The daily gazette., 1874-08-27
Bessic's Testimony.

CHICAGO, ILL.,, Aug. 2G.-The Tribune pub
fishes the following in regard to the testi-
mony of Bessie, Tilton's adopted child
Ofall The remarkable developments which
came to light in the Bcccher scandal, none
are more extraordinary, more comical, more
Uncomfortable, and moro astonishing than
the cosy picture Of Susan Is. Anthony in
Theodore Tilton's lap, which Bessie draws
in her testimony before the Investigating
Committee. 1t is ono of those statements
which makes one doubt his own identity,
question his own sanity, and trenble for his
own reputation, as he meditates this tender
and touching eposide Of winter lingering IN
the lap OF spring. 1t undermines all ones
faith in womanhOod. III Susan has yielded
TO the tempter, dallied with his flaxen locks,
gazed into his blue eyes, and listened to his
honied words, then truly, after Susan comes
the deluge. Who is safe2 What woman In
all this broad world would be q better wo-
man should all womankind get themselves
to nunnery by the first train, double lock
the doors, and spend the remainder Of their
days in severest penance. II this venerable
maid has loaned her charms to mortal man
and yielded to the Tiltonic fascination; IL she,
too, has plucked the apple and eaten at the
bidding of the handsome serpent, then IS all
the fruit in Eden gone, and the trail OF the
beTp6uL lb OVeT IL hli. IL thts oiu
sive stronghold, this Feste Berg Of the femi.
ninity, has yielded to the enemy, then what
hope Is there for the remaining frail tcne-
l. entsI
We suppose we ought to believe This
story, for it is one of Bee cher's witness
es who says so.!lt Is testimony for Beech
er, testimony for Plymouth Church, tes-
timOny sought cut by Mr.. Beecher's
Investigating Committee, testimony to
help establish the reputation of the great
pastor, but we cannot help asking: Can
| it be true? Susan, from her earliest
days down to her ripe old age, has been
the determined, inveterate, uncOmprO-
missing foe of mani There are others
who have fought man bravely, and yet
have been linked to man by wedl0ck
She has practiced what she has preached
She has never promised any son of man
to love, honor and obey him. There has
been no nonsense OF wedding ring, of
Cupid or of Hymen about her. No one
can point 10 u boiled shirt or br0iled
steak as an evidence that she has been
| in vasalge to man, She boldly proclaim
ed him the Tyrant ut the outset, and all
her life she has fought him tooth and
nail, showing that there were blows t.
give as well as to take. Never yet has
man been found fOOlhardy enough tC
stand up before her, wheI she prepared
herself to 20 upon the war path and
sounded her cry Of vengeance. Not ev-
en- the solid prison walls or DEGREES OF
courts have been able 10 restrain hel
from her purposes. How, then, can we
believe that this Amazon of the female
army, this rock and buttress of the rights
of woman, this we'll toughened and sea
soned oak of female freedom, this reso-
Lutte and lifelong victim of anthrOpo-
mania, has in an unguarded moment, il
the dead waste of night, sunk all her an
tipathies and her ancient hatreds. throw
all her prejudices to the winds. sweet.
nestled In the lap Of Theodore, and lik
tender dove, plaintively cooed a recop
ciliation? "Can such things be and over
} come us like Summer cloud without ou
special wondeI?" Susan B. Anthony il
mans lap! In Tilton's lay! On an.
pair of masculine knees beneath tn
sua!! Susan b. Anthony yielding L
the tender passion! Susan b. Anthon.
lighting the torch of love with such scan
stock of DILL! Susan b. Anth---. 1t
too much. We cannot and will not DE
lieve it.