The Hawaiian gazette., 1874-10-07
A New York View Of the Beecher-
TiItOn Matter.

A New York View Of the Beecher-
TiItOn Matter.
THE following statement was written by gentle
man of high Standing connected with the press and
well acquainted with all the parties concerned in
the above case Coming from the source it does, it
may be relied on as impartial aud eorrect
Whoever has read, as to some extent have been
professionally required to do, the papers of the
different sections of the country during the last few
months, hardly have failed notice that where
Mr. Beecher is best known the least weight has been
given to the scandals propagated sedulously
against him; while, where he is less personally
known, they have been felt 10 cas- darker shadow
over his name. In this city no reputable paper ex-
cept the Daily Graphic lis that a reputable paper .
has pretended to give them sanction; while the
World, in New York, and the Eagle in Brooklyn,
both politically hostile to Mr.. Beecher have been,
throughout, among his stanchest defenders. 1t
/ would be difficult to find single clergyman or a
single well.known business man in the community
/ who gives any credence to the accusations of Mr..
Tilton. mingle naturally largely with conservative
men, who are personally not attached to Mr.. Beech
er, many of whom were heartily opposed to his
anti slavery course, and TO whom his peculiar
methods are distasteful and have yet to hear one
who does believe that he has been the victim in
part of the cunning of his foes, and in part of the
unwise trustfulness and the undue charity of his
/ own nature. In the Union League Club, where Mr.
! Moulton and Mr.. Carpenter are both personally
known, and where for two years Mr. Moulton has
been whispering mysteriously that he was in the
/ possession of tremendous secrets, aud that Mr.
Beecher ais under my thumb, sir! under my thumb,
it would be difficult 10 find half a dozen of any
character who attach any weight whatever to any
thing Mr. Tilton has said, or that Mr. Monlton can
say, unless supplied by strong couoborative testi-
mony.
propose in this article to give the readers of the
AdrHce history of this asst appears 10 he Nslo
Yorker In this history shall state some facts not
in evidence, but nothing on newspaper gossip,
nothing that do not either know personally or on
testimony that is unquestionabe aud direct
1t is no secret here that Mr.. Tilton has been for
ten years animated by an iconcealed animosity to
Mr. Beecher, melted by envy, and aggravated by Mr.
Beecher's increasing popularity and his own rapid
downfall aud accommodating disasters. years Mr..
Beechers best friends have endeavored to persuade
him Of this fact-in vain. BE "thinketh no eyil,f
aud carries his disregard Of peudicial rumors aud
stories to the extent of shutting his ears against
wellautbenticated evidence, aud always has.
Mr. Triton began his attack on Mr.. Beecher in
Plymouth Church itself, for holding to the Home
Missionary Society after the American Missionary
Association was organized. Those who remember
that battle will bear witness that it was not mere
discussion of principles, but was personal attack
upon the preacher and the man. The next assault
was at a womans Suffrage meeting, if 1 remember
Alright, in Dr. Cheevers church. MI Beecher quoted
from a little Bible or Testament in his hand. Mr.
Tilton picked it up, and following Mr. Beecher,
quoted from its fy-leaf the words which showed it
gift from some lady, and made it the theme of
what was at the least, an unseemlY witteism. Mr..
BeecheT repealed it with quiet dignity which those
who witnessed the scene viii not soon forget
When the famous trio retired from the LadepeHdsl,t
aud Mr.. Beecher became its editor, it was only to
make place for Theodore, whom he had almost
adopted aud whom he loved as his own son. And
when at the close of the war, Mr.. Beecher. misled
thought then and still think, adhered to Presi-
dent johnson after the rest of the Republicans had
withdrawn from his support, and wrote that true
bat unwise Cleveland letter, Mr.. Tilton seized his
opportunity to prove, what he had often before
publicly asserted, that Mrs. Beecher had done his
work, and other and younger men where coming to
take his place. he ceased the publication Of Mr.
torial criticisms upon him. The public, who were
not behind the scenes as happened TO be, thought
that Mr.. Beecher had, in pique, to punish the In
dependent for the independence of its editor, with
drawn his sermons, and suppose there are multi.
tudes who think so to this day. Other papers
applied to Mr.. Beecher for them, but he would
make no new contracts with other papers tin the
old contract was formally annulled. Not till the
publication had been omitted for weeks think for
months did Mr. Bseeher yield to the pressure ofhis
friends and consent to sever finally and completely
his connection with the Independent, whose columns
Mr.. TiIton had closed TO him, and which, under Mr.
Tiltons leadership, was no longer safe, either SIS
theological a social guide Aud even then,
though the capital was offered, and the publisher
was ready TO begin without delay new paper, Mr..
Beecher would not be persuaded TO go into it, be
cause be would do nothing that would iBjure Theo-
dore, or would seem to be punishment for the
course pursued towards him.
The reasons why at length Mr.. Tilton left the
Independent are known perhaps 10 the West as well
as here Mr.. Beecher has only partially, but only
partially, stated them. It was no secret that Mr..
TltOn, the editor Of temperance paper, was aecus
toned TO drink his wine, at Delmonieo dinners; the
editor Of an evangelical newspaper disaFowed belief
in the evangelical creed and sympathy VIII evangel
ical people; the editor Of religious paper became
habfue Of the French theater and he was currently