Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-07-22

WEDNESDAY,. JULY %. Is
true feeling, be assured of the tried, puri-
ned and restored love of
"ELIZABETH.r
Mrs. Tilton followed the above letter
with these:
July 4, 1S7l.-Oh, my dear husband,
may you never need the deception of being
misled by good women as was by good
man.
l4.-That about one year after Mrs. Til
tons confession, and about half year af-
ter Mr.. Beecher's confirmation of the same,
Mrs. v. c. woodruff,
then perfect stranger to Tilton, save that
he had been presented to her in the compa-
ny of friends few days previous, wrote in
the World, Monday, May %, 1871, the fol-
lowing statement, namely:
know OF one man, public teacher of
eminence, who lives in concubinage with
the wife Of another public teacher Of al
most equal eminence. All three concur in
denouncing offences against morality. l
shall make il my business to analytic some
OF these lives. VICTORIA &. Woodruff.
New York, May 20, 1871.
On the day Of the publication of the
above card in the World, TiltOn received
from Mrs. Woodruff request to call, on
imperative business, at her Office, and on
going there a copy of the above card was
put into his hand by Mrs. Woodruff, who
said that the parties referred to therein
were II. W. Beecher and the wife of TheO-
dOre Tilton. Following this announce
ment Mrs. Woodruff detailed to TiltOn
with vehement spirit the
wicked aud Injurious
story which she published in the year fol-
lowing. Meanwhile TiltOn, desiring to
guard against any temptation to Mrs.
Woodruff to publish the grossly distorted
version which she gave to Tilton, and
which she aflerWard attributed TO him. he
sought by many personal services and
kindly attentions to influence her TO such
goodwill toward himself and family as
would remove all disposition or de
sire in her to aifiict him with such pub
LEGATION. TiltOn's association with Mrs.
Woodruff ceased in April, 1872, and six
months after namely, November q, 1872,
she published the scandal which he had
labOred to suppress.
-. That on the third day thereafter,
Rev. Thomas Il. Beeeher,
OF Elmira, n. Y, wrote as follows:
ElDiirG, Nor. 3, 1S12-Mrs. Woodruff
only carries out Henry's philosophy, against
which / recorded my protest twenty years
ago.
10. That in May, 1873, the publication
by one Of Beecher's partners Of
Tripartife Covenant
between II. e. Bowen, ii. w. Beecher and
Theo. TiltOn led the press of the country to |
charge that Tilton had committed against |
Beecher some heinOus wrong which Beecher |
had parJiOned, whereas the truth was the |
reverse Of this false public impression. Mr.. |
MOulton requested Beecher to prepare !
suitable card relieving TiltOn of this injus- |
tice. In answer Beecher pleaded his en- |
ba1a7Smen.s, which prevented his sayiIg |
anything without bringing himself under |
suspicion. TiliOn then proposed to prepare |
4 card of his own, containing a few lines !
from the recently quoted apology, for the !
purpose of showing Beecher, instead of Oc- |
casiOn to forgive, had occasion to be for |
given. Beecher wrote letter to MOulton, |
which, on being shown 10 TiltOn, was sue
caSsful in appealing to TiltOn's feelings. |
Beecher said, under date Of June 1, 1874: |
Beeeher Threatens Suicide.
My dear Frank: am determined to make |
[nol moreresistance. TheO'stempersment is
such that furOre, even iftemporarily earn
ed, would be absolutely worthless, and rem |
deFing me liable, at any hour, to be obliged |
10 stullify all the devices BY which We
saved ourselves. 1t is only fair he should /
have known that the publication Of the /
,v-Ls -. IL,
worse off than before. The agreement, |
namely, the triparite covenant, was made |
after my letter, through YOU, TO him, viz: |
the apology, was writ II. He had 1t a /
year. He had condOned his wife's fault. /
He had eDjoined upon Inc, with the ut
most earnestness and sOlemnity, not to be-
tray his wife or leave his children to a
blight. With such a man as I. 7. there is
no possible salvation for any that depend
upon him. There is no use in trying fur /
Their. have a strong feeling upon me, and
il brings great peace that | am spending my
last Sunday and preaching my last sermon.
The hOpelessness Of the spirit which the
foregoing letter portrayed, on the part of its
writer, led TiltOn 10 reconsider the ques-
ton Of defending himself at the cost Of
producing misery to Beecher, and to deter
mine to allow the prevailing ealumnies
against himself to 20 unanswered.
In letter written by Beecher, in order
to be shown to Tilton, BCecher spoke as
follows: No man can see the difficulties
that environ me, unless he stands where
do. To say that | have a church on my
hands is simple enough, but to have hun
dreds and thousands Of men pressing me,
each one with his keen suspicion of anxiety |
or zeal, 10 see the tendencies which, if not
stopped, would break out into a rIinOus
defense of me-tO stop them without SEEM
ing to do soto prevent any one question
ing me, to allay prejudices against TiltOn,
which had their beginning years before,
and keep serene, as if / was not alarmed |
or disturbed-tO be cheerful at home and
among friends, when l was suffering
The TOrments of Hell
TO pass sleepless nights and vet come up
fresh and fair for Sunday-all this may be
talked about, but the real thing cannot be
from the outsider, nor its wear
ING and grinding on the nervous system.
NIr. TiltOn yielded to the above quoted |
and other similar letters, and made no de-
ience of himself against the public Odium
which attached to him urjustly.
II. That the marriage union between
Mr.. TiltOn and Mrs. Tilton until broken |
BIZ Beecher was OF more than common har-
nOny, affection and mutual respect. Their
house and household were regarded for
reaTs by all their guests as
An Ideal Home.
As evidence of the feeling and spirit which
his wife entertained for her husband up to ,
he time Of her corruption by Beecher, the
letters by Mrs. TiltOn, written !
,nly few months before her loss of hono5 !
yill testify:
January IS, 1SGS.-My Beloved: HDOn't ,
7Ou know the peculiar phase of Christ's !
character as a lover, is so peculiar to me
because of my cOnstancy and devotion to ,
'ou. learn to love you from my love TO :
Him. have learned to love Him from :
owing you. l couple you with Him, nor :
10 / feel it one whit irreverent, and as
very day adorn myself as bride to meet Z
Ter bridegroom, so in like manner / lift !
mploring hands that my souls love may be q
'eraded. |, with the little girls, after you i
eft us, with OVERLOOKING eyes and heart,
Onsecrate ourselves TO our work and to .
on. My waking thoughts last night were :
f you. Ny rising thoughts this morning
we're of You. bless you and love you.
! IL. g 4