Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1874-06-28
THE GREAT SCANDAL.
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher In COtsulta.
ti0n with bis Friends-His For
bearance Commended.
Are "PuslilaRimity and MagnaHimity
Convertible Terms !"-The tp0lO-
getic Letter-Carpenter
Interviewed. =

NEW YORK, June 27.-At a consult
alton on the Tilton letter last evening
by Rev. Henry Ward Beecher and sew
eral friends he is reported to have said
that personally he was opposed to say
! ing anything publicly in reply to Mr..
| Tilton's charges. He believed that the
only effect Of utterance would be to pro-
long the discussion Of the case, while il
silence was preserved the end would be
speedily reached. He assured the
gentlemen that his leaning toward the
silent policy was in no way caused by
the fear of consequences to himself by
the discussion; his desire was simply to
get out Of the difficulty with as
little injury to others as possible.
He knew by speaking that he could end
the matter SO far as he was personally
concerned, but he also thought that con-
| tinued silence on his part would shortly
have the same effect, and entertaining
that opinion he could see nothing to be
gained by any demonstration.
| Prof. Raymond admired the foTbear-
ance Mr.. Beecher had all along shown
in this matter, and was sure the congre-
CATION did the same, but he thought it
| questionable whether forbearance had
not ceased to be virtue. 1t was, he
knew, christian duty to be magnani-
nous, but the question in his mind was
whether pusilanimity and magnanim-
ity were convertible terms in this con-
nection.
Mr.. Shearman, lawyer. and clerk of the
church, said that if it were necessary to
say anything in reply to Tilton, it could
be said very briefly. The whole matter
was involved in the apologetic letter,
| l. - al
WIS to show, as could be easily done,
that the letter cited by Tilton was never
written by Beecher, aud that nothing
resembling it exists. Beecher then re-
marked that they would all be in better
condition to determine what ought to be
| done q week hence, and since he saw no
immediate necessity for action, he
! thought it Just as well to give the ques-
ton weeks calm consideration before
determining anything. In that spirit
the council adjourned.
+. B. Carpenter, artist, whom Tilton
speaks Of in connection with the PROPOSE
ton to raise means to send himself and
family to Europe for a few years, has
been interviewed. Carpenter said: IA
few days after the adjournment Of coun-
ell, / had occasion to call on Beecher at
his house in connection with q matter
wholly disconnected from this scandal.
In the course of some friendly conversa-
ton, l mentioned the fact to Beeeher
that Tilton had just finished his
book, on which he had been engaged
for a year. added that the ex-
citement of the council had depressed
him considerably, and that 1, in
common with several Of his friends,
wished he could go to Europe.
Beecher said he thought it would
be an excellent thing for him to do. In
reply, that recent business embarrass-
ments stood in the way, to which
Beecher answered, 'that if TiltOn desir-
ed to go to Europe, means would be pro-
vided.' / did not understand from any
thing said by Beecher that he made
this proposition in order to secure MIR.
TiIton's silence in regard to the scandal.
The matter only came accidentally.
had not gone to speak with Beecher on
this subject, and he could hardly have
expected that would bring it up. told
Tiiton what Beecher had said and it en-
ragged him greatly, although it was a
long time afterward that learned he
had written to Beecher about the
thing"