Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1874-09-12

Tilton and myself, now proceed to give such
portions as are necessary of some few Of the
conversations in which Beecher made confes-
have before stated that the first confession
was made on the night went for the "retrac-
ton" Of Mrs. Til;on; that l there told him:
"Mr. Beecher, you have had criminal inter
course with Mrs. Tilton, and You have done
great injury to TIlton otherwise" and saw
further In my published statement: "that he
confessed and denied not, but confessed AS
he did not deny this charge, so explicitly made
by me, whatever differences L may have made
from his words at other times, he certainly
could not have mistaken mine at this time,
Wht n speaking OF the relations OF man and
woman, "criminal intercourse" has but one
illegal or literary meaning" even to a clergy
man.
1t, however, seems necessary that should &c
stlll turther, which do, and say that on that
evening he confessed to me his relations with
MRS. T1lfon in language SO vivid that could
not possibly forget or mistake it. He said: "My
acts OF intercourse with that WON an were as
natural and sincere an expression OF my love
for her as the words OF endearment which ad-
dressed to her. There seemed to be nothing in
what we did together that could not ju stify to
myself on the ground of our love for each other.
and think God will not blame me for nv acts
with her. know that at present Ii would be
utterly impossible for me to justify myself be-
fore man." This is impressed upon my mind
because il was the first enunciation of q iustif
cation OF the doctrines of free love that had
ever heard.
Not only on the occasion of handing back
Mrs Tilton's "retraction," and when giving
me the letter OF contrition of January L, 1871,
did he partiCulariZe with regard to the feelings
that Influenced him to do as he did with Mrs.
T1lton. but in many of the conversations held
with him he strongly adyerted to the absorbing
love he felt for the woman, and to the Joys of
his Intercourse with her, which he al ways iusti-
lied because OF that love. Indeed, on one occ A.
sion, when speaking of it, he said SO pure did
the intercourse seem to him that the little red
couch ON which they had been togelh Dr. seemed
to him "almost a sacred thing"
If my testimony is to avail anything In this
matter, here commit it now fully to the state
ment heretofore made By me, which then soft
ened by emitting details, the Languages OF which
L thought IL best tor public morality should be
suppressed. And 1 call attention {, the fact
made in my previous statement thst,iu the pres.
ence Of myself and another witness, whom /
still feel reluctant to bring forward-or course
hot Mr.. Tilton-both Mrs. Tilton and Mr..
Beecher admitted in language not to be mis-
taken that Q continued sexual intims " had ex-
listed between them, and asked advic as to the
course to be taken because Of it.
trust shall be pardoned for giving an in
stance or tive out Of the many that might cite
OF the Inconsistency Of Mr.. Beecher with him
telf. The theory OF his statement Ia that Mrs.
Ilfon Lad confessed her husband 10 the first
place only his (Beecher's) excessive love for
her," and he maintains stoutly in that confess
son there Was nothing more confessed that
than he had made "improper advances" to her i.