, 1874-07-24
MR. BEEpHER'S STATEMENT,

LAMA" ~ sAo ouAtoAt1Alfs
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MR. BEEoHER's STATEMENT.
Tho preliminary atatoment drawn up, as tho
Associated Press dispatches state, by " the iea-
cons Of Plymouth Church and Mr. shea1man, Mr.
Ross, aud Gen Tracy" is not an inspiring docu-
mont. It drags hoayily and woarily down to tho
last paragraph, and Is not sworn to, though it Ia
presumed that tho fuller statemont, which ia
said to bo forthcoming, will bo giyon under oatl.
Mr. Deocher asaerts tho innoconco Of Airs.
Tilson, impugnod by her own husband. Ho
aasorta Ills own Innocence, too. Ho does not.
however, question tho authenticity Of any Of tho
written documents mcntionod In Tilton'a
evidence. Wo may, therefore, assume that they
arc genuine. AL that Bceoher soomH disposed to
do Ia to say TINT tho quotations from his letters
made by h1r. Tson do not warrant tho infer
once which Tilton draws from thon, and
which ho wonld have every ono else drav from,
them. But, frat Of MI, Mr.. Beocher asserta un-
qualicdly tho purity Of Mrs. Tilton. Lot US 500
how her alleged innocence tallios with tho writ
ton evidcnco In Tilton's statement to the Inyes.
tigatlng Committee.
And first, as TO Mra. Tjlton'a own letters.
Would IN innocent woman, ono who had been
guilty Of no wrong whatoyor, write to her hus-
band MY oyoB have beon openod"; II soc
clearly my ein''7 sho says, also, she knew
she was loved. 6ho allowed that logo to grow
to passion. She coaxed lor conscience iuto
believing that tho lovo she had for another
man could not harm her husband, slo
aUoko from the illusion. She believed now sho
had been guilty OF a sin. She asked her hus-
bands forgiveness. sho said ahc had been mis-
led by q good man. gho woutd not Aa,o uo.
life known to her father. It would kill him.
This is whnt Mrs. Tilton says Of horself. This
Is what Mrs. Tilton thought of her own love and
Of Bccchor's; md this was boforo there was any
suspicion that tho matter would DO made public.
Beooher'g viows OF his own and Mrs. TiltQn'e
love is far different. His feeling for hrs. Tilton
was such as gontleman might honorably offer
to Christian woman; and which Bbe might re-
aeive and reciprocato without moral aoruplo.
So much is clear: that thore was somc attach
mont between Mrs. Tilton aud Mr. Henry Ward
Dcochor. Mr. Boeoher calls 1t puro feeling.
Mra. Tilton calls 1t ainfu1. Air. Doechor says
Mrs. Tilton might accept his foeling and rooipro-
cato it without moral scruple. This is tho same
fooling to which &lra. Tllton'a oyes finally looked
upon az sin the harboring Of which ehc recog-
nized as a wrong to her husband tho discovery
Of which to her fatlor would lavo bowed Lis
head to tho grave. "pnro fcolug" which
may DO entertained without aoruple cannot bo
considered by tho woman who slarea 1t as sin,
--ls no wrong to D husband no disgrace
to father, nor calculated to bow q parents
one's marriage vowa. II Mrs. Tilton's 1ottors
ARC not forgoros,- Iii they truly express hor fool
ngs,-thon Deeoher's statement concerning his
''pure feeling" for Mrs. Tilton is simply falao.
Mrs. Tilton acknowledges that it waa an Impure
md sinful faolipg. It is to no purpose, thon,
hat Doeohcr claims it was pure.
In tho extracts made by 1ilton from hla yife's
correspondence tlero aro two very significant ex-
'resaions. She says s1le waa naisled By good
nan. shc says, too, that she would mourn
,reatly II her ltfo wore made known to hor
athor. This use Of tho words "mislod" aud
'lifo" goos to show that Boecher'a o1ronHo was |
lot, as be aays himsolf, simply giving "counsol
'Iiob tondea to harm, meaning, re suppose, tAat
10 advised HRS. Tilton to aoparato from her hus- |
'and. IT Beecher did advise Mra. Tilton to
cave husband WHO conaorted with tho Wood
ulls and the Claflins, nyowod froo-lovers, 10 did