The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1874-09-18


" could not have mistaken mine at this
time. When speaking of the relations of |
man and q woman, "criminal intercourse
has but one illegal or literary meaning"
even to clergyman.
It, however, seems necessary that | |
| should 90 still further, which | do, and l
say that on that evening he confessed TO
me his relations with Mrs. Tilton IN Ian
guage so vivid that could not possibly for
get or mistake it. He said; "My acts of
intercourse with that woman were rs
natural and sir. an expression of my
love for her os the words of endearmcnt
which | addressed to her. There seemed
to be nothing in what we did together that
| could rot Justify to myself on the GROUND
of our love for each other, and think God
will not blame me for my acts with her. |
know that at present it would be utterly
impossible for me to justify myself before
man." This is impressed upon my mind,
because il was the first enunciation of a
justification of the doctrines of free-love
that had ever heard.
Not only ON the occasion Of handing
back Mrs. Tilton's "retraction," and when
giving me the letter of contritiOn of Jan.
I, 1871, did he particularize with regard
to the feelings which made him to do as he
did with Mrs. Tilton, but in many con-
versations held with him he strongly adj
vcltel to the absorbing love he held for the
woman, and to the joys of'hs intercourse
with her, which he always justified because
Of that love. Indeed, on one occasion
when speaking of it he said so pure did the
intercourse seem to him that the little red
lounge on which they had been together
seemed TO him "almost sacred thing"
II my testimony is to avail anything in
this matter | here commit it now fully to
the statement heretofore made by me,
which then soflened by emitting details,
the language of which thought it best for
the public morality should be suppressed.
And call attention to the fact made in
my previous statement that. in the presence
of myself and another witness, whom
still feel reluctant TO bring FORWARDED
course not Mr.. Tilton-both Mrs. Tilton
and Mr.. Beccher admitted in language not
to be mistaken that continual sexual in
timacy had existed between them. and
asked advice as to the course to be taken
because Of it.
trust shall be pardoncd for giving an
instance or two of the many that | might
cite of the inconsistency of Mr. Beecher
with himself. The theory of his state
! ment ia that Mrs. Tilton had confessed to
her husband in the first place only his
} (Beecher's) excessive love for her." and
| there was nothing more confessed than
l that he had made Improper advances" to
, her But, again he says the document was
one discriminating him. Lastly, he
givcs an account of his interview with Mrs.
lilton, when he got the rctraction. This
: he describes in the following words:
| added that he (Tiiton) said that had
made improper suggestions to her, and
that she admitted this fact to him, last
Jlly. | said: elizabeth, have you made
! such statements to him." She made no
! answer. repeated the question. Tears
=, ran down her cheeks, and she very slightly
bowed her head in acquiescence. SAID
-, ~ gu cannot mean that you have stated
: all that he has charged?" She opened her
eyes aud began in slow and feeble way
to explain how sick she had been, how
wearcd ont with importantly that he had
confessed his own alien loves, and said
that he could not bear to think that she was
better than he; that she might win him tC
reformation if che would confess that she
had loved me more than him, and that they
would repent and go on with future con.
cord.
The point between US is this averred
: in my statement that the document which
Beecher saw, as well as myself, was hel
confession that he had committed adultery
with the wife. Which was it E? A comics
sion only of excessive love and imprope
advances on his part, or, as he describes it
!! an discriminating" confession WithOu
stopping to advert to the fact that Mrs
Tilton, in her confession which went t
DR.. Storrs, says that he asked her to be
wife to him, with all that that implies, an(
the singular fact appears that she does no
= therein say she said no to him, need | al
vert upon the likelihood of her making
: negative with her great love for him, if ht
took the initiative ? Let us now judg
Mr.. Beecheer by his own statement. I'll
$ went to Mrs. Tilton and asked her il sh
d had confessed all that her husband hat
i charged, which, he said, were 'imprope
+ advances She bowed her head in &C
g quiescencc He said "How could yo
r do that z" She now gives the reason an
II says Titon had confessed his own allie
d loves, and said that he could not bear t
think that she was better than he, and tina
''she might win him, if she confessed sh
loYed me more than him, and that the
would repent and go on in future concord.
Assuming this report of the conversatio
II. to be true, and the reason given by Mr.:
d Titon for her confession, am led to as
how it would tend to show that the hu
e band, who had confessed his adultery
:, his wife. had n wife as bad as he was bt
'r cause she confessed to him that she ha
81 been tempted by her pastor and friend, an
'e had refused his solicitations, Under circun
stances OF the greatest possible temptation
y II can only be reconcied upon the theor
III that Tilton's confession OF ''alien loves
also included declaration that he had NJ
IN sinned in act with them. This suppositio
III however, both Bcecher and Elizabeth n
e, ject with scorn. Both declare the san
T. equivocal words as hers as to TiltOn mea
F. adultery only. May not, then. her ''lov'
ft with Beecher, so excessive" mean IL
u same thing? If that theory as to themselv
or is true, would not such confession to III
De ton by his wife, instead of convincing hi
DC that she was as bad as he was an adultere
We tend TO show him that she was the best
In all women, and withstood temptation be
ter than her grandmother Eve? Why col
Is fess her own entire worthiness in order
DIV convince her husband of her unwortl
'nl ness? On the contrary, does not this la
guage plainly show that her confession W
precisely what have declared it was in II
OF written confession, and what it was in fac
'es Let rue give q single other instanc
~ When called upon in his cross-examin
ton to explain his phrases in the letter
he June 3, 1872 ~ have determined
he make no more resistance. Theodore
on temperament is such that the future, ev
zen if temporarily earned, would be absolute
Try worthless, filled with abrupt changes, al
1t rendering me liable at any hour or day
did be obliged to stutify all the devices
ent which we saved ourseves'-he says =
OF Devices did not refer to me, but to hi
(Moulton) ibis whole style of acting.
I'VE G. Theodore said he was born for WI
ese and Moulton probably born for diplomac,
wn A. Yes.
eir BY Mr.. Cleveland--Werc the plan a
hat method by which, from time to time, the
his things were managed by your suggestio
her or by Mr.. Moulton?
sue A. | made suggestions from time to Tin
l generally without any effect, and the ger
up raj course of affairs, so far as 1t has L
lte- been forced npon us from outside inf
on | L LAIo,ll.,,,uA