Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1874-09-03

Woodhull's attack on the Beecher family being
Dec. 10. 1871, Mrs. woodruff cent letter to
Bcecher desiring that he would speak at =
Woman's Suffrage Convention in Washington, In
the following month. This letter Mr.. b. returned
TO Mr.. Moulton with reply and note to Mr.
y The %n either
frage societies. What influence exert Iprefer to
do on my own hook, and do not mean to train
with either party, and It will not be fair to press
me In where do not wish to go.'
Other letters are given by Mr.. Mouton from Mr..
Beecher, in one OF which, dated March Is, 1874,
he says: have been doing ten mems work
this winter, partly to make up loss, and partly
because live under cloud, feeling every month
that may be doing my last work and ANXIOUS
10 make the most Of 1t. When Esau sold his
birthright he found no place for repentance,
though he sought 1t carefully with tears; but,I
have one abiding comfort. have known you,
and found IN You one who has given new mean
ing to friendship"
A letter is also given from Mr.. Tilton, written
In the fall of 1871, or thereabouts on board of q
passenger car ON the Hudson River Railroad,
Mrs. Beccher being also passenger In the same
car. MIR: 1ilton says In the letter:
Mrs. Beecher sits in the next seat. We are
almost elbow to elbow in the palace car She Is
whiIe-haired and looks dozen years older than
when last had a near view of her. My heart has
been full OF pity for her, Notwithstanding the
cruel way III which she has treated my good
name. Her face is written over with many vol
umes OF human suffering. l do not think she
has been aware of my presence, for she has been
absorbed an n IN thought IT,. T. am eyer
she has circulated or which Mr.. Bowen
pretends to have derived from her and Mrs.
Morse, why would it not be well to get from
her and Mrs. Morse statement under oath,
by such process as last cveping-docu-
ments made easy and harmess-of the exact
variations which they made to him and to 9TH
erss II would be well to have them say what
they said to him - My sulen neighbor
keeps the dark and lurid past wildly before my
mind. If she actually knew the conduct which her
priestly husband has been guilty Of believe she
would shed his blood; or, perhaps, sparing him
she would wreak her wrath on his yictim.n
After the publication of the tripartite covenant
was made Tilton deemed, from the comments
IRON the press, that the statement reflected upon
him. and he desired that in some wayDscecher
should relieve him from the imputation OF having
circulated slanderous stories abont him without
Justification, tor which he had apologized, and,
by advice OF friends he prepared u card for Mr..
Moulton to submit To Mr. Beccher for him (Mr.
b. to sign and publish in his yindication.
Mr. Bcecher felt much aggreved at this claim
on him by Tilton, feeling that the matter had
been all settled and adjusted, and he answered
Iiltons application in this regard by letter. un-
der date of June |. 1873, published In full in Mr..
Beecher's statement, and beginning My Dear
Frank: The whole earth is tranquil, and the
heaven is serene Meanwhile charges were
preferred against Tilton for the purpose of hav-
ing him dismissed from Plymouth Church. This
utltous WHICH sVelHtu 10 lnTcdttn the discovery
of the facts in regard to the troubles between
Beecher and T'ilton, annoyed people very much,
and Mr.. Monion feared that serioas difficulty
would arise therefrom Upon consultation with
which that investigation would be rendered UNI
necessary, which was in substance that reso-
luton should be passed by the church amending
its roll, alleging that Iiton having voluntarily
withdrawn from the church some four years he
fore, therefore, the roll should be amended by
striking OFF his name. This course had been
suggested by Mr.. Tilton. In a letter to Mr..
Moulton, dated Dec. 81, 1871, Mr. Beecher says
to press action in the case would only serve to
raise II ptoftiess excitement; there were already
complexities enough. He suggests that . If
letter il written 1t had better be very short,
simply announcing the withdrawal, and perhaps,
with an expression of kind wishes, etc"
But wnen the meeting of the church was held
for that purpose, 1t was charged there that Tilton
and said in substance, that If he had uttered any
ISLANDERS against Bcecher he was ready to answer
them as God was his witness. Beccher thcreup-
on stated that he had no charges to make and
the matter was dropped. But when the resolu-
ton was passed instead of being put so as to ex-
onerate Titon, ii was declared, in substance that
whereas, certain charges had been made against
him, and az he pleaded TO those charges " non
membership" his name be dropped from the
roll, This action of the church very much cxas-
perated Tilton, who thought Beecher should
have prevented such result, and that he
might have done so If he had stood by him fully
and fairly a. agreed. In that, however. Moulton
believes Titon was mistaken. because Mr.. win
lam f. West, who preferred the charges against
Tilton, did ii against the wish of Beechcr and
without any consultation with him Meanwhile,
through the Intervention of Dr. Storrs and 9th.
ers. an Ecclesiastical Council had been called.
The efforts of this Council In attempting TO dis
fellowship Plymouth Church were very displeas-
ing to Becchcr, and caused him much trouble
pecaly the action of DR.. Storrs, which he cx-
pressed to Mr. Mouton In letter, dated March
p, 1874, in which ne says: an indignant be-
unspeakablc outrage After his pretended friend
ship for Theodore he has turned against him in
the most venomous manner, and II II not sim
cere. His professions OF fifth and aficc-
ton for me are hollow and failhless,
They are merely tactical His object
Is plain. He is determined to force con.
nict, and use one of Ms to destroy the other, If
possible. That his game. BY singing Theo-
dore he believes he viii be driven into a course
which he hopes will ruin me If ever man be-
trayed another, he has am in hopes that Thco-
to be q fail in Storrs hand TO strike at n friend.
There are one or two reasons emphatic, for wait
ing until the end of the Council before taking any
action. First, that the attack on Plymouth
Church and the threats against Congregational.
ism were so violent that the public mind is to be
absorbed in the ecclesiastical elements and
not in the personal. Second, If Plymouth
Church is disfelowshiped it will consti-
tute a blow at the church and me far severer
than at him. Third, that If the Council does
not disfellowship Plymouth Church, then nm
doubleday Storrs will go off into Presbyterian
ism. as he, almost without disguise, threatened
in his speech and in that case the emphasis will
be there. Fourth, at any rate, while the fury
RACES in the Council, 1t is not wise to make any
move that would be one among 50 many a. 10
lose effect in a degree. After the battle IL over
one can more exactly see what onght to be done.
Meantime l am as patient as ! know how to be,
but pretty nearly used up with inward excite.
ment, and must run away for n day or two and
hide and sleep. or there viii be funeral
While these proceedings were pending, the
Rev. Mr.. Halliday. the assistant of Beecher,
called upon him and upon Mr. Moulton to en-
deayor to learn the facts about the difficulties be.
tween Beceher and Tilton, and NJ. NJ told him
he did not think that either he or the church
which had been adjusted and settled by The
parties to it, and that 1t was better, for
everybody, that the whole matter should be
allowed 10 rcpose in quiet Mr. NJ. here
furnishes a letter from Mr.. b. in which he