The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1874-07-24
-,r,rcR.TrnToN SCANDAL.
,rrNENr OF MRS. TILToN
, nv ,lr. Bcechcr Previous to
>''' che Publication Of Mr. iii''n'
Charges.

Charges
n,, known that Mr.. Beecher APP
II !, ,,,-o the committee ana maze
prHT0 =, has not yet been given 70 the
Statement =. tome has been freely discussed
7-r.-. '"' ~ arc familiar with its contents.
!? ,pcr,bpr aid, in substance, lnaa ~ we" on,,
MI 70 come before The coinh'I.ee ai ~
~ o'' ;,c existence OF HI offence Mn.es ne
san" ,"n;,,rd unwilIineiy against He" eo J.
b" ',.'' and had cndcavored 10 atoue ,oi ~
'.. w,yS during the last Iour !esi -.
a.. '"t%' ,ha, some years ago ne a'scnVelee ~
lF >F.U ',r"r,,ion Of Plymouth cnurch u
he ''' -I,n,on of many gifts ruoeiy oe-
!"a0A .n1 indicating the existence OF al
'r'i'"' ',,,rr,ual nature. She was compie'e,y
iH!r''' hy The traditions Of the Chufch,
own; A,turc ard necessity OF pure
J! IL. A,o and At times seemed lnslhreu
'''','', ,,,,', that in s ruder age, ~neh reii'
~ q" ,,,fe = msttcr of sentiment. their
20" W." w.. wonld bave given her prominence
!rNt!'''vtl o.ora seer. He confessed that Tue
o . t,t, Gaye;op,nent of this character, as IL
'l'",'l,, - IN. daily life and Christian WorSs
!.'"'.'. n,,p,. woman, made deep lmpfts-
d 'h> ., him: that in the course OF h'S
s'n'' ,.llm.;nu. the feeling gradual gre" lnto
"'h'>'''.,, or lrep. intense. and pure auec-
asr'''nn, . =. ~. rtrocnized this affection IN
ro"' "' Lillian a. a father recognizes the
aerN'I' III, child: that it Was purely
aH.H"" ,;,,,i, Mia. would exist between
Ias'"',.' -, q. church and a devoted mem
~. hi. congregation. Tic e'h'esse.
.E' v'm,,gn, 10 hila that he h"t nature lha'
-. t4ji 10 respond 10 THESE c'lio''ouS'
,.... r,ur.c =! his ministlauon> II oecalie
10 .u1 more agreeable 10 fcei M" III
j. ~, publication Of his books, the
- ..,.,,np Of his essays. the mapping OUT
~ ..r,,,gs and di>cour>eS At prayer
% ..,.,. ;, always experience the h'gh IN
-, .,f = rI,rr and tender Christian oa-
...,,,,.,,i 4: q sentiment OF MAI auec-
.'.,,,.L ,s r,I,Iuy aud 10 his life; that, ne
.1d ;he.,. waS much in the nome Oh
-. - ,,,,,n woman that was pleasing TO MN.
80, 49,: t..i,n> with her family began with the
,'.,.r,,,,, ~ the family, with the marriage
",rr.m.iaoG. with the birth and baptism
..I|r ,ljIdrrt,, with the many cares ana
..:.'. f married HE, death, misfortune, Du'
:.- r,nulrras.mcniS, dcpreSslons.
fer and 20 further, he admitted, there
,,.;..n3 brlwctr him and Mrs. Tilton the re-
t...o, ~ affection add respect, but he dis
.,.,.,y denied. with all the emphasis ana
,n,.,ior that could be placed upon such an
.y,rr,.,,, that there bad ever been in his
,,';"fau iupurc thought, or that be discoy-
.'r.6 III the nind Of this lady suggestion or
r.,o,u.c In thought Of mpurltF that Tue
.,st.,i,p. hqd never gone beyond that of
",,f.r "a his child. and that whoever consld-
,r.G ,hr ,ra,:unS took any other form did
il,y rYl Il mighty wrong TO this woman.
nj. wys the whole relation with Mrs. Til
ION l. 80 hs,rcncd in the course oil her 40
,r.,;r life tia, she became unhappy or I'M
,r,,;fr, with The dcmcauor of her husband
Inward, her, NEGLECT, unsati,tied ambition,
the inpa'icnt warnings OF spirit
which sought for ilattery in other
r,,cr, had contributed towards this aliena-
ZION. These ANA many other things so gre"
into TIE family relations Of tlis woman as TO
NIX I, extremely unhappy. Into the ma
,i;,,. OF hi, uuhappIncss be would not en-
for: hut il 30 happened indirectly, through
In. influence Of member Of his own tam-
ity here he referred to Mrs. Beecher), one
wlp did not entertain for MIR. Tilton the
>tgr feelings ur interest that entered his
own b!ra>t. one who moderated and per-
hqu> Gc.ri-rd him. be had been led under
liz advice and consent on the part Of
alo.hrr Who was very dear to him and
w4um hr WAS bound 10 protect (here he also
reached 10 Ms. Btccher), that there should
hr 4 separation between the husband and
VII ~ tie ground that between them the
marriage relation was no longer a sacrament,
but = cyimc. And this separation grew
int, ,uch shape that 1t threatened
nf t, fam lt, n
er,nt which Mr.. Bcecher, when he
>l8 the result Of his indirect Influence, en-
A-}or,d 10 retrieve. This was the offence
h. lid committed against Mr.. Titon. this
w4> The uIcurc be had atoned. The knowl-
r,-r Of this offence had led TO all the efforts
WaIcA had marked bi, life during the last
toUr yraI>. II had been a life Of misery.
ag0Dg. ard pain. lie could we'll see now how
much >~c"i"r death would have been tran
= !.9yr lived that way. to have felt that he
Wa Indirectly The means ola shadow on The
!Y!Gr "l any man, and his whole purpose,
rgrT since III" publication Of that letter to
IL. Bacon. was 10 atone for his own heed
tr,r.r,>. end perhaps Tor his folly, by endea-
T9r,u- 10 reconstruct that home which had
been founded at bis altar and received
through his hands the blessings of Divine
Providence.
This i the substance of the statement
mIGc BY Mr. Bsecner when he appeared be-
lore t!c committee, and which has been
elaborated 10 some length. In makingShiS
statement ne dwelt upon the fact that the
"N.E criticism he would make upon any
statement OF Mr. Tiiton was this, that in
'hi> whole controversy some had been con-
>lurilng bis reputation as Christian minis
'"' others had been controlled by desire
t'!t>tuc Hr. Tillon from his misfortune and
!'40 Inn INTO higher sphere of life, but that
10 one seemed 10 think OF the wife. of the
'nolhcI, and The woman who had been aban-
oonrd 10y her husband, and destroy, as it
were, Tie effort 10 win reputation and fame
EDIh her dead body. She must be destroyed
I"al Diners may live: not only her, but
those who bore her name, and not
vN'! those children who bore her name,
huI many others OF his own family, and be
I'I' 10" that complete silence and contrition
was not only The best apology he could make
~ Ms congregation and 10 Mr.. TiltoD, but
'idi Il was kindness that could not be ex-
l''>cd N words TO the woman whose whole
'''aNG Christian duty and emotion had been
oe>u0ytd in a moment of mad and uncon.
IoHl1f" frenzy, and whose family was as
YEA. 10 hun a. his own life.
Af' htecher>S statement concludes as fol-
'o"'. he substance Of the whole Of it is
gwen above:
httFy line and word of my private and
HH"hHi"ntnl letters, which have been pub
.>Neu, Is IN harmony with the statements
"hle4 / no" make. My published CORE
,roAuehce on this subject comprises but two
,Fnth''-vlz., the expression Of my grief,
"4u 'i!at OF my desire to shield the honor OF
Pure aud innocent woman.
y, 40 not propose TO analyze and contest at
~, uuc the extraordinary paper of Mr.
4",on, but there are two allegations which I
n.""uDI permit 10 pass without special notice