, 1874-09-20

4 certain class OF newspapers and persons
throw stones at Theodore Tl|ton by asserting
that when he proves that Dcccher seduced Mrs.
Iilton lie establishes his own dshonor
There was time in the history Of England
when the men OF ''society' considered it the
highest distinction to have debauched the wives
Of others, and the highest dizgracc to have had
their own wives debauehed. Tho novels and
PLAYS Of that period made successful hbertiDes
the heroes, and the deceived husbands objects Of
derision and contempt. Tle term "cuckold"
was applied to the husband of the guilty woman,
and has descended to our time as term Of most
dire reproach. In those days there was no re-
Eenting such outrages by husbands OF the lower
classes. AS they dared not resort to
open violence against their supcriors,
they generally accepted the situation.
Among the upper classes, such crimeB we're
avenged by duels; but even this remedy had q
Limitation, for royal paramour was regarded Is
rather an homer to tue family.
The only remnant of this atrocious code which
now remains il the idea that husband who is
Tronged in this manner is necessarily disgraced.
In point Of fact, no person can be disgraced BY
any act but his own. As we'll insist that man
can be dlzgraced by the acts of lis parents, his
children, or his brothers ard sisters, as by TINT
OF his vito. To consider man in any way i'm
peached or dishonored by the guilt of
the wife in whom he had placed his
confidence, is not only unjust but barba-
rouR. Il his vile dies We giye him our
compassion. II she does something which
pierces his hoart far worse than death, he is
asaei'ed with epithets and derieion. No one
conaiders the wife iu the least degraded BY the
inidehties Of her husband. Nor does anv 1nsn.
save the low-bred aad the naturally vulgar, up
braid and ridicule the husband for the ipfideIitv
OF the wife, unless he had provoked it. or is
consenting party to it. This crime, like all
Others, directly affects and degrades the persons
committing it, aud nobody else. The crime of
the husband can no more degrade his wife than
can that Of the wife desrade the husband, To
degrade either there must be knowledge and
consent OF subsequent approval by the accept
2nce Of @ price or consideration for the dis
honor. The absurdlty OF holding Yl;on dis
honored By the act OF his wife is illustrated hy
the fact that Mrs. Beecher occupies precisely
the same situation. Both etand in the samo re-
lation to the guilty pair. and, if either be dig
honored the other must be likewise and in the
same degree.
There is no pretense That Tilton was aware OF
the ncA until the confession in July, 1870; nor
is there any pretenee that since that date he has
knowingly accepted fayors, or money, OF assist
-7ce Of any kind flom Bcec1er or that he has
had any social relations with him save those re-
sulting from the common effort to prevent any
such revelation Of the matter as would expose
Mrs. 1i1ton and irjuriors1y affect her in the es-
timatou Of her children. He therefore is free
from the repEcach Of having had any knowledge
OF the relations between Beecher and Mrs. Til
ton. and WAS in no wise consenting thereto be-
yond placing the most unbounded confidence in
the mental putty and personal chastity Of the
wife whom he go dearly loved. How well she
1a5ored to inspire that confidence is witnessed
By her letters written during the two winters
thxt her husband WIS absent and she was living
In impure relations with Beecher.
Two other things which q certain elasa OF Per-