Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1874-08-28

you to introduce her at Steinway Hall.
wrote her most indignant and rebukinS
letter, to which she replied in manner
that astonished me by its calm asser-
ton that she considered you as true
friend to her as ! myself;
enclosed this letter TO Mr.. linton,
asking him to show it to you, II he thought
best. and to write me what 1t ell meant. lie
never replied on returned the letter TO me
as | requested, but | have copy OF 1t at
YOUR service. In the month OF February
after that. or returning from Washington
| went to Mrs. Stanton's to spend Sunday
at Jersey City. | met Mrs. W., who had
come on in the same train with melt SEEM
ed, and who urged me to bring Mrs. Stan
ton over Monday for suffrage consultation
as TO the spring convention. Remembering
her assertion OF the friendship between you
and of her meeting you occasionally at Mr.
Moulton's house. | think this Is the name,
| thought | would put this to the test. and
replied that if | thought could be sure OF
seeing you at the same time | would come.
She promised TO receive YOU, II possible,
and fully meant to keep my appointment;
but on Sunday | remembered an appoint
,nent at New Haven. which | should miss
if | stopped in New York, and 30
passed by, dropping her letter
by the wty. Curiously enough, Sis
ter Catherine, who was staying at
your house at this time. said to me here,
casually the latter of the same'week. Belle,
Henry went over to New York to see you
last Monday, but could not find you OF
course my Inference was that Mrs. W. either
mad power over you or you were secretly
friends During that Sunday Mrs Stanton
told ne precisely what Mr.. TitOn had SAID
b.4 II =
10 the house OF Mrs. and before them both
narrated the story Of his own infdelties. as
confessed 10 hi> vile, and of hers as
confessed 10 him. She added that not
long after she went to Mr.. Moult5u'S and
met YOU coming down the IRON steps, and
on entering, met Iut0n and Mpaltun, who
sail, '' We have just had Plymouth Church
40 our ic,t. and have his confession,
showing manuscript. She added that
Mrs. Iltou bad made similar statements
t. Mrs Anthony, and | have since roccv
Cd from Mr. \ combination OF this,
although she refuses 10 give me the par
ticuiar-. being bound in confidence, she
thinks From that day t. tei> have carried
a heavy load. When my husband Went
abroad sent Mary IN my stead, and at the
last moment ! contdtd To her all that |
knew and lc,t and feared. that She might be
prepared o. sustain her father, -hould the
trial oyertaNe them But what Is the truth
| ana farther from undermining this
morning than ever. The tale A. published
is essentially the same a. told 10 me. la
fact, il l. impossible but that Mr. Hilton is
the authority for it,, since | recognize a
scri~iml.itCdc. aud IL | understand 1t,
Mrs I!iton was the sole rcyeatpr-
bee You 10 c0uidc to me the whole truth.
Then can help you as no one else IN the
world can. II could say faithfully that |
believe this story To be fabrication ot Mr..
and Mr.. Elton, imposed upon a crodu.ou-
woman. the whole thing dIc~ But 1t 1t Is
essentially true, there l. but one honorable
way to meet 1t. IN my judgment. and the
precise method occurred % NE IN bed this
morning, and | WIS about writing yuu to
suggest 1t when your letter came. | will
write You sisterly letter expressing my
deep conviction. that this whole subject
need, the most earnest and chaste discus
SION that my own mind has long been
occupied with it, but l. still in doubt on
many points: that 1 have observed for
vear- that Your reading and thinking has
been tending to this and kindred subjects,
and now the time has come for You
to give the world through your own
paper the conclusions You have reached,
and the reasons therefor am
sure that nearly all the thinking men
and women are somewhere near you, and
will rally to your support if you are bold,
frank and absolutely truthful in stating
your convictions. My own conviction i
that the one radical mistake you have made
i In surprising that You are 50 much ahead
of your time. and in daring to attempt TO
lead when You have anything 60 conceal
Ever yours, BELLE.