Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-08-21

pistol, which afterward he took out, an
leit on the bureau, near where he stood
} gave the paper to him, and, after a fe,
moments talk, he left.
Mr.. Beecher then refers to the great dis
tresS OF mind caused him by the action {
MIS- lllton IN this matter, but finally sup
posed she had been overborne by sickness
was shattered in mind, and no longer re
spOnslble for her acts His soul went on
to her IN pity. lie blamed himself for wan
OF prudence and foresight. for he though
it was the result of her undue affection TO
him, and he could have borne any punish
ment if that poor child could bot emery,
from this cloud. lie Judged from Tilton' I
anger and fury that the charges made b,
him and supported by the accusation of hi!
wife were to be publicly preferred agains
him. which might result in great disaster
II not absolute ruin. He considered hi.
name, his church. everything connected
with him involved. lie says, "My earnest
desire 10 avoid public accusation, and the
evils necessarily flowing from it, has been
one Of the leading motives that must explain
my action during these three or four years
MOult0n visited Beecher at this time. find.
ing him in sore and distressed condition
| MOult0n seemed convinced that Beecher
had been seeking Tilton's downfall had
leagued with Bowen against him and by
advice had nearly destroyed his family.
Mr.. Beecher says he needed no arguments
to induce him TO do or say anything to
remedy the injury of which he believed he
had been the active cause. MOulton assur-
ei Beecher OF Tllton : purity and faithful
ness TO his wife. Beecher felt convinced of
danger in its meanest form, became intense
! ly excited, felt his mind in danger Of giving
way, ani poured forth his heart in unre-
strained grief and bitterness Of selEaccusa-
| ton, and denying any intentional wrong
Moulton said II TiltOn could feel assured
! OF Beecher : friendliness, there would be no
trouble IN making a reconciliation.
gave him leave to state to Theodore my
feelings. lie proposed that | should write
letter. | declined, but said that he could
report our interview. He then prepared
to make memorandum Of the talk. and
sat down at my table. and took down a.
supposed a condensed report Of my talk, for
| went on still pouring out my wounded
feelings over this great des0lati0n in Mr.
Hilton : family. Il was not dictatiOn of
sentence after sentence. he a mere amanuen-
>i7 and ! composing for him. Mr.. MoultOn
was patting into his own shape part Of that
which ! was saying in my own manner.
with proiuse explanations. This paper Of
Mr.. M0ult1n : was a mere memorandum Of
points to be used by him in setting forth my
feelings. That it contains matter and
points derived from me i without doubt
has they were put into sentences by him
and expressed a. he understood them, not
AS my words. but a. hints Of my figures and
letters u be used by him in cOnver-lng with
Mr. I.ton. lie did not READ the paper to
ne, nor did read 1t, nor have ! ever seen
it or heard 1t read. that remember, until
the publication II Mr. T,t0n' recent d1cu-
meut, and. now reading il. see IN il
thoughts that point 20 the matter OF my
discourse. but It j. not my paper, nor are
those my sentences. nor is Il correct re-
port u what i SAID. l. is q mere string OF
hints hastily made by an unpracuced writer
a~ helps o. his memory IN representing %
Mr.. lilton how | ie.t toward his family. Ii
M0rc than this DE claimed, il i be set forth
a- DO any proper sense my letter, | then
Gl-.Wn ]; and deu1unce L.. some of it.
sentences. and particularly that In which |
ann made u -ay that had obtained MR..
I.,0n's forgiveness, never could have
said. even iu Substance. bad not obtain
ci nor asked any forgiveness from her. ant
nobody pretended that | done 50: neither
could ever have said that humbled myself
before Ilton as before my God. except in
the sense that both 70 G1i and % the man
! thought had deeply injured | humble
myself, Is certainly did But it j. useless
O. ana.yLe paper prepared a this was.
The remaiuderot my plain statements con-
cerninE IL Wi. De It's Own comment.
This document was written upon three
separate halt--heets of large letter paper.
Alter it was finished. Mr. MJu.,yn asked me
If would sign it,
SAID mo- 10 Wg= vl~ my larra- . -n-
Piled that !; would have more weight If
would IN some way Indicate thar he was au-
taori-et 70 explain my sentiments
| took my pen, and. at some distance
below the writing. and upon the lower
margin. Indicated the, had committed
the document in trust to Mr. M0uit0n, and
signed the line thus written By me. \
few words more A. u itS further fate. Mr.
MuultHn OF his own accord said that after
using lie wlaid in two or three days bring
the memorandum back % me. and he eau
TONED mo about disclosing in any way that
there was difficulty between II.ton and
me. ~ 10 would he Injurious t. Hilton t.
have 1t known that | had qulrrele1 with
t.,u, a- Wei j. T. me u have the rum1r> set
aIIlt, II not trouble myself about II
until more than wear aitcrwart. when
ll.ien began 10 write up his case and was
looking for documents. ] wondered what
Wa in the old memorandum and desired Il
see it for greater certainty. -, one day, |
suddenly asked Moulton for that memoran-
DUN and saii You promised T. return 1t
To me.
lie seemed confused for moment and
SAID Did I2'
Certainly" answered.
lie replied that the paper had been de-
. . .A.s.
question again. That paper was burnt up
long ago, and during the next two years,
in various conversations. of his own accord,
he spoke of It as destroyed. | had never
asked for nor authorized the destruction Of
this paper But was not allowed to know
that the document was in existence till
distinguished editor in New York, within 4
few weeks past, assured me that MoultOn
had showed him the original, and that he
had examined my signature 10 be sure of
its genulueneSs. | know there was copy
of il since this statement was in prepara-
ton
While rejected this memorandum a my
work. or an accurate condensation OF my
statements. 1t does undoubtedly correctly
represent that | was in profound sorrow,
and that blamed myself with great severi-
ty for this disaster of the TitoE family. |
had not then the light that | now have.
There WAS much then that weighed heavily
on my heart and conscience. which now
weighs only on my heart
Soon after this. met Iilton at MOuiton's
house. Either MoultOn was sick, or was
very late in rising. for he was in bed. The
subject of my feelings and conduct toward
Tilton was introduced. | madea statement
of the motives under which had acted in
# fnaifr,sre vi
to Tilton's family. dsclaiming with hor-
Tor the thought of wrong, and expressing a
desire to do whatever lay in human power
u remedy any evil had occaSiOned and to
reunite his family.
Tilton was silent and sullen. lie played
the part of an injured man. but MOulton
said to Mr.. Tilton, with intense emphasis.
THAT Is all that a gentleman can say, and
YOU ought to accept it. IL is an honorable
basis OF reconciliation. This he repeated
Two or three times, and Iilton's cOunte-
nance checred up under MoultOns strong
talk. We shook hands and parted in Il
friendly way.
Not very long afterwards Tilton asked
me 10 his house, and said that he
should be glad to have the good old times
renewed. | do not remember whether |
took meal after this under his roof, but |
certainly was invited by him to renew my
visits as formerly. | never resumed my in
timacy.
Mr.. Beecher gives an account of a recon-
ciliatory scene at Tilton's house in the pres
ence OF Iiltons wife, which Beecher now
thinks was for effect, in order that he
(Beecher) could be used to get money out
of Bowen for Tilton, which the latter
claimed was due him.
Mr.. Moulton lost no opportunities of pre-
senting the kindcst views of Tilton, but
that Mrs. Tilton did not trust
her husband. Mr.. Moulton and the latter
urged Beeeher TO inspire confidence in Mrs.
Tilton in Moulton and lead her to take a
kinder view of Theodore A letter with
such intent was accordingly written to her,
Feb. :, 1871. "a copy was furnished the
Mr., Beecher said he had no recollection
of seeing or hearing read the letter of Til
ton of Feb.7 1872.
In explanation Of the saying in the letter
.. ~ L. a -