The New York herald., 1874-07-22
THE LETTER OF CONTRITION.

THE LETTER OF CONTRITION,
The letter embodied in the statement of Mr..
Tflton, called "A Letter of Contrition,n has
caused a great deal OF comment among those who
have known all its previous causes. This
letter was written on three pages OF Ordi-
nary fooiscap paper and disconnected. 1t was
signed In the corner. Mr.. Beecher has not seen
that letter Of cOntrition. When that copy was
submitted to the committee it was declined 10 be
read. IL was said that be had no recollection of
having written 1t, and he preferred. when ne
came to make statement, to act upon the fact
that the letter had passed altogether out of his
mind. He knew the impulses which actuated the
writing OF this letter. He knew also the nature Of
the offence which had inspired Mr.. Tilton's resent
ment, and accordingly. having nothing to explain
and no apologies to make, he rested his case upon
rather than any attempt to analyze it's phrases and
give 1t a new reading.
1t will be remembered that in the evidence OF
Mr.. WilAeson, MI. Triton, at the time Of the "tr.
partite" covenant, alleged simply that the offence
which Mr.. Beecher had committed against him
was addressing improper language to his wife. 1t
Is Que to Mr. Beecher to say that he thoroughly
MES this, and 1t is mentioned now simply to show
that at various stages OF this controversy, down
almost to the time Of Mrs. TiltOn leaving him,
the only offence which rested on the mind OF Mr..
TiltOn was what is here alleged. On the contrary,
1t s said that after the severance OF the relation
ship between MIR. Tilton and Mr.. Beecher, when
the young editor Of the Independent was not only
driven from that position but also from the con-
troll OF the UniOn he conceived the idea
that his misf0rtunes came rom an alliance
between Mr.. Bowen and Mr.. Beecher
opA no I'D 70 hto fan n
Wilkeson reports him as saying that he was lying
on the sidewalks Of Brooklyn, crushed, africted,
overwhelmed and that meier word came from
Beecher-who could, by the lifting Of his finger,
leave him in the possession OF honor and dignity
who passed by him on the other side, and left him
IN the hands OF his enemies and that he would
never forgive HIM for this offence, but would pur-
sue him TO the grave.
The first step In this campaign of revenge was
the lawsuit against Mr.. Bowen to compel him to
fulfil the contract entered into with Tilton as
editor Of the Union ana Independent MIR. Bowen
was at first disposed to allow the case to go into
court but dreading crossexaminatiOn before
Jury upon his own inconslderate statement reject
ing upon the character Of Mr.. Beecner, paid Mr..
I1lron large sum OF money, and 30 the covenant
was signed, and so on this matter peace was pre-.
served between Mr.. Bowen and Mr.. Tilton.
The publication OF q letter from Mr.. Tilton to
DR.. Bacon compelled some statement on the part
OF Mr.. Beecher. Our readers will remember that
Mr.. Beecher came to New York and asked for r'
formal investigation on the part OF Plymouth
church OF the charges which had been made
against him. The result was the formation OF a
committee whose abOrs have not yet come to an
end.
1t is well known that Mr.. Beecher appeared before
this committee anu made statement. 1t has not
yet been given to the press hut Its tone mas been
freely discussed by those who are familiar with its
contents. Mr.. Beecher said, In substance that 1t
was his duty to come before the committee and
admit the existence Of an offence, which he had
and had endeavored to atone for il in
many ways during the last four years.
Of cSrc e voung n se
OF many gifts rudely developed, and indicating the
existen OF an intense spiritual nature. She was
Church. Dy the influence and necessity OF pure
Christian life, and at times seemed inspired by emo
tlons tnat in ruder age, when religion was more
a matter OF sentiment, their revelation would
have given her prominence as teacher or seer.
He confessed that the spiritual development Of
this character, as illustrated IN the daily hle and
Christian works OF this young woman, made deep
impression upon him; that IN the course of his
ministrations the feeling gradually grew
affection; that. he recognized this affection
in the exact relation as q father recognizes the
simply what would exist between the pastor OF a
church and a devoted member of his congregation.
He confessed 1t was pleasant to him. that he mad
q nature that could not iau to respond to
these emotions In the course OF his mnstratiOns
it became more and more agreeable to feel that in
his WORK, the publication OF his books, the prep
aration OF his essays the mapping out Of his ser.
always experience the hls6 influence Of
nected by sentiment OF filial affection
to his calling and to his lie; that, he might add,
woman that was pleasing to him His relations
with her family began with the beginning OF
the family with the marriage to her husband,
with the birth and baptism of her chlldern, with
the many cares and trials Of married life, death,
misfortune, business, embarrassments, depres-
siOns.
so far and no further, he admitted there existed
between him and Mrs. Tilton the relation Of afrec-
tion and respect but he distinctly Denied with all
upon such an averment, tuat there had ever been
in his mind an impure thought or that he dscov-
cred In the I mind Of this lady suggestion or
tions had never gone beyond that OF father to his
child and that whoever considered the relations
70 tn Woman This was ana the Wnos
relation with Mrs. TtltOn. 1t SO hap
pened in the course Of her domestic iiie
the demeanor OF her husband towards her. Neg
lect, unsausted ambition, the impatient yearn-
circles, had contributed towards this alienation.
These and many other things 80 grew into the fam
lily relations Of tins woman as TO make 1t extremely
unhappy Into the nature OF this un-
happiness he would not enter; but it so
happened indirectly, through the influence Of
to Mrs. Beecher) one who did not entertain for Mr.
Triton the same feelings or interest that entered
his own breast, one who underrated and perhaps
despsed him, he had been led under the advice
and consent on the part OF another who was very
dear TO MIN and whom he was bound to protect
(here he also referred to Mrs. Beecher),
that there should be separation between
the husband and wife on the ground that between
them the marriage relation was no longer sacra-
ment, but crime. And this separation grew into
such a shape that 1t threatened the dissolution Of
the family-an event which Mr.. Beecher, when he
saw the result or his indirect influence
endeavored to retrieve. This was the
offence he mad committed against Mr. TiltOn, this
was the offence he had atOned. The kno wledge of
this offence had led to all the efforts which had
marked his life during the last TOUR years. IL had
been LIE OF misery agony and pain. He could
well see now how much sweeter death
would have been than to have lived that way
to have felt that he was indirectly the means OF a
shadow on the home Of any man. and his whole
purpose, even since The publication of that letter
to DR.. Bacon, was to atone lor his own needless
ness, ana perhaps for his folly by endeavoring to
reconstruct that home which mad been founded at
his altar and received through his hands the
blessings OF Divine Providence.
This Is the substance OF the statement made by