Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1874-08-20
MORE OF MR.. BEEcHER's STATEMENT

foregoing:
-. | would not associate with these people (tbe
" 9ouhuH circle; Yer Mr.. Tilton and Mr. MoultOn
aad some strange theory concerning The Inana-a'
Hlent OF this particular affair which always nal
- II tnelr Judgment necessary for them 10 main
tam Fe.dlonS with this group of human bvtnas
rt"l. l.i!s clTc!e, and from Mr.. Titon's intimate
1-ooIs,LoAs win Il, some ruInOrS and suspicious
arose among my own CONGREGATION which led
theH 10 perseYcIc with questions and to ORIGINATE
INVESTIGATIONS. especially into the affairs Sf NJ
IlJon, from whom alone. as they GENERALLY ~
ItFeQ- the rUmOrs against me origip.ted' In
TINS was constantly and vehemently assured b1.
Nj. MoUlton that they were mistaken aud ~
their zeal III my defense made them imDaTian+' ~
my silence. aud anxious TO deal in y Srn1rnor,-
manner with Mr.. IlltOn. Had allowed them IN
GO tnlS, II was obvious that Mr.. TiltOn wOuId bon
been greatly enraged; that ali his former nniI,s+
suspicious of me would have been confirmed .yo,d
that he would have had every motive which was
necessary to induce him to break up the peace he
tween Us, and 10 make some such public attack
upon me Is he has finally made. But one thing
was constant and apparent When Theodore, By
lecturIHg or otherwise was prosperous. he was
very genial and atfectiOnate TO me. Whenever
he met with rebuff and was in pecuniary trouble
he scOwled threateningly upon me as the
author OF his troubles; and Moulton him
self seemed AT times to accuse me of
Indifference to Tilton's misfOrtunes II was
in the midst OF complications like these, maybe
tnat part OF these events happened Shortly
aiterward, in a thoroughly worried and depressed
mood, discouraged by the apparent helplessnesS
OF eXtricating Iilton from his difficulties or of
SdNIL8 Ills ldulllg from the DllgnL winch ne has
since fastened upon it. with even more destruc-
tive effect upon its members than then feared.
! wrote letter to Moulton, of which Tilton has
gwen extracts even more wickedy garbled than
his other quotations; for he has represented
TWO extracts from this letter as constituting
points OF two separate letters, and has artfully
given the impression that they were written in
or after June, 1873, whereas the letter was dated
Feb. ), 1872. He further says that this letter was
written for the purpose of being shown to him |
had no idea of such thing being done as the
letter SHOWS plainly enough face and did
potauthOrze any such use of that letter. which was
supposed by me to be written and received IN the
most sacred confidence. l am now informed an
inspection of the original would doubtless re-
fresh my memory concerning the circumstances.
but this Mr.. Moulton denies to me.
The letter Of Mrs Tilton, which is here partly
quoted, Is as follows:
THURSDAY.
. leave for the West Monday next How
glad l was to learn You were your own self sun
day morning. Theodore's mind has been hard
toward you of late, and l think he proposes an
Interview with you, by word or note, before leav-
ing home. If So be not cast down 7 hear this
almost always, but the God in whom we trust
will deliver US all safely. l know you do. anu
are willing abundantly to help him, and | also
Know your embarrassment. l anticipate my
Western trip, where may be alone with him, ex-
ccedingly.'
now come in my narrative to give an account
of the origin of the somewhat famous tripartite
agreement. Shortly after the foregoing letter
was written, Mr. TiltOn returned to the city
thoroughly discouraged with the result of his
featuring tour. The Golden lac. which had then
been established for about twelve months had
not succeeded, and was understood to be losing
money. His pccuniary obligations were press
ing, and although his claim against Bowen for
violating his two contracts had year previously
been put under the exclusive control of MoultOn.
with view of settlement, it had not as vet been
effected. About this time Mr.. MoultOn,
who sick, sent for me and showed me n cal
leyproof of the article prepared by Mr.. Titon for
the Golden Age. and which has since been pub
lished in the Brooklyn papers, in which he em-
bodied copy of a letter written by him to Mr.
Bowen, dated Jan. l, 1871, in which he charged
Bowen with making sCandaOus accusations
against my moral character. This was the first
time that l had ever seen those charges and I
had never heard of them except by mere rul-
mOr-Mr. Bowen never having at any time said
j word to me on the subject. l was amazed
at the proposed publication. | did not
then understand the real object of giving circula-
ton to such ISLANDERS. My firm impression was
that Mr.. Tilton designed, under cover of an at
tack upon me in the name of another to omen
the WAY for the Dublcation of his own
personal grievances. l protested against the
publication in the strongest terms, but was in
formed that it was not intended as a hostile act
To mysel but to Mr.. Bowen. 1 did not any the
less insist upon my protest against this publica-
ton.
On its being shown to Mr.. Bowen. said
would think it over, and perhaps write some
thing. This was Friday or Saturday. The COW
| enant appeared on Friday morning, and the
| alarm was sounded on me Immediately that Theo-
dOre would do something dreadful if not re-
| strained On Sunday had made ND nv mind to
write to Mr. Moulton the following letter parbled
extracts of which are given in Mr.. Tiltons state
ment:
| My DEAR FRANK-The whole earth is tran
| quill. The heaven is serener, as belts one who
| has about finished this worlds life. [ could do
nothing on Saturday. Ny head was confused. but
good sleep has made ii like crystal. I have de-
| termined to make no more resistance. Theo-
dore temper is such that the future, if tenn
| pOrarlly earned, would he absolutely worthless,
! filled with abrupt changes, and rendering
! me liable at any hour or day to be
| obliged to stultify all the devices by which
| we saved ourselves. 1t IS only fair that he
! should know that the publication Of the card
| which he proposed would leave him far worse of
| than before the agreement was made After nv
| letter through you was written he had had it a
| year He had condOned his wifes fault: he had
| enjOined upon with the utmost earnestness
and solemn1ty not 10 betray mis- wife, nor leave
| MIN to blight. | had honestly and earnestly
! Joined III the purpose Then his settlement was
made and signed by him. 1t was not my
making He revised his part so that it should
| wholly suit him. and signed ii. 1t stood
| unquestioned for more than year. Then
| it. was published; nothing but that. That
| which he did in private, when made public, eX-
| cited him to fury, and he charges me with
making him appear as one graciously pardoned
| by me. 1t his own deliberate act with
which he was perfectly content I'LL others saw II,
and then he charges a gricvous wrong home on
me. NV mind is clear: / am not in haste. and
shall write for the public statement that will
bear the light of Judgment-Day. God viii take
care of me and mine When look earth it
j. deep nj ght: when look on the heavens above
! see the morning breaking. Out on. IlaL COuIQ
put in golden letters my deep sense of
your earnest, faithful. and undying fidelity
your disinterested friendship. Your whole life,
too, has been of Gods COmfOrters. 1t Is such
q life that renewed waning faith in manhood.
Now. Frank. / would not have you waste any
| more energy on q hopeless task with such man
as I. T. There Is no possible salvation for any
| that depend upon him. With a strong nature,
he does not know how to govern it; with gener-
Gus impulses. the UndercurreIt that rules him
| i self; with ardent affection, he cannot love
long that which does not repay but with adj
miration and praise: with strong theatric ma
ture he is constantly imposed upon with the idea
that position. a great stroke a coup detat is
the way to success. Besides these he has a hun
dred good things about him, but these named
traits make him absolutely unreliable. Therefore
there Is no use in further trying. have strong
feeling upon me- and it brings great peace with it,
that am spending my last Sunday and preach
ing my last sermon. Dear. good God, l thank
Thee ! am, indeed. beginning to feel rest and
triumph. The pain of life Is but moment: the
glory of the everlasting emancipation Is world
less. incOnceiyable, full of breaking glory. On,
my beloved Frank, shall know You then, ana
forever hold fellowship with Won. and look back
anu S----s 'H0 past Tour loving .H.w.B"
After making his statement to the
Investigating Committee Mr.. Beecher
was cross-examined at great length, and
IN answer to questions propounded by
members of the committee sought to
throw additional light on some portions
of the statement made by him. As to
why he had said in letter dated Feb. Z,
1871, Of course can never speak with
her Mrs. Tilton) again without his per
mission, and I don't know that even then
il would he hest" Mr.. Beecher explains
that il was because Mr.. Tilton
had sent him word forbidding him