, 1874-07-25
BEECHER AND CHRTST1ANIrY-rr
TON AS 4 WITNESS.

70 me Editor " 17e Chicago Tribune:
SIR: The character OF ono of tie most nonu.
arproachers Of our timo ia at stake, aud ono Of
tho grcatost regulations Of tho nineteenth cen.
fury hangs 81 II wcro upon 4 tl,lead. 1t Theo-
doro I1lton haa told tho truth Henry Ward
bocchor, who, for upw ards Of three tlccadcs has
oeeh TIC moHt talented uud popular OF Amori-
can utvineB, and whoso character for moral
purity aud manly integrity las boen proyerbiu1,
stands forth to-day "a tho most oontomptible Of
Aypocritos, the basest Of seducers, and tue most
wicked mud ungratoful Of yiolators OF priyato
friendship. II Boecller IL guilty, tho suffering
Which ho hna experienced, OF is yet to oxperf-
onco, III infinitely Bnall when compared with tle
lmmoastirahlo injury which morality and prao-
ueal Christianity will undergo. Beccl,er nul
christianity have everything to lose. Tilton has
noth1ng, not oven hs character, for according
70 hls own tostinony, he has mono (7); aud few
laselllgens observers will be diapoeed to doubt
nsni' Tor III no not uonfesaedly liar? Has
no not bcon for years in sentiment. if not in
pgacsice, a.llbertlne2 Has DO not been tho brill
tant ndYocato Of the hellisl doctrine OF free
iopo. or. In other words, Of pro,Hiacuous prosti-
tation,-a doctrine which ]ustitieu tho very uf-
fonhes Of which hs says Deocher Inns boon
guutyI In tho name Of religion Iilton has nd
Socatea , 1ho most satn1'lo principles that It las
bcon given to MY Iunn OF our time to Justify
Pflnc'plca which atrjle at the root OF ali houor
and purity, aud Emp at tho foundations upon
WINCH civilized society Is built Is It not natliral
t!. tnas s'ich nun should 30 eager to ruin gruat
level Of nastinoas wsioh IL his own only logiti-
msto ground7 Iilton las, upon tostiuiony cor
tAn!y aa crediblo Oh lH own, trsitlotl OH tic
!oal 70 or imaginary infalny. Of lis wife;
io,uata tns a1Sunfa ,i9al The o rolS Of "
teochor would DO drcceaaful in restorug him to
h's positions on tho New York Indepeltlt.t and
Eroohlyn Union, the yoieo Of tho alAntoror WIS
hlshod. When these goafs OF his ambition pass
ed out Of the possibility Of acquisition tic
blograpior Of Woodruff resumed tho role of tic |
occabiona! blackmailer. But, whether tlls ncou- !
aat1on be true or not, thero call bo but one !
opinion OF tho man Who publishes hiy wito'H |
IHfamy in order to froo himself from tile COM
paratlyely email accusation Of siendoring 0i Ills
minister, ''
Tilton has spoken thrice in refcronco
70 thls matter. md throo times sH he toll tllf-
.erens sa ~ story In tho first ,pnca Mr.. Dcecher
could "noither 10 named nor cilaraetorizeI;"
md, finally, Tilton says ho is guilty or
'he very oireubo cl,argcd, among otIern.
Y Y, No"atnA q Gtatiin's !Ifekiy, whiuh
,hafgcs Iilton himholf declared. III lis opon
estor to Prof. Bacon, to bo Infamous uia,..
iofs. WHICH Of thoao voraious aro We 10 be-
loYo f-or y tho 1naa who gavo tho,n worthy of
belief at ala Do hiB statements l'ear crodbty
lpon tho'r face' Assuming aIE. Beeeher to
,ther and leBe dangerous n,oat,s Ut gratifying
netn sh"n N quartor nliora discovery mlst
,avo seemed co1tainty7 IL It likely that Nr.
3eechor would liaYo boon guilty OF u,tooontty
arcas'ng hlra. 4l!ton in her husbands preBonco
aud. ii that story iA untrue, can the bedroom
'fair be belleyod3 Dir. Boeciler; in fact, louioa
10Th those charges pont-blank and, taking into
ccouns thoir INDUSTRIOUS improhabillty, Is .ics L
'on:n' not III accordanco With colamon hs1Ho2 II