The Portland daily press., 1874-07-24
[From the Maine S ate Press of July ISL
History Of Seven Days.
The news for the week ending Wednesday
July 22d.
THE SENSATION OF THE AGE.

THE SENSATION OF THE AGE.
The rumors of improper relations between
Rev. Henry Ward Beecher and the wife of
Theodore Tilton have created widespread in
terest since the publication of Mr.. Tilton's
Golden Age letter about a mouth since. Last
week we announced that an investigation was
going on before committee of Mr. Beecher' S
friends. During the week the papers have con-
tanned rumors and gossip in the interest of both
sides but not of character to receive credit.
Tuesday Mr. Tilton made his staten ent to the
committee which was sent to the press over the
wires. 1t is so long that it would cover a page
and half of this paper, but the gst of it can be
given in much shorter space. The sworn
sta ement is prefaced by a letter to the com
mittee setting forth the reasons which led hi m
to publish the letter in the Golden Age, viz
that Mr. Beecher's friends were attaching all
the blame of the previous troubles TO him (T,l-
ton), causing him to be regarded as scoundrel;
that the act of Mr.. Beecher in asking his
friends to appoint committee to investi gate
the rumors, and declaring his innocence, and
the further fact that his wife had lett him and
joined Nh. Beecher's friends against him. forced
him to take this course in self-defense, asid e
from the fact that the committee had urged
him to give the full facts of the case. His state
ment be, ins by stating that Mr. Beecher mar
ried Mr. Titon and Miss Richards in 1856
that he (Mr Beecher) was the warm friend of
both but that about nine years since he began
to show marked attentions to Mrs. Tilton, who
after long moral resistance yielded to his
(Mr BIS repeated assaultsiand arguments, and
that he accomplished the possession of her
person, maintaining with her thenceforward
(from the autumn of 1868 to the spring of 1870 }
the relation called criminal Intercourse
relation all the while being regarded by her as
not morally wrong. He further states that
such criminal commerce took place at Mr.
Beechers house on or about Oct. 10th, 1865, land
subsequently at the same place, Mr.. Tilton's
house. aud other places until 1870 He notes
two cases which came under his observation;
one while Mr.. Beecher and Mrs, Tilton were
sitting on the floor of Mr.. BIS library examin-
ing some engravings, be gave her an improper
caress ;on another occasion he (Tiltop) returned
in the morning to | is bed chamber. and found
the door locked, but on knocking it was
opened by bis wife and there was Mr.. Beecher
much flushed. Still Mr.. Tilton had such con
fidence in his wife that he accepted her expla
nation and thought nothing of it. In the spring
of 1870 however, on the return of Mr. Tilton
from his winters absence he discovered that
Mrs. 7. was absorbed in her devotion to MI
Beecher and an enlargement took place, but
July Sd, 1870 she returned to him (Tilton)from
the country, and after getting from her hus
band that he would do Beecher no harm, she
made a confession to her husband of the Grim
inal facts before stated, declaring that her in
timacy with her pastor had not proceeded from
low thoughts but from pure affection and relig-
ious love. She said that she was impelled to
make the confession because she could no lon
ger live perpetual lie. After few months
consideration he forgave his vile and nothing
wou d have been known of it had not Difficult
ty occurred between Tilton and Bowen which
was augmented by Beecher Mr.. Moulton t
this time procured an interview between the
parties and at this Mr.. Beecher first learned of
Mrs. TilJon's confession. Mr.. Beecher then
obtained a letter from Mrs. Tilton stating that
no improper relations had ever existed between
then. This she afterwards repented, land wrote
her husband note which is given, saying that
she did wrong in giving Mr.. Beecher such a
paper. Shortly after this there was a confer
ence between Mr.. Beecher and Mr.. Moulton
and as the result the for ner expressed great
contrition for his criminal conduct with Mr.
Tilton and dictated the following apology
which was entrusted to Mr.. Moulton.
FOREIGN.
There is little of general interest. In France
the political excitement continues. There have
been several changes in the ministry. Tha
three parties. Monarchists, Republicans ami
Bonapartists, are striving for the mastery, but
nei her have majority in the Assembly
There is general impression that a vote dis
solving that body preparatory to the election CT
another body, will result from the present
troubles.
The Spanish war goes on without much
change The Carists are accused of shooting
innocent parties in retaliation of certain proper
belligerent acts of the government In Eng
land the subject of intervention is discussed.
There is little change in Cuba. The war is
carried on with much talk and little fighting,
though few of both parties accidently get
killed. The finances of the island are in
hopeless condition. Dockray, the American
adventurer, who was found foolng about be
tween the lines of the two parties in Cuba has
been tried and condemned to imprisonment for
ten years. Served him right.
1t is said that the Brussels Congress on inter-
national law, after formal opening and or
ganization, will appoint committee and sus-
pend the general sittings.
POLITICAL AND SOCIAL.
The Republican Congressional Committee
have issued an address to the country urging
the election of Republicans for the forty-fourth
Congress. The address is tediously long, for
it gives the history of the Democratic party
for years, and shows how disreputable it was.
which is something of work, reviews the
record of the Republican party, and from the
comparison concludes that it is best to trust the
Republicans further. The que stions of the
pending campaign are not satisfactorily put or
clearly defined The fact is the address was
prepared by Western politician for the
Graugers of the West, consequently it is fnll
of transportation schemes and "bosh'' about
the currency. Besides, as life is short, the ad-
dress is too long to read in busy season of the
year.
And now Gen. Gordon, ex-rebel and Georgia
u Senator, speaks and says he never talked
politics or third term with President Grant
Let the next come.
In some of the Western states there prom
ises to be queer political work. In Missouri,
for instance, where Senator Schurz aided to
break the Republican party up because the
rebel Democracy had become loyal, it 1.-THE
Democracy proved both disloyal and corrupt.
Now there is talk of an independent party TO
wipe out the rebel element
In South Carolina vigorous attempt will
be made to clear out the Gov. Moses thieves
but it looks like hard job. In politics, men
who can't read are very uncertain. Perhaps it
will come about that we shall have to REQUIRE
IN educational test for the ballot. Why not?
1t is said that the colored men of Washing
on are taking steps to oppose such Repub-
leans as voted against the civil rights bill in
he House.
Under the head of "social' events we SUD-
'ose we may put the college regatta which
anne off at Saratoga Lake the past week
there were nine colleges which participated in
n the sport. The Freshman race came first
md was won by the Yale College crew. The
yanf fhAr E. Ii