The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-09-11

authenticity OF those letters is admit.
ted, They contain such expressiofls OF
contrition and fear as man guilty OF
the cfime, alleged would naturally ssfeel..
! give few Of the most signiicanE as
specimens. MIR. Beecher writes: f.afhe,
Iodore's temperament is snch that the
future, even"if temporarily earned,
would be worthless;" che has con:
doned his wife's fauit;" "he has en-.
Joined upon me not TO betray his wife
nor leave his children to a blight"
there is no use trying any further"
II have strong feeling upon me, and
it brings great peace, that I am spend
ing my lost Sunday and preaching my
last sermon;" "but to 1.-Two on the sh orn
and rugged edge Of anxiety, remorse.
fear, despair, and yet to put on an ap
pearance of serenity und happiness,
cannot be endured much longer"
Leaving out Of consideration every
other po:n. in Mr.. Tilton's charges.
these utterances make it incur bent ou
MIR. Beecher to explain thenl on some
theory consistent with his innocence.
He has not so explained them. The
Herald very fairly asserts that, 'on nuy
theory consistent with his innocence
they are mere rawlings; and they are to
be construed in u why consistent with
tue known sanity Of the writer" Mr..
Beecher's explanation is, that he had
advised Mrs. Tilton to get divorce;
that be had advised Mr.. Bowen to dis
miss Mr. TiIton from his employ ns
editor Of the Independent and Brook
lyn Union; that Mr.. Moulton had
black mailed him to the extent of
81. 900; thnt MIR. Tllton is IL liar; that
Mrs. Tilton denies the charges, at
least ometimes; aud that MIR. Tliton
himself Is al adu!terer.
We will cuncede, for clearuesa, that
Mr.. Mouiton did black. mail him, as
alleged; that Mr.. Tilton il incapable
of telling the truth; that Mrs. Tlltou
has invariably denied her own partici-
patiou in the offence; aud that Mr..
TIlton hus out Brigham Youuged the
Mormon head ceutre in his poliga-
nous adulteries. Bot what of it all?
What light does it all throw upon MFR.
Beecher'S innocence or guilt? The
sum Of Mr.. Beecher's explanation is
this-that all his agony of remorse,
his bowling pangs Of conscience, his
coverings of slavish fear. and his
yeurnings for merciful death, arose
from his having advised wife to get
divorce and newspaper proprietor TO
dismiss All editor. This is u pitiuble
falling of OF that blazing courage that
less than twenty years ago breathed
the tire of defiance against slavery,
and subscribed Sharpe's rifles tn carry
bloody rescue to the crusaders OF uni
versal emancipation" upon the border
plains of Kunsas-both from the
proud eminenco Of Plymouth Church.
MIR. Beechcr expenus his force in
assailing Tllton's rerucity and moral
ity, aud in weakening Moulton's evi.
dence by counter-chnrges nf black
mail, forgetting that it is hi, own let
tcrs that We want explained The
damning evidence is his own. Aud as
10 the 81 900 business, one cannot help
wondering why an innocent nan would
submit to snch an inaiction. That ~
the way it strikes the popular mind.
The Investigation by Air. Bcecher's
committee OF six, selected by himself
from among his own friends, is IA
pitiah!e farce. TIA cnnrse throughout
Laa reflected no honor upon either
themselves, their church. or the man
they met to ncqnit Thrir calling
forth and publishing Bessie Turner's
testimony-so irrelevant. idio.ic and
nasty-hus lowered both committee
and canse more than can easily be told
In IA word, the defence of Mr.. Beeoller
on the part Of Plymouth Church. on
the part Of his own committee Of six,
on the purt Of the Christian Union,
and Oh the part of MIR. Beecher's per-
sonal admirers generally, viudicatss
his morals ut the expense Of his in
telltct. The case became narrowed
down to this-Mr Beecher is IN adul-
terer or fool. His friends say ho is
fool. The public say he is not fool
Aud thnt is about where the case rests
to-day. The testimony is not al in.
Mr. Tilton's action at law for damages
will bring out the legal aspect of the
cnse: bnt no verdict of jury can do
much for the defendant. He has
already carried his appeal into public
opinion; und that Cesar has gone
bnck on him with vengeance. The
mercy that the Beecher blood has
shown to dead Byron seems likely
soon to be meted to The living Beecher.
The full and winter trade is likely to
fall even below last years, especially
with the South. She has-thanks to
money pauics and carpet. bag robberies
little money aud less credit.
The case of Cadet Smith, Of CoInm-
bin excited n good deal of cnmmant