Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-09-03
The Beecher And TiIton SANDER
Case.

gossip throughout the country, and
which has been investigated by 4 com
mittee CT Plymouth Church, has final
ly been brought to Il close, so far as
the committee is concerned Their
report has been published at length in
the daily papers of Saturday, Owing
to its great length we are unable to
give it to our readers We however
subjoin the following:
THE ACCUsER AND THE ACCUSED COM
PARED.
We have now reviewed as briefly as
we could the evidence before us.
There are many facts and details which |
we have not discussed. We have cited |
the more important of these and dis
cussed the salient points. We have |
carefully examined, the evidence relied |
upon by the accuser to sustain the
charges we are asked to believe. FL |
nally, who is this accuser, that he |
makes SO bold face? We may learn
from the testimony, as well as by com
mon report, without decending to un-
| pleasant particulars or personalities.
| that Theodore Tilton has in recent
! years become q very different man
from what he was formerly reputed to
be. He will hardly deny that both be-
! fore and after his espousal of the new
marital philosophy, signs of degener-
acy were setting in which have made
him a discredited man in this commu-
nifty In the new role, his elimination
and downfall are well stated in recent
| III ii h4
skectilg his career, says:
In process of time he comes before
the world as the indorser of Victoria
c. Woodruff, and lends his name to
biography of her, which would have
sunk any mans reputation any where
for common sense. Such 4 book is
tomb from which no author rises
again.
Such is the accuser.
Who is the accused? 1t is Henry
Ward Reecher, the pastor of Plymouth
Church. He has been clergyman,
with the harness on, forty years.
Twenty seven of these years he has
been here in his church, which, as all
the world knows, has so often been
stirred to good deeds and to better
man has been living in the clear light
of MONDAY before his people and be-
! fore all men, life Of great Christian
usefulnes and incpssant work. None
have known him but to admire and
love him. They who have been most
intimate with him at home and abroad
report nothing of his life or conversa-
tion but what comes OF purity of soul.
We are asked by Theodore Tilton, and
his coadiutOr MOulton, to believe tina
this man, with his long and useful life
and high character to sustain him, is
unworthy of our confidence, reg ard,
or respect. Christian character and
great services, which are usually CON
? sidered tower of strength and defense
when one is assailed, are to go fol-
naught according to Mr.. Tilton. We
{ are invited to give up this beloved and
minent man and send him and his
good name and fame into the vortex
Of moral destruction. We are to do this
=. upon what! Upon some wild, absur {
and contradictory assertions Of Mr.
Tilton, why, in all this work, does he
not succeed in Disgusting his motives
:. and revengeful desi gns. No tribunal
: charge of adultry proved by mere al
legged words, written or spoken, tha
are denied and not connected with cir
cumstances and appearances pointing
p Qmistakahly to the guilt ofthe accused
i Upon o review of all the evidence re
~ lied on by the accuser, he utterly fail
= to sustain the charges made. We here
. with submit q complete stenographi
" copy Of all the evidence before tn
= Committee, with some unimportant o
r. irrelevant exceptions.
STATEMENT OF CONCLUSIONS.
WeIfind from the evidence that Rev
Henry Ward Beecher did not commi
y adultry with Mrs. Elizabeth R. TiltOn
n either at the time, times, or at til
of place, or places, set forth in the thir
, subdivisions Of Mr.. Tilton's statemeu
nor at any other time or place whatev
nG er.
w 2. We find from the evidence thf
a Mr.. Beecher has never committed an
r unchaste or improper act with Mr.:
- Illton, nor made any unchaste or in
, proper remark, proffer or selicitatiO
ay to her of any description whatever
ey 3. If this were a question of error
IT. of judgment on the part of Mr.. Beec hel
as it would be easy to criticise, especia all
in the light of recent events. |
such criticism, even the extent Of re
ay grets and censure, we are sure no ma
he would join more sincerely than n
- Beecher.
~ 4. We find nothing whatever in til
evidence that should impair the perfec
at confidence Of Plymouth Church or th
"a world in the Christian character an
Mt integrity of Henry Ward Beecher; an
cy now let the peace of God, that passet
he all understanding, rest and bide wit
i'd Plymouth Church and it's beloved pas
In tor, SO much and so long afflicted.
Ie- (Signed) } HENRY w. SAGE.
AUGUSTUS SToRRs.
On HENRY M. CLEVELAND,
It. HORACE B. CLAFL1N
!, JOHN WINsLow.
S. V. WHITE.
IS Committee of nvestigation.
en- Tae following resolutions were ais
lst unanimously adopted:
h. Resolved. That the evidence iai
- before the Examining Committee nc
10 only does not afford anv foundatio
ne for putting the pastor OF this churcl
10 Rev Henry Ward Beecher, on tria
but, on the contrary, establishes, t
the perfect satisfaction of this churcl
~. his entire innocence and absolute pei
III sonal purity in respect to all charge
at now or hereafter made against him h
lte Theodore Tilton.
m Resolved. That our confidence an
no love for our pastor, so far from bein
20 diminished, are heightened and deeper
oF ed by the unmerited sufferings whic
a he has so Iono horne ond tbot ~
of welcome him with ovmnotbI, mo,
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