The daily Argus., 1874-07-23
Beecher's Preliminary Answer
to Triton
MRS. TILToN INNOCENT AND
PURE.
His Conduct he will Satisfactorily
Explain.
TILTON CHARGED WITH ABSOLUTE
FALsEHOOD.

peared in print July u. recognize
many reasons which make it Of trancend-
ent importance to myself, the church and
| the cause of it public morality, that
| shall give full answer to the charges
against me, but having requested the
| Committee of Investigation to search this
matter to the bottom, it is to them that |
must look for my vindication, but | cannot
| delay for an hour to defend the reputation
of Mrs. Elizabeth r. Tilton, upon whose
name, in connection with mine, her hus
band has attempted to pour shame One
less deserving such disgrace never knew
From childhood she has been under my
eye and since reaching womanhood she
has had my sincere admiration and affection
and cherish tor her pure feeling, such
as any gentleman might honorably offer to
Christian woman and which she might re-
ceive and reclprocate without moral scru-
pie. | reject, with Indignation, every i'm
putation which reflects upon her honor or
my own. My regard for Mrs. Tilton was
perfectly well known to my family. When
serious difficulties sprung up in her house
hold it was to my wife she resorted for
council, and both of us, acting from sym
pathy, and as it subsequently appeared
without full knowledge, gave unadvised
council which tended to harm. have no
doubt MIR. Tilton found that his wife 5
confidence and reliance upon my judgment
had greatley increased while his influence
had diminished. In consequence Of the
marked change in his religious and social
views, which were taking place during
these years, her mind was greatly eXer-
cised lest her children should be harmed
by views which she deemed virtually false
ly aroused to reality of the impending
danger by disclosure Of domcs
tic distress, OF sickness, per
haps death, and likelihood
of separation and scattering Of Il family,
every member of which | had tenderly
loved. The effect on me of the discovery
of the state of Mr.. Tiltons feelings and
the condition of his family surpassed in
sorrow and excitement anything | had ever
experienced in my life That my pre-
sence, influence and counsel had brought
to the bereaved family sorrow and aliena-
ton, gave in my then state of mind a poig
nancy to my suffering which hope no 9TH
er man may ever feel. iEyen to be suspected
Of having offered, under the privileges Of a
peculiarly sacred relation, an indecorum TO
a wife and mother, could not but deep
y wound any one who is sensitive to the
honor of womanhoOd, There were pecu-
liar reasons for alarm in this case on other
grounds, inasmuch as | was then subject
70 certain malignant rumors and fragrant
outbreak in this family would bring upon
them an added injury derived from these
shameless talsehoods. Believing at the
time that my presence had a tendency,
however unconsliously, to produce a So
cial catastrophe, represented as imminent,
| gave expression to my feelings in an in
terview with "A mutual friend not in cold
and cautious sclfdetending words, but ca
gerly taking the blame upon myself and
pouring out my heart to my friend in the
strongest language over burdened with the
exaggerations of impassioned sorrow Had
been the evil man Mr.. Tilton now repre-
sents, | should haye been calmer and more
prudeut. 1t was horror OF this evil im-
puted that filled me with morbid intensity
at the very shadow Of it. Not only was
my friend affected generally, but he as
sured me that such expressions if it con
veyed to Mr.. Tilton would sooth his woun-
ded feelings, allay anger and heal the
whole trouble. lie took down sentences
and fragments of what had been saying
to use them as mediator. A full state
ment OF the circumstances under which
this memorandum was made | shall give to
the investigating committee. That these
apologies were more than ample to meet
the facts of the case is evident in that
they were accepted, that our intercourse
resumed its triendless, that Mr.. Titon sub
sequenty ratified it in writing and that he
has continued for four years and until with
in two weeks to live with his wife Is it
conceivable that if the original charge had
been what it is now alleged he would
have condoned the offense, not only with
the mother of his children but with him
whom he believed to have wronged them
The absurdity as well as the ialsity Of
this story is apparent when 1t Is con
sidered that Mr.. Titou now alleges
that he carried this guilty secret OF bis
wife's infdelity for six months locked in
his own breast, and that then he diyulgoi
it to me only that there might be Il recon
citation with NE. Mr. Tilton has since, in
every form of lanuage aud to multitude
of witnesses, orally and in written state
ments, and in printed documents, declared
his faith in his wife 5 purity.
After the reconciliation of Mr.. Iilton
with Inc, there were considerations OF pro
priety and honor which demanded that the
family trouble should be KEEP. in that seclu-
sion which domestic affairs have a right 10
claim as sacred, and to that secluslon it was
determined that it should be confined. ky-
eryvord of my private and confidential
letters which have been published is in
harmony with the statements which | now
make. My published correspondence on
this subject comprises but two elements,
viz, expressions of my grief, and of my
desire to shield the honor of pure and
innocent woman. | do not propose to an
alvze the contest at this time, nor the ex-
traordinary paper of Mr. Tihon, but there
are two allegations which | cannot permit
to pass without special notice. They refer
to the only two Incidents which Mr.. Iilton
pretends to have witnessed personally, the
one an alleged scene in my house while
looking over engravings and the other
a chamber scene in his own house. His
statements concerning these are absolutely
false. Nothing of the kind ever occurred
nor any semblance of any such thing.
They are now brought to my notice tor the
tirst time. To every statement when con
meets me dishonorably with Mrs Elizabeth
l'ElfRn xrh haah ar,u i'm the