The Van Buren press., 1874-07-14
REDIvIvUs.
A Beecher Scandal Again-A Seven Col
umn Article from Theodore Til.
ton, Of the Golden Age.
The Great Preacher Guilty Of an 0ffsnss
Not to be Named-Abject and
Hnmiliating Apology.
NEw YORK, June rs.

Illuminating apology.
NEw YORK, June 25.
Theodore Tilton published in the
Golden Age this evening seven column
article touching the Beecher scandal. II
is defense OF Tilton against the charges
of Rev. Leonard Bacon, moderator ofthe
late Brooklyn council, that Tilton has
been cowardly slahderer of Beecher,
whose magnanimity alone saved him
disgraceful exposure Having suffered
in silence for four years, from these and
similar misrepresentation, adroitly put
before the public by the Ply mouth church.
Iilton says that neither patience nor dtty
will permit him longer to conceal the
actual facts from the public. He then
goes on to say that he has never SANDER
ed Henry Ward Beecher, but on the con-
trary has sacrificed his own reputation
to suppress the truth about him, and that
he never has refused to appear before
the church and answer all questions re.
garding the scandal that might be put to
him. Titon gives his reason for sever
ing bis connection with the church a.
follows: "Aftel had been for fifteen
years a member of Plymouth church, and
had become meanwhile an intimate friend
of the pastor, knowledge came to me in
1870 that he had committed against me
an offense, which forbcar to name or
characterize. Prompted by my self.re.
spect, Immediately and forever ceased
my attendance on his ministry" He
publishes the following as an extract
from document signed by Mr.. Bsecher:
BRooKLrx, January l, 1871.
ask Theodore Tilton's forgiveness,
and humble myself before him as do
before my God. He would have been .
better man in my circumstances than /
have been. ! can ask nothing except
that he will remember all the other breasts
that would ache. will not plead for
myself / even wish that were dead.
II. w. BEEcHER.
Among the documents which Theodore
Tilton, In his long open letter to Rev.
Dr. Leonard Bacon, on what is common
ly known as the Beechef and Tilton scan
dal, is the following under date Of May
/, 1874:
Rev Henry Ward Beecher:
Sr-Mr. +. Is. Carpenter mentions to
me your saying to him that under certain
cond tions involving certain disavowals
by me, certain sum Of money could or
would be raised to send me with my fam.
lily to Europe for a term Of years. The
occasion compels me to state explicitly
that so long as life and sefrespect con.
tinue to exist together Ia my breast I
shall be debarred from receiving either
directly or indirectly any presents OF
other favors from your hands The
reason for this feeling on my part you
know so well that will spare you the
statement OF it. Yours truly,
THEODORE TIrroN.
Tilton follows this with reference to
what he declares fact, that although he
had received from the clerk Of Plymouth
church on the eighteenth Of May com
munication announcing this, his (Til-
ton's) offer to appear for trial had been
read by Rev. Mr.. Holiday. assistant
pastor of Plymouth church. and submit.
ted 10 TIE examining committee, by
whom it had been rejected Mr.. Holii-
day had. some forty days afterward, en-
phatically denied to several newspaper
reporters that such offer had ever been
received, and branded the whole story ~
fabrication from beginning to end. DR..
Bacon having in his speech characterized
Beccher as the snost fnagnanimous Of
men, and referred to Tilton as a dog and
knave leading the public to infer that the
letter was, in some way. creature OF
Beecher's bounty, Tilton states that he
called Beecher's attention to the offensive
ness of the statement, and insisted on its
correction by either that gentleman or
himself
| Titon closes his letter to Rev DR.. Ba-
con. as follows: II the public have
heretofore considered my sentence as in.
cxplicable. let my sufficient motive be
now seen in the just forbearancc which
| felt morally bound to show to man
who had sent me a, written and absoluty
apology But my duty to continue this
forbearance ceased when the spirit ofthat
apology was violated. to my injury, bs
its author or his agents These viola
tions have been mu.titudinnus, aud they
threaten to multiply in the future. fore
ing me to protect myself against them tn
advance. particularly against the cunning
devices of the clerk of the church, who,
acting as attorney, appears to be con-
ductng this business against me rs II It
were case at law Had the fair spirit,
which had right to expect from Plym-
euth church, at least for its pastors sake,
been shown toward me, ! would have
continued to rest in silence on Mr..
Beechers apology, aud never during the
remainder Of my life would l have per
mitted any public word Of mine to allude
to the offense or offenders, but injurious
measures which the author Of this apollo
gy has since permitted his church to take
against me without protest on his part,
involving gross injury to me, which have
been greatly aggravated by your writings.
have put me before my countrymen in
the character Of q base and bad man, 4
character which trust is foreign to my
nature and life Under the accumulatinG
weight of this odium unjastly bestowed
on me, neither patience nor charity can
demand that ! keep silent f" Mr.. Beech
er is now on his farm at Peekskill, and
to day tho children. teachers and friends
of Plymouth Sunday. school 20 there to