, 1874-12-25
THE BROOKLYN SCANDAL,
Mr. Beecher's Future Course
Outlined,
A SenirOfticiaI Statement in the
christian Union."

From tho ChF1stfan u,IinM, edfteA by Henry Ward
Ntechcf.
Although tho readers OF this raror havo lad
to !eari, tho feet from otfter SOURCES, nDuo OF
them nro ignorant of tho existence of at, actio1i
nj Inv brought by Nh Theodore Triton against
tho editor Of this Journal. We llayo rcftainod
from all mention Of tho subjoct for obvious rca-
toiis; and, In now giving briof account of tho
courHo Of tho nffair In the past. and Of tho III
tentiona Of tho defendant In That suit for tho f-
t,lro, wo shall abstain, as far rs possible from
saying anything which might influence tho cur
rent of judicial proceedings III tho caso.
THAT tho defendant, SO long NJ it soomed
practicable to keep from tho public tho na1nos
OF those pure and honorable women wlioso
roputationB woro throatouod by fa!ao md Wicked
siauders,
MADE EyrnY EFFORT TO DO so.-
willingly putting llia own natne In peril, If thus
they might bo spared, ,-ho neither deif;es i,or TO-
grota. II tho developments Of tho laat year
have not justified tito motives aa fnlly ~ they
have proved tho useleasnoss of those. etrorls
then We aro unable to otfor any argument
which will rench tho uuconvincel. Wo aro no.
OF tho mind OF tlloRo who profess TINT thoy
maintained Boncs because tho wolfaro Of the
community, tho poaco Of families. md tho inter-
cat Of the Cllris!ian Church. demanded Ii, but fclt
bound to sacrifice NIL those interests tho moment
that thoir own reputation Was attacked. Tn tllo
contrary, wo feel il to DO tho duty aud tho priy-
i]ego oil O Christian man to bear o thousand
attacks upon hi1 own reputation In silence,
rather thai 10 Buffer oue Innocent woman to bp
yi!!itied for hin sake before tho world.
Wo ute not alono in such opinions. or in tho
En1inont and honored moi, IN oyory walk Of life,
and notably 30 among tue clorgy, havo pursued
the sano pulley in numerous instances, somo OF
which aro recorded III hiatory at intervals for
hundreds Of years past, and others aro known
to ua to-ilny. But those which arc lt,lown aro
not tisho Of those which aro generally unknown
For in tho vast majority OF cascs tho policy IF
Hilonco iH completely succGBsful. and is tho bsst
viruication Of Tho innocent, Tho INNOCENT man
yindfcatcs himself by his life, aud II tho inno-
becoming THO Habioot Of public COMMENT tho
triumph OF truth lH SO complete TINT tho lilo ia
utterly forgotten.
1t waa only III Juno lust Tint it
1iEcANE NECESSARY TO c1AEuR THE pofIcy
previously adLorod to. On juno 20. Tho letter
OF a1r. 1ilton to DR.. Bacon nas published. On
tho noxt ttay ME. Bocchor resolved to call for ati
investigation. lfo was at first disposed to placo
tho mattcr in charge Of gentlemen outside Of tho
congregation, but was assured that such pro-
coeuing, besides being inconsistent with Scrip
tural injunction anu Congregational usago,
would not be within tho protection which tho
Inv accorila to tho disclosures Of witnesses no
privileged communications {aud 10 not libclous),
il maao ~ an investigation conducted
BY tho religious society OF which tho parties
brought in quoBtion nro mon1bors lie there
foro invited aix members OF lliB church and con-
greeation 10 talc charge Of the case, and left it
absolutely In their hauds. Their namos wcro
suggested to him by meabors OF tho regular Ex-
mining Committee, mud thoy wcro heartily mp
proved by tho full Committee when it as-
semblcd
This specN Comrittoo went about its worl;
with q determination to be thorough, md waH
theretoro necessarily deliberate iii itB move
inontu. Which wcro regulated entirely by its own
members, without a!i'y attempt at advice Or
guidance on tho pars OF tho pastor OF tho church.
Ito conclusions woro the result OF its own lnde-
pendent Judgment, ahtl i'll Eono minor respects
DID NOT ACConD WITH HIS.
Dofote tho Committee had finished it's inyeatl-
cations. Mr. 11lton who had at first willingly
appeared before 1t and testified to tho honor ntl
integrity OF ito notnbors, withdrew from itH preH-
enco and brought the Bnit at law which il now
ppnltng. Tho complaint was served Aug. q,
during tho defcndant'5 absence in tho Whito
Mountains. The nnHwcr WIS drawn the noxt
day; but, owing to tic distance aud n aucccs-
sion Of difficulties in procuring correct oi1lrial
certificates (sthout Which the defendants oath
to tho auswer would hnvo bee,i nuliity), it wns
not served until Sept. 7, which wns However,
stills days in advance Of tho time required
by law
hluch has been said about delay IN this suit.
It might suffice to Hay that no case of silnilar m
portanco and conlplexlty waB over b1ouHht to
trial before civil court III this part Of tho State
III so short tinlo aB this will DO. Bit, furti.cr-
moro, it has bool conceded by counsel on bola
Aidog, IN pgeBenco OF the Coult, that ttero were
not jtlrora enough to try tue cause III November,
nor time enough in December. Tho defendant
personally urged his counsel to arrange for an
early trial but ho has left tho caso in their
hands, and IL satisfied that they hayo dono that
Which was
w1sEsr AND BEST.
The application for q statement OF particulars
has not met with tho fayor OF certain news-
paporB; hut having bcen fully sustained by tho
highest court OF tho State. and indorscd BY tho
boAt legal authorities on tho bo;,ch aud at tho
blr, outside of Brooklyn, nc venture to believe
that it will stand tho test of timo.
Already ono result Of this motion has been to
clear up much Of tho 1nystory with which it wnH
sought to surround this caso, and TO present, In
IL moro lotnito form, the question involved.
Our friends need have 10 apprehension that
the statement OF particulars, il made, viii bo
used by tho defoudant Tor my other purpose
than tho prevention Of surprise or fraud. lie
deslreH mud into1i1s, God willingt to meet tho
whole caBo against him at ouco. and dispose OF 1t
forever; but to do this ho 1nt1st iayc, aud means
to have, fair warning OF what he is to meet.
The object OF tue bill Of particulars is not to
prevent tho paint.fr from Introducing a1ly oyi-
dollce which he mar have. Ho will bo at liberty
to specify oil the tiuos aud places Ms to which ho
proposes to ofEer oyitlouca upon tho trial. II ho
III limited to one or moro it will bo because 4e ia
not willing to Hay that lo expects to bo ablo to
givo evidence of any otlor time and p!aco. The
0bioct sought Ia simply to prevent hin, from
naming particular time and place in his com-
plaint, and then surprising the defendant OIL tito
trial BY introducing eyidonco pointing to another
and dlirereut timo anI place.
And this leala us to say that no acquittal is
asked, or vii! bc accepted, i'll this casc upon my
MARROW, on TECHNICAL, Oh ApoLoGEgIu uRuuSn.
No matter whnt fAHo construction may have