The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1874-08-06

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but it was her character and not the in
cidents of fiction surrounding it to which
l referred. Here was no sin of criminal
act or thought. A like confession with
hers had made to Mr.. Tilton in telling
of my love to my friend and pastor one
year before, and now add that, not
outstanding all Misrepresentation and
anguish of soul, owe to my acquaint-
ance and friendship with Mr.. Beecher,
as to no other instrumentality, that en-
couragement of my mental life and that
growth toward the divine nature which
enable me to walk daily in lively hope
of the life beyond the grave.
| g. The shameless charges in articles
seven, eight and nine are fearfully false
in each and every particular. The letter
referred to in Mr.. Tilton's tenth para
graph was obtained from me by impor-
tunity, and by representations that it
was necessary for him to use in his then
pending difficulties with Mr.. Bowen.
was then sick nigh unto death, having
suffered miscarriage only four days be-
fore. l signed whatever he required,
without knowing or understanding its
import. The paper l have never seen,
and do not know what statements it CON
tanned. In charge eighteen is a letter of
mine addressed to Mr.. F. Moulton,
quoted to prove that had never desired
a separation or was advised by Mr.. or
Mrs. Beecher to leave my husband. l
reply, the letter was of Mr.. Tilton's own
connecting, which he induced me to copy
and sign as my own, an act which, in my
| weakness and mistaken thought to help
him, have done too often during these
unhappy years. .
4. The Implication that harmony of
home was unbroken till Mr.. Bcecher en-
! tered it as a frequent guest and friend is
| lamentable satire upon the household
where he himself, years before, laid the
cornerstone of free love and desecrated
its sacred affairs up to the time of my de-
parturc, SO that the atmosphere was not
only goddess, but impure for my chill
dren, and in this effort and throe of
agony would fain lift my daughters and
all womanhood from the insidious and
diabolical teaching of these latter days.
His frequent efforts to prove me insane,
weak-minded, insignificant and of mean
heartlessness, selfishness and falsehood,
having its climax in his present endeavor
to convince the world that l am or ever
have been unable to distinguish between
an innocent or a guilty love. In sum-
ming up the whole matter, I affirm my
self before God to be innocent of the
crimes laid upon me; that never have /
been guilty of adultery with Henry
Ward Beecher in thought or deed, nor
has he ever offered to me an indecOrOus
or improper proposal.
To the further charge that I was led
away from my home by Mr.. Beecher's
friends and by the advice of lawyer
whom Mr.. Beecher had sent to me, WHO
in advance of my appearing before the
committee arranged with me the ques-
tions and answers which were to consti-
tute my testimony in Mr.. Beecher's be-
halt, answer that this is again untrue,
having never seen the lawyer until intro
duced to him few moments before the
arrival of the committee, by my step
father, Judge Morse; and in further re-
ply submit the following statement of
my. action before the commi tee and my
separation from my husband:
5. The publication of Mr.. Tilton's let
ter in answer to DR.. Bacon l had not
known nor suspected when on Wednes-
day evening he brought home the Golden
Age, handing it to me to read. Looking
down its columns saw we'll nigh
with binding eyes that he had put
into execution the almost daily
threat of his life-that "he lived
to crush out Mr.. Beecher; that the
God of battles was with him; he had
always been Mr.. Beecher's superior, and
hat law To- Il 80 oh
reputation, if need be-should fall before
this purpose" did not read it. saw
enough without reading My spirit rose
within me as never before. "Theodore,"
l said, "tell me what means this quota
ton from Mr.. Beecher? Two years ago
you came to me at midnight, saying:
Elizabeth, all letters and papers con-
corning my difficulties with Mr.. Beecher
and Mr.. Bowen are burned, destroyed.
Now don't you betray me, for l have
nothing to defend myself with" Ibid
you believe all that?" said he. Il GER
tainly did, implicitly" said. "Well,
let me tell you: they all live. Not one
is destroyed"
If this was said to intimidate me it
had quite the contrary effect; l had
never been so fearless nor seen so clear
ly before with whom was dealing.
Coming to me little later: "Iwant you
to read it. You will find it vindicatisn
of yourself. You have not stood before
the community for five years as you now
do"
6. Reused still further by the wicked
ness hid behind so false mask, replied:
" Theodore, understand me. This is the
last time you call me publicly to walk
through this filth. My character needs
no vindication, at this late hour, from
you. There was a time, had you spoken
out clearly, truthfully and manfully for
me, l had been grateful; but now shall
speak and act for myself. Know, also,
that if in the future l see scrap of
paper referring to any human being, how
ever remote, which it seems to me you
might use or pervert for your own ends,
will destroy it." 81 This means battle
on your part, them" he said. "Just SO
far" replied.
Z. write this because these words of
mine he has since used to my harm. The
next morning went to my brother and
told him that now had decided to act
in this matter; that had been treated by
my husband as a nonentity from the be-
ginning; a plaything to be used or let
alone at will; that it had always seemed
to me / was party not little con-
cerned. l then showed him a card had
made for publication. He respected the
motive, but still advised silence on my
part. Iyielded thus far as to not appear
in the public prints, but, counseling with
myself and no other, it occurred to me
that among the brethren of my own
communion l might be heard. Not
knowing of any church committee, l
asked the privilege of such an interview
in the parlors of those who had always
been our mutual friends. Mr.. and Mrs.
Ovingtcn then learned for the first time
that the committee would meet that
night, and advised me to see these gen.
tlemen as perhaps the COOLEST persons l
could select. This I accordingly did
There alone I pleaded the cause of my
husband and my children, the result be-
ing that their hearts were moved in sym: