The St. Cloud journal. [volume] (St. Cloud, Minn.) 1866-1876, 1874-12-31
THE GREAT LIBEL SUIT.
Mr. Beecher's Future Course Outlined

| Ward Beecher.
Much has been said about delay in
this suit. 1t might suffice to say tina,
no case of similar Importance and
complexity was ever brought to trial
before a civil court in this part of the
State in SO short time as this will be-
But, furthermore, it has been conced
ed by counsel on both sides, in pres
ence OF the Court, that there were not
jurors enough to try the cause in
November, nor time enough in De.
cember. The defendant personally
urged his counsel to arrange for an
early trial; but he has left the case
in their hands, and is satisfied that
they have done that which was
w1sEsT AND BEST.
The application for statement Of
particulars has not met with the favo,
Of certain newspapers; but having
been fully sustained by the highest
court of the State, and indorsed by
the best legal authorities on the bench
and at the bar, outside of BROOKLYN
we venture to believe that it will
stand the test Of time.
Already one result of this motion
has been to clear up much Of the mys.
terry with which it was sought to sur.
round this case, and to present, in a
more definite form, the question in.
volved.
Our friends need have no appre'
hension that the statement of particu.
lars, if made, will be used by the de.
fendant for any other purpose than
the prevention of surprise or fraud
| He desires and intends, God willing
to meet the whole case against him al
once, and dispose of it forever; but
to do this he must have, and means
to have, fair warning of what he is tc
meet.
The object of the bill of particular;
is not to prevent the plaintiff from in
Producing any evidence which he may
have. He will be at liberty to speci
| fy all the times and places as to which
he proposes to offer evidence upon the
trial. If he is limited to one or more
it will be because he is not willing t<
say that he expects to be able to give
evidence Of any other time and place
The object sought is simply to preven
him from naming particular time
and place in his complaint, and the1
surprising the defendant on th'
trial by introducing evidence point
] ing to another and different time ant
| place.
! Andthis leads US to say that NJ
avqufttal 10 asked, or will bv aUovptzd
in this case, upon any
NARROW, OR TECHNICAL, OR Apollo
GETIC GROUND.
No matter what false construction
may have been put upon his language
the defendant never has sought, AM
never will seek, to excuse himself b,
throwing blame upon others for an,
fault that belonged even in part t.
him. If it were true that he ha(
committed the crime charged agains
him, it would be his crime, for whic]
he alone should answer. No one shall
in his behalf palliate the ofens
charged, or plead that allowanc
should be made for temptation O
, weakness. No one shall speak of j
as less than an atrocious crime, mad
tenfold worse, if the defendant wer
really guilty, by his subsequent COZ
duct in adding oath upon oath to hi
Il denials.
1 Neither Will the defense be sustain
ed by casting any ignominy upo
Mrs. Elizabeth Tilton. That thi
lady has in her unhappy past been il
auenced by power which she coul
not resist, into making statement
which were entirely untrue, no on
asserts more strenuously than shehe1
self: But this is, unfortunately, n
uncommon event in the lives of pur
and good women who are bound b
ties of mingled affection and fear t
). men Of superior force and despotic ns
ture. The defense of this suit vii
never proceed upon any theory whic
does not recognize the honor Of Eliza
beth Tilton as at least equally worth
of protection with the name of Henr
Ward Beecher.
/ Finally,
THERE WILLIE NO COMPROMISE.
No suggestion of the kind has bee
accepted since the commencement {
the suit, and none will be accepted
its end. Many well-meant (and som
ill-meant) propositions upon this sui
ject haye been made to the defens
and occasional inquiries arise concerl
ing it. Let it suffice, once for al
that there never has been, and ne,
er will be, any disposition on the pal
of the defense to settle, or harmonic
or compromise, on any basis excel
the unequivocal retraction of the fal:
charge which constitutes the found,
ton of the suit; 1t is we'll know
that the defendant has been no part,
directly or indirectly, to any arrang
ments made in other cases and if an
j., rumor of compromise in the princip'
case is ever started the public ma
, safely inpute its origin to an enem
Meantime, the editor of this jou
nal proposes to continue his accustor
ed work. He will write for its reade
= as long as they areinterestedinhi his CO
9 tributions, and preach as long as Gt