St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1874-09-11
Rev. T. K. Beecher's Letter.
THE REAL DIVERGENCE OF VIEWS Be
TWEEN HIS'BROTHER AND HIMSELF.

THE REAL DIVERGENCE OF VIEWS BE-
TWEEN HIs'BROTHER AND HIMSELF.
From the Elmira Gazette, September }.
Returning to the world from month
of quietneSS in the woods. find that Il
confidential letter of mine written us Il
sequel toa confidential and startling
conversation with IL much loved, but
as | think, delu,led sister, has been by
successive breaches of trust allowed to
become public property. The intent
of this letter appears sufficiently upon
the face of it. 1t aimed To caution and
if possible diSSuadc my sister from !;
costly act of fanaticiSm. Ii WAS written
without other knowledge of facts than
what had been stated to me 10y her
and 10y her were sincerely believed. In
writing to her, therefore. to avoid con
troverSy. the truth of her allegation.
WAS assumed or ut least not questioned
| Assuming them To he true. the letter
eXhortcd her to be- faithful to her OWL
convictions, true to her friend. but III
| the same time to he extremely caution,
as to her conduct. based. a~ il seemed
likely to he. upon the most umtrIISt-
worthy evidence. Since the wear lS54
] have not been permitted ;iS much Il,
two hours in all of earnest conversation
with my honorcd brother Henry Ward
We have been both of lis too busy T.,
find time for the visits which | at least
hungered for. Nor can | recall amy oc-
casion whatever ON which we discussed
or even alluded to the subjects mar
riage. divorce. the family. the relation
of the sexes. female suffrage, or any
phrse whatever of these questions del
icatc or dirty. which are now pushing
up through the scum of general di>con-
tent and demanding attention. Clearly
| therefore. | am not now and never have
been Il witness competent to testify as
to my brothers views and tendencies
upon these lattcr-day questions.
The divcrgcncrS of view between my
brother and myself. to which the letter
alludcS. aud which have prevented Il
hearty cooperation between lis were of
II kind which. when known. rebound tu
his credit in populai esteem and to my
disgrace demonstrating ima Wise man
and me Il fool. He. an enthusiastic
lover of freedom. Il believer in he no
lnlltN "t human nature. Il prophet of
progress. purity and happiness. IN III
stan: and urgent anti slavery man, Il
promoter of free thought and free speech
| in all directions. IN ingIaincd and thor
ough-paccd. hopeful. cheerful American
citizen. accepting the Declaration of In
Dependence and Il manifest destiny of
/ glory. |. III contrast. penetrated 10y Il
mourmtul conviction that human nature,
i essentially corrupt aud morihund.
and. except ~ guided, taught governed
and rnivcnrd. tends To evil and di>:l>-
ter continually; that of all woes free
dom l. the most comprehensive that
the slave is better OH than the master ::
that the oppressed are better of than
THEN upprr>>"l>: HAT the cry of pro-
"Ic>S i Il dclu>i"m that men need GOV
eminent. rrhukr. humility: and that
uutil men are broken in >piIit through
prolonged despair they are not in pc
~iti"n t" receive 1h,. Kingdom of Heaven
Is very little chil,nrm. and thrive 10y
what they receive and 10y what l. done
inI them of God. H." IN >hUt. looks
upon even! great popular movement rs
Il tide chewing di\im guidance: and
hr makes haste Ia 90 with it. | look
upon the slime movement rs Il strong
driuSinn at the Adversary The Prince
oi this world which shall deceive. were.
il p"~-IIlr. the very elect and accord
im"lN | shrink back from il. and caution
all with II"m | have Influence against
hcim" earned away 10y il.
once aud nulN once have We in pr:ir-
teal affairs worked ruyrthrI. and that
WAS tnr the preservation of the Union
and the maintenance ot constitutional
government. These diNclgrnc,-~ nt view
ave fundamental. They arc. to his credit
~ Il popular leader. and 1" my costly
di>crrdit.
OF his personal truth. purity. honor.
AMI pictN. | have never had tur Il mo
mrnt Il doubt that WAS based upon ANY
trustworthy information. NanN things
have been told me With such an air of
truth that they have staggered me and
file" me with fear and tnrrhudimg>.
which | SUPPOSE | have shared with
thousands of the best of my fellow men:
aud. with them still. arknnw lrdy, a
profound relief when the man in uur>-
ton stands forth and denies all fault of
Whatever kInd save that which i'm
peaches his >agLrilN and discretion only
learn 10y the Nation tor have read
Incredibly liltlr) that the late trial h\
new >lap"r uf my hInthcr results in IN
I>>IIr oi vrr;icitN between him and Mrs.
Iilt"n on the one side. and Mr.. rilton
and NJ. Mention on the either This
beng 81. hasten I" put on record. most
gratefully. thai know of nothing " hat
ever. past "r present. that hindrr> me
from giving t" my brother the most I'M
plicit. r"mtrntcd and loving crrdcncr :;
and t" say. finally. that any Use of my
letter I" his disadvantage i Il renewal
"t the !u,liScIcct il MOI di>hunnrlhlc acts
10y which alone il became public prop
rrtN At the first. Tx IL.
Elmira Srut,.mh,I > ISL