Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1874-08-20
BEECHER AND moULToN.

y g. y + &.
The papers of city and country were
loaded yesterday with the statements of
Francis D. Moulton and Henry Ward
Beecher in reference to the charges
made by Theodore Tilton against his
own wife and Mr.. Beecher. This comes
very late, and the documents and ex-
plantations now published will not be as
satisfactory as they would have been if
published earlier. Mr.. Beecher shows
that his letters, which were used as. evil
dence against him, have been monstrous-
ly garbled, perverted and misstated. The
one in which he speaks of living in
anxiety, remorse and despair. and as suf-
fering the torments of the damned, and
which was used against him most eff
fectively, proves to be four or five times
as long as the part quoted, and when
read altogether is wholly inconsistent
with the theory of guilt that was predi-
Gated upon the extract. The celebrated
confession was badly colored, never was
read to Mr. Beecher, never sanctioned
by him, and some of its sentences never
uttered by him, and the part that is
genuine relates wholly to his mental dis
tress at finding himself, as he thought,
in some way responsible for the business
and social ruin of Tilton. The greatest
flood OF light upon the motive for this
has succeeded in levYing biackmail on
the pastor of Plymouth church to the
amount of $1,000, and a demand made
for 5000 more which opened the eyes
of Mr. Beecher to the fact that he was
being bIackmailed. He fatty refused to
be swindled, and the scandal was con-
cocted and told to destroy him. Some
things in the letters and actions of MIR
Beechcr are not explained so bat what
doubts remain; but on the whole. the
most suspicious circumstance IS that it
did not come earlier, aud in the end his
character will shine MS brightly as ever
and The names Of Tiiton and Moulton
viii be covered with obloquy
Blessed are The peacemakerS, but the
high esteem in which the genuine peace
makers are held, only increases the con
tempt we should feel for those who
seek to make that character a cloak in
which to serve the devil, and administer
to their own love of nptoriety or the ac-
cumulation of sordid gain. Although as
we believe, Theodore TiIton is the author
of this caiumny for the sole purpose of
leyying blackmail 50 far as his disor-
dercd mind can have a purpose, he never
could have carried it so far as he has
We're it not for the shrewd cunning of
his active lieutenant, Francis ID. Moul-
ton. He tells us he has been the friend
of all parties, but heaven preserve us
from the service Of such friends The
whole coNdnct shows him to have been
an Important factor in the scheme to
backmail and destroy Mr.. Beecher, and
his course with the investigating conf
mittec, in dallying about and in the end
only giving nnimportant statements,
with the threat that he has much more
back that ne will tell, if necessary TO
protect himself, taken in connection
With his tate to George. Alfred Town Z.
send demonstrate that he is ,hypocrit 4
and falsifer, wholly unreliable as wit 4
ness. We regret exceedingly to hold
such an opinion of any one as we do of
this assembling, eowardly M6ulton,
especially if it is true that he is keeping
back evidence tending to prove the !
GJarge against Mr.. BeeeheF, but his. own 4
~onduct leaves no other alternative. In |
one OF bis own letters he says that
Bpccher will stand when all is known,
but he cannot stand himself and manifest
ehe character he now makes so prom 1
inent. .....-... ........