The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-06-29
Travelsrs' Guide.
DEPklTURI o. TRAN
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The Beechef.TlltOn scandal-Com.
menIS OF Leading Newspapers.
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muAA Va AoANAuk NuWbpupBIbs
( from the Chicago Trihuual - .- e.
The result which was anticipated by q
recent article In this paper upon the I'll
ton. Beecher scandal has come to pass,
Mr. Theodore Tllton, pushed into q cor
uer by the assaults Of the Rev. Leonard
Bacon, the pillar Of New England Con-
gregstonalism, and placed In o position
where, II he longer remains silent, he
must endure the unenViAble reputation Of
being considered 0 liar and q slandeter,
has at LAST made public the foundation fol
the charges against the Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher, which have hitherto rested upon
rumor and thestatements Of irrespona-
bic parties. The nature Of these charges
10 not given In detail, but a. Mr.. Tiltor
speaks Of them as "oftenses which ] for
bear to mama or characterize" and as II
the same connection he prints q letter in
which Mr.. Beecher expresses the most
humble contriton and penitence, and
even wishes that he were dead, 1t may be
assumed that they are OF the gravesl
character, affecting him not only as q
minister but also as man. A brief re-
view Of the case win prepare the reader
tor the status II has now reached. These
charges first saw the light in the columns
Of R0,dhuR and CVgJ9faS Weekly Q paper
published by the notorious Mrs. Wood
hull and her equally notorious sister, Ten.
ME G. Claaln. The character Of these
women, who from the most charitable
point Of view are adVenturesses, and Of
their paper, which was not long since
Impressed by the authorities fer Its in.
decent and infamous libels, was not such
IS 10 secure any credence for the story;
but subsequently It came before the pub.
lie, directly from Mr. Henry @. Bowen, q
prominent member Of Plymouth Church,
and indirectly from Mr.. Tllton, in such Q
manner that the public took sides regard.
ing the scandal. Meanwhile Mr.. Tilton
Voluntarily severed his connection with
Plymouth Church, that organization
neither making any protest against It nor
calling him to account Tor It, but silently
Gcquiescing in 1t. The SANDER spread
and grew as 1t spread, and soon passed
the limits Of Plymouth Church and the
Congregational denomination, and became
common talk all over the country. Then
followed the famous tripartite agreement
between Messrs. Beecher, Bowen and
Tilton, by which everything was to be
mutually forgiven and forgotten
Complete and promising "a the partner.
ship was, 1t was formed too late, The
slOEy was in every ones mouth, and had
assumed dimensions which were formid.
Sble, and began TO seriously injure not
only Plymouth Church, but other Con-
gregstiOnal Churches. Tho protest al
first came in q friendly spirit Of advice,
but It was unheeded. Plymouth Church
drmly, and even dehantly, refused to re-
cognlze the charges, and virtually inform.
ed the demonstrating churches that they
could mind their own business, This
action superinduced the calling Of the
Congregational Council Of the instance oil
the Revs. Storrs and Burlington, OF New
York. 0stensibly the object Of this
Council was 10 determine what coRstitut'
ed the conditions of'membership In the
Church, the atodus, QperdHdt OF terminals
log that membership, and some minor
points Of discipline, but in reality this
SANDER was the itnpelliDg cause, and i
eolored ell theproce edlpgs OF the Council
The finding ofthls Council, as our read
ers will remember, was that there had
been technical laches on the part O
Plymouth Church, which was warned moi
10 repeat the ofense. Although the
charges did not figure In the verdict, 1t Il
impossible to doubt, from its genera
tenor, that the Council expected Plymouth
Church would investigate and definitely
settle them. Since that time, however
Plymouth Church has taken no steps IL
the matter. -
Meanwhile, the Rev. Leonard Bacon
who drew up the report Of the Council
through the columns Of the Indeps1dsn
has made q series Of fierce attacks upor
Nr. Tilton, which have been all the mort
lorcible because Mr.. Bacon has been firm
believer in Mr.. Beecher's innocence
These successive attacks at last PLACED
NF. Titon In such a despicable position
that he waived the privileges Of nom
membership In Plymouth Church, and Of
Tered 10 appear before the Examining
Committee Tor trial upon the charge Q
IlAndering Mr., Beecher. Dir. Tilton's lei
Ter was not brought before the church q
al, but at q private meeting Of the leader
they peremptorily declined the otel
Then Mr.. Tilton made public the charges
and fled a copy with the Rev. LeonAr,
Bacon, the Moderator Of the Council. Tn
investigation now = must come. Tn
charges must be answered, or Mr.. Beech
o. must suffer; and, II Plymouth Churc
does not investigate II, undoubtedly ID
Congregational Union will take actor
Deplorable as the case 10, It u for the bel
interests Of Mr., Beecherr Of Plymout
Church, and Of morality and religion, this
u should be settled at once. Grieved q
al good men will be 10 find that Nj
beecher has been guilty Of imprope
conduct and eminent as his position i
there 10 no reason why an exceptio
should be made in his case, While b
should not be condemned because he Is
man Of genius, neither should his o1ens
be extenuated because he Is o man Of r
MUS, He should be, treated like an
other man under accusation His ofEenl
should be neither mAgnifed nor condone,
i he 10 innocent tho public will rejoic
II he Is guilty, then he must me
me consequences. While he cannot era
The past or undo what he has alread
uonel he has yet future before him, or
mat future will be one Of his own maxim
The American people have long regarde
him aG one Of the Institutions 81 the LAM
their affections have gone out TO hir
their pride has been conferred In hir
While the pinnacle from which he ial
" fall he mustl ts 20 high, Il does nj
follow that he will b. dashed TO piece
Whlle,H guilty. hA can nnYnr be tha ar