Wilmington daily commercial. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1866-1877, 1874-11-11
FIRST EDITION.
NEW YORK.
OUR MID WEEK LETTER


AND sTRENdTH or THE TWO PARTEs-AeaREs-
sIyE TACTICS OF THE BEEoHER sIDE-Two sUo-
cEssEs SCORED FOR TILroN.
Special Correspondence ofHte Commercial.
New YoRK, Nov 10, 1874.
This week, the''Beecher Scandal" reopens in
Brooklyn and all over the world. The season
promises to be lively,if not brilliant The news
papers of these clustered cities will be occupied
for several days in the week, and for many entire
weeks of the winter, with the strenuous legal
conflicts between counsel and the vast expanse
of testimony, in which both eidea will struggle
with Titanic might for all that makes life dear,
if not for life itself.
Plymouth Church is a vast power, financially
and personally; and both these powers are utter
ly bound up and involved in each other as one.
Moreover they reach out their affiliations in ev-
cry direction, upward and downward throughout
political parties, throughout the circles OF godli-
ness and ungodliness, through rings of political
and money making intrigue, and thorough assoc-
atoms of noble Christian benevolence. Represen-
tative men of local politics and jobbery, like
Kinsella of the Eagle and Kingsley of the East
River Bridge, stand shoulder TO shoulder with
clergymen, professors aud presidents Of colleges,
city missionaries, hosts Of pious women and
PRAYING men, dashing lawyers, office holders,
millionaires like Clain, the rival of A. I. Stew
art Sage, Cleveland, Wilkeson aud others in-
voyed in the fortunes OF the Plymouth "book-
concern, (known as j. B. Ford & Co., stock as
sociation) the Life of Christ, aud the Christian
Union. All these interests, and many more than
meet the eye, wrestle for dear life in the pend
ing conflict. II power, in the form Of money,
character, TALENT influence, Office, business, pa
tronage, everything, is of any avail in this coun
try to secure desired judicial result, this case
cannot fail 70 show the fact.
On the other hand the beginning is very feeble
in Theodore Tilton, poor fellow, self-destroyed
before his battle, by his own incor slstency and
folly, to say no worse. Francis ID. Moulton
comes to his side, and even becomes involved
with him in struggle for more than life-a man
he, of power, in himself, in wealth, and in de-
voted and wealthy friends. Back of them b 9TH
stand silently, giving no sign but the awful sign
OF negative position in such a conflict, II very
large proportion of the churches and ministers
OF Brooklyn and also u large proportion, but
not as large as would be in the case Of any Other
Clergyman accused than MIR. Beecher, of the
| men of the world, in Brooklyn. Such. men as
Dr. Storrs and Buddngton men infinitely above
| the imputatlon of a want Of sympathy with one
of their brethren in trouble, and very general.
their class of solid, eagacious, and conservative
men, within and without the churches, are reluc
tantly unable to join in the demand for Mr.
| Beecher's yindication and the punishment OF hi
accusers, and with very close mouths await th
| course of the law and the issue Of the battle
| In word there il an immense moral force
which has gathered more and more every da,
from the beginning Of the mock trial by the Ply
mouth Committee, in position which cannot b.
called partial towards Mr.. Beecher, and whicl
| sustans parties, counsel, and Judges with al
needful countenance in dealing with the grea
interests at stake as il they were not, and witt
the great men If they were no more tha
the least of their fellow citizens. If the indis
cretions by which parties have involved them
| selves are not such az to destroy the testimon
which should bring out the TRUTH there will, ap
parently, be nothing i'll the pressure of partiait
and prejudice sufficiently overbalancing on eithc
side to defeat the ends of justice.
1t is q fashion with some people here, VIII
seem to abhor nothing very much but what is i
bad taste, to refer to this momentous and men
Orable case only in terms OF disgust and cor
tempt, as something it is very reprehensble
the public to talk about read about or thin
about. The n. Y. Times, in this spirit of stupi
moral aifectation, suppressed whole pages of I'll
most important matter given to the public las
summer, and left its readers to resort to othe
journals for the chief news of the day. II
could afford it, probably they could. But if til
case ia circumstantially revolving, its substanc
is to the last degree important 1t is to tl
common perception of the momentous bearing
of Mr.. Beechers character for good or evil, an
not to II vulgar pruriency for scandal, that tl
universal interest in the matter is to be ascribe'
/ have taken it, accordingly, for the part of
discriminating journalist or morast to concet
to the case the position which the common sem
of all classes of people has assign ed it,
Yesterday occurred the second of q series G
legal encounters which is destined to stretch oi
and grow more and more strenuous for col
siderable time. The first was on the demand {
the defendant in clifton agains Beecher," for
''bill of particulars of the acts and damages a
! legged. The order asked was denied by Juds
, Nelson and 30 the first success was with Tiltou
, counsel. The defense then appealed to the ge
! eral term of the same court As the other ju
! ges were present, and known to be personal
concurring in the decision though not OF
cially concerned, this was thought transpare
tactics Of delay. Pending and subject
, the appeal, the case might go on, and W
called accordingly yesterday. Ex-Judges Mo
rs, Fullerton and Beach, Tlltons counse
claimed to have their case proceeded with, viii
Shearman 0srmerly confidential adviser al
agent in most of the famous proceedln
of Fisk and Gould in Erie matters, in the da
of Judge Barnard) and Gen. b. II. Tracy, (awy
of Brooklyn and counsel for Mr.. Beecher in d
X ao-called investigation last Summer,) resst
n the demand, and insisted on Il stay Of procee
# ings until their appeal should finally be dett
= mined. This position was the key Of the imm
4 diate strategy Of the defense. The appeal W
). to bs carried to the Court of Appeals, and q
!, case delayed for months, and in the meanwhi
" the indictment of Moulton, Tiltons main W
N ness, for the incidental libel on Edna De
)t Proctor, was to be pressed on i'll hot haste
1t District Attorney Wnslow, who lis one of t
4, Beecher's devoted partizans, and his conyictic
+ which is counted sure thing, it was expect
l. would cripple and break down MIR. Tlton's cas-
IL The struggle was sharp and vigorous, a
ID brought out the keen feeling and unfavoral
O. opinion which the two sides have for each otl
e strongly. The second success also rested W
o Tllton. The argument on the appeal was
down for tomorrow "Wednesday and the IL
of the case for Friday.
:r Evidently the counsel for Mr.. Beecher in
h conduct of the case are no match for the pow
h full legal array on the side of Mr.. Tilt,
r. although III the final argument the eloqueI
or and prestige of Mr.. Evarts are to be in Mr. Bee
ers service.
h, The District Attorney forthwith pressed
q immediate trial of Moultons case, but in this
NJ resisted and special plea on his behalf was
ss in, to-day. Mouton's answers to Miss Proctc
m civil suit is that he published what he did
self defense, and under necessity, IN good ia
of as he received and believed it, from MIR. Bee
u er ;carcfuly avoiding to publish anything Il
a should connect the name of Miss Proctor W
So the story and claims that if he has hbeled
- he has a right to prove the genuineness of his
formation and facts in mitigation of damag
F. as showing good faith and absence Of malice.
n DELAWARE