The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1874-07-24
Beecher-TiltOn Scandal.
BEECHER'S STATEMENT.

Mr.. Beechers residence, and after IA counc
lasting about three hours, drew up the follow
ing statement Of Mr.. Beecher for publication
81 do not prepare, at this time, a detaile
examination OF the remarkable statement {
Mr.. Theodore I'ilton. | recognize the IN II
reasons which make it of transcendent in
portance to myself, the Church. and cause G
public morality, that l shall give full answe
to the charges against me. But, having Re
quested the Committee of Investigation t.
search this matter to the bottom, it is to then
that | must look for my vindication but
cannot delay for an hour to defend the repu
tation of Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton, upol
whose name, in connection with mine, he
husband has attempted to pour shame on one
less deserving of such disgrace.
II knew her from childhood; she has beef
under my eye, and since reaching womanhoot
she has had my sincere admiration and atfec
ton; | cherished for her pure feeling, sucl
as gentleman might honorably offer to ;
christian woman, and which she might receive
and reciprocate without moral scruple. l re
ject with indignation every imputation which
reflects upon her honor or my own; my re
gard for Mrs. Tilton was perfectly well known
to my family; when serious difficulties sprane
up in her household, it was to my wife thai
she resorted for counsel, and both Of us, act
ing from sympathy, and, as it subsequent,
appeared, without full knowledge, gave unad
vised counsel which tended to harm.
81 have no doubt that Mr. Tilton found
that his wife's confidence and reliance upon
my Judgment had greatly increased while his
influence had waned in consequence of a
marked change in his religious and social
views, whic hwere taking place during those
years. Her mind was greatly exercised lest
her children should be harmed by the views
which she deemed virtually false and dam
gerous.
81 was suddenly and rudely aroused to the
reality of the impending danger by the dis
closure of domestic distress, of sickness, per-
haps unto death, of the likelihood Of separa-
ton, and the scattering of a family, every
member of which had tenderly loved. The
effect upon Inc Of the discovery Of the state Of
Mr. Tiltons failings surpass in sorrow and ex-
element, anything that | had ever experienced
in my life.
''That my presence, influence and counsel
brought to a beloved family sorrow and alien
alton, gave, in my then state of mind,
poignancy to my suffering which hope no
other man may ever feel Even to be srls-
pected Of having offered, under the privileges
of peculiar sacred relation, an indecorum to
wife and mother, could not but deeply
wound any one who is sensitive to the honor
Of womanhood. There We're peculiar reasons
lOI Ill tlllS case on OIneT grounds mas
much as l was then subject to certain malg-
nant rnmors, and fragrant outbreak in this
family would bring upon them an added
injury, derived from these STAINLESS false
hoods.
believing at the time that my presence
and counsels had tended, however uncon-
sciously, to produce social catastrophe, rep
resented as imminent, l gave expression to
my feelings in an interview with mutual
friend, not in cold and cautious self-defending
words, but eagerly, taking the blame upon
myself and pouring out my heart to my friend
IN the strongest language overburdened with |
the eXaggerations of impassioned sorrow |
Had | been the evil man Mr. Tilton repre-
SCENTS, l should have been calmer and more |
prudent.
s'It was my horror Of the evil imputed that
filed me with morbid intensity at the very
shadow Of it, Not only was my friend at
fected generously, but he assured me that
such expressions, if conveyed to MIR. Titon
would soothe the wounded feeling allay anger
md heal the whole trouble.
6 He took down the sentences and frao-
nents of what had been saying to use them
rs mediator.
"a full statement of the circumstance,
lnder which this memorandum was made.
shall give to the investigating committee.
|
meet the facts Of the case is evident, IN that
hey We're accepted, that our intercourse was
esumed to triendliness that Mr. Iilton rati-
led it III writing and that he has continued
or four years, and, until two weeks to live ;
With his wife
Is it conceivable, if the original charge {
lad been what is now alleged, that he woui I
lave condoncd the otfense. not only with the ,
mother of his children, but with him whom i
he believed to have wronged them The alb ]
urdity as well as the fasity OF the story is ap-
'arent when 1t Is considered that Mr. Tilton
low alleges that he carried this guilty secret {
# his wite's intidelty for six months locked !
p in his own breast, and then he divulged it
Q me only that there might be reconcilia- 1
ion with me Mr. Tilton has since, iii every f
orm of language, and to multitude Of wit
esses, orally and in written statements and 1
II printed documents, declared his faith in |
lis wite's purity.
CATER the reconciliation Of Mr.. Tilton with !
lie, every consideration of proprietv and c
onor demanded that the family trouble should |
e kept in that seclusion which domestic at- \
HIS have right to claim as sanctuary, and 4
} that seclusion it was determined it should t
e confined: every line and word Of my pr-
ate and confidential letters which have been [
is in harmony with the statements |
LIN LIZ" hiahc Wy PtiphSicu ColIesIoH-
ence on this subject comprises but two ele-
rents VIZ: the expression Of my grief and
lat of pure and innocent woman G
. do not propose to analyse and contrast +
this time the extraordinary paper of Mr.. a
llton; but there are two allegations which | h
annot permit to pass without special notice. \
hey refer to the only two incidents which 4
lr. 1ilton pretends to have witnessed, per- I,
'nally, the one an alleged scene in my house,
lille looking over engravings, and the other .
chamber scene in his own housa. His "
atements concerning these are absolutely +.
lse; nothing of the kind ever occurred, nor ;;
~ semblance of such things They are now fl
Fought to my notioce for the first time. b
50 To every statement which connects me n
shonorably with Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton, Fl
which in any wise would impugn the 7,
,nor and purity of this most beloved Chris
IA woman, give the most explicit compre- Ii
ensiye and solemn denial j,
HENRY WARD BEEcaER" q,
MRS. TILTONS STATEMENT. w
New YORK, July 23.-Mrs. Tiltons state Il
emf is published She begins with the ey- OF