Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-09-09

ment, have been lected, presented in the
worst light, and the burden Of explanation
thrown upon Mr.. Beecher. Few men,
probably, could stand such dragging forth
Of their inmost weaknesses without dis
closing what would astonish their nearest
friends and their own better selves. Tho
excessive sclf.condemnation, the distorted
views Of bis whole relation TO tho case,
which Mr.. Beecher has had to explain, are
to be taken with this large allowance
they we're the utterances Of the man at his
most unguarded and depressed moments,
snatched at and preserved by treachery,
and FIRST given to the world in the light Of
most distorting comment Further, Mr.
Beecher having a sensitive and ardent tenn
permanent pays a necessary penalty in moods
Of deeper detection than more stolid na-
lures can imagine. The degree to which,
during his long ministry, he has repressed
these moods Of depression. and brought
into his teaching only the joyful aud hope
ful side Of his disposition, is astonishing.
No man ever burned his own smoke"
better than he. Sometimes, somewhere,
there must be an outlet, pouring forth to
some faithful ear Of the depression and
darkness that are firmly shut out from the
public life. Very rarely, we suspect, has
Mr.. Beecher allowed himself this indul-
gence. He did, under the cruel burden Of
this trouble, at times, relieve himself Of his
morbid depression to the one man who was
his confdant--tho man who was to betray
him, and that, too, with kiss IF this
consideration should not greatly mitigate
the surprise with which Mr.. Beecher's self.
condemnations are read, then we wholly
misjudge
But that in his dealing with the whole
matter there was lack of insight, wisdom
and resolution Of tho very qualities which
are conspicuous in his public work-it is
impossible to deny. Mr.. Beecher has
shown himself far wiser counselor in other
peoples matters than in his own. Both by
public teaching and by private counsel he
has given vital aid to thousands Of men and
women in the conduct of life and never, we
venture to say, did he involve another per-
son in trouble approximating to that in
which he has involved himself Physicians
are generally unwilling totreat themselves
or their own families in sickness. Some
like mistrust Of his judgment in his own
case seems to have moved Mr.. Beecher
but in accepting the physician who thrust
himself upon him, he made the most unfor.
tunate Of all mistakes.
For the rest, and in general view Of
Mr.. Beecher's course in the affair, upon his
own statement, one or two things are to be
said. The burst Of self.reproach in which
he carelessly set his hand to paper which
he had neither written nor read land which
grossly perverted his e1pressions) the
tempestuous sell .lproach aud sorrow which
he has described, and in which it seema he
committed himself to q mistaken course in
the whole matter is surely easy to compre-
hend. He was made to believe that, under
false information and by great mistake,
he had caused Mr.. Tilton to lose his situa-
tion, and had Influenced his wife to leave
him. He seemed to himself to have
blighted the public career and the domestic
happiness Of man whom he had loved as
a son. Under such belief, what generous
nature but would have been filed with con-
, triton overlooked the wrongs and even the
;tseIf 10 tbe assistance and even recovery of
The sunnosod injured one? Mr. Beecber's
wcll.kpown old and long affection for TIL.
ton s,ren,tbened as he has granbicallv
told bv n great service which he had done
him. b;s nrofound desire. snrincing from
,he ssr,;,en, whicb IA deenest ;n his ugc
10 reclaim and awe one Who had erred /.
tho s,orn roctoo;n, ,o which he held him.
self far the errors that had aggravated the
, trouble; the utter forgiveness which he
oavc N offcnses against himself. the dread