the following let
ter. garbled extracts of which are given in Mr..
Tilton's statement:
BEEcHER TO MoULToN.
SUNDAY MORNING, June 1, 1873.
My Dear Frank:-The whole world is tranquil and
the heaven is serene, BELTS who has about fin
ished this world life. could do nothing Sunday.
My head was confused, but good sleep has made it
like crystal have determined to make no more re-
a hQt fhn
future, even if temporarily earned, would be abso-
lutey worthless filed with abrupt changes and rem
stulty all the devices by which we saved ourselves
1t is only fair that he should know the publication
OF the card which he proposes would leave him far
worse off than before. The agreement was made af
ter my letter through you written, He had it
year. He had condoned his wife's fault. He had
enjoined upon me with the utmost earnestness and
solemnty not to betray his wife, nor leave his chill
dren blight. had honestly and earnestly join
ed in the purpose. Then this settlement was made
and signed by him. 1t was not my making. He re-
vised his part that it should wholly suit him. and
signed 1t. 1t stood unquestioned and unbalanced for
more than year. Then it was published. Nothing
excited him to fury, and he charged me 18th making
him appear as one graciously pardoned by me:
1t was his own deliberate act, with which he was
perfectly content, till others saw it, and then he
charges grievous wrong home on me. My mind is
clear. am not in haste. Isha write for the pnb-
lie statement that will bear the light of the Judg-
ment day. God will take care of me and NIUE When
look on earth it is deep night; when look to the
heavens above see the morning breaking; but oh
that could put in golden letters my deep sense of
your faithful earnest, undying fidelity, your dsin-
terested frndship. Your whole lfe too, has been to
me one Of God comforters.
1t is such as she that renews waning faith in wo-
manhood. Frank would not have wasted any more
energy on hopeless task with such man as Theo.
dore Tilton. There is possible salvation for any
who depend upon him. With a strong nature, he
does not know how to govern it; with generous I'M
pulses the undercurrent that rules him is self; with
ardent affections, he cannot love long that which
does not repay him with admiration and praise with
a strong theatric nature, le is constantly imposed
upon with the idea that position great stroke a
coup detGt is the way to success. Besides these he
has abundant good things about him, but these
traits are made absolutely unreliable. Therefore
there is no use in further trying.
have strong feeling upon me, and it brings
great peace with it, that 1 am spending my last
Sunday. and preaching my last sermon. Dear GodI
thank Thee. l am indeed beginning to see rest and
glory of the everlasting emancipation is voorhees,
uncomfortable, full of becoming glory. Oh, my be-
loved Frank, shall know you there and forever
hold fellowship with you, and look back aud smile
at the past. Your loving
H. w. BEEcHER.
There are limitations at the beginning and
the end of this letter that felt the approach
OF death. With regard to tha merely refer
to my previous statement concerning my bodily
symptoms and add that on this day felt the
symptoms upon me. The main point is that L
was worried out with the whole business, and
would have been glad to escape by death, of