Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1874-08-21


chambers OF my soul, and when at length do
speak It is pent-up food, and pours without
measure or moderation. INHERIT tendency to
sadness, the remains in me of positive hypOchon-
dria in my father and grandfather, and In certain
moods Of reaction, the world becomes black and
see very despairingly. III were In such mood.
to speak as feel should give false colors and
exaggerated proportions TO everything This
ness aud courage which experienced In ordinary
times that none but those intimate with me
would suspect one so full Of overlooking spirit
and eager gladsomeness to have within him care
or gloom. Some of my letters to Mr.. Moulton re.
fec; this morbid feeling. He understood, aud at
times earnestly reprovcd me for indulging II.
With this preliminary review proceed to my
narrative.
Mr.. Tllton was first known to me as a reporter
OF my sermons. lie was then youth just from
school, and working on the New York Observer,
and from this paper he passed to the Independ-
ent and became a great favorite with Mr..
Bowen. When, about 1861, Drs. Bacon, Storrs,
and Thompson resigned their places, became
editor OF the IBdepeHdent to which / had been
from the start contributor. One of the induce
ments held out 10 me was that Mr.. Tilton
should be my assistant, and relieve me wholly
from routine Office work In this relation l be-
came very much attached to him. We sed 20
often together. His mind was opening freshly
al with enthusiasm upon all questions. used
to pour oat my ideas Of civil affairs, public pol
Icy, religion, and philanthropy. or this he has
often spoken with grateful appreciation, and
mourned at later day over its cessation. August
was my vacation month, but my family repaired
70 my farm in June and July, and remained there
during September and October. My abors con-
lining me to the city, took my meals in families
0lmy friends, and from year TO year became so
familiar with their children and houses that
went IN and out daily, almost as in my own house.
Mr. Illton often alluded to this habit, and urged
me to do the same by his house. He would often
speak in extravagant terms of his wife's esteem
aud affection for me. After began to visit h
mouse MOUSE nc sought to make It attractive. He
use the study to do my writing in, as 1t was not
pleasant to do my writing at the office of the
IhdePendeat. When went to England, in 1863,
Mr.. 1iltOn took temporary charge of the Inde-
pendent On my return paved the way for him
to take sole charge of 1t, my name remaining for
year and he then becoming responsible editor.
Friendly relations continued until 1866, when
violent assaults were made upon me by Tilton In
the IHdependeht on account OF my Cleveland let
ter and temporary discrimination of pubica-
ton OF my sermons in that paper broke off my
connection with Il. Although Mr.. Tilion and l
remained personally on good terms, yet there was
GOODNESS between us in all matters of poll .iCs.
Our social relations were very kindly, and Sc late
as 1852, at his request, sat to Page some fifty
times for portrait Ii was here that first met
and talked with Moulton, whose wife was a mem.
ber of Plymouth Church, though he was not
member, or even regular attendant. During this
whole period never received from Mr.. Tilton or
any member of his family the slightest hint that
lheIY was any dissatisfaetion with my familiar
the winter OF 1869, when going upon an extended
lectnring tour, he said " wish you would look
in often, AID see that Libby is not lonesome, or
does not want anything or words to that effect
Never by sign or word did Mr.. Tilton complain OF
my visits To his family until after he be-
gan to fear that the Independent would be
taken from him; nor did he break out
into violence until on the eve of dispossession
Rom both yhe papeTs The d9sendsat and The
these years of intimacy in TiltOns family l was
treated as father or elder brother. Children
were horn; children died They learned to love
me, and to frolic with me as IL was one OF
themselves loved them, and had for Mrs
TDion a true and honest regard. She seemed TO
me an ahectionate mother a devoted wife, look
ing up to her husband as one far above the com
mon race of men, and turning to me with artless
familiarity and with entire confidence Childish
in appearance, she was child-like in nature, and
would as soon have miscOnceived the confidence
Of the little girls the unstudied affection which
she showed me. Delicate in health, with self
| cheerful air, she was boundless in her sympathy
| for those in trouble and laborcd beyond her
| strength for the poor. she had the charge, one
| time of the married women's class at the Bethel
| Mission School, and they perfectly worshiped
| her there. gave Mrs. Titon copies of my
| books when published. | sometimes sent doSn
! from the farm flowers to be distributed smong
dozen or more families, and che occS-
s'onally shared. The only present of value ever
| gave her was ON my return from Europe in 1863,
| when distributed souvenirs of my Journey TO
some fifty or more persons, and to her gave
simple brooch Of little intrinsic value, So far
| from supposing that my presence and influence
! was alternating Mrs. TiltOn from her family rcla-
uons, thought on the contrary, that II was Civ
ing her strength and encouraging he. to hold fast
upon man evidently sliding into dangerous
| sOciatiOns, and liable to be immersed by unusual
| sclfconceit / regarded Mr.. Titon as in a very
CRITICAL period OF his l1te, and used to think II
fortunate that he had good home influence
| about him. During the late years of our friend
| ship Mrs. Tilton spoke very mournfully TO me
| about the tendency of her husband to great lax
| ity Of doctrine in religion and morals She gave
me 10 understand that he denied the divinity of
| Christ the inspiration Of the Scriptures and
| most of the articles Of the orthodox faith, while
| his views as TO the sanctity of the marriage rea
| tions were undergoing constant change In the
| direction Of free love.
| In the latter part OF July, 1870, Mrs Titon was
sick, and at her request visited her. She seemed
| much depressed, but gave me no hint Of any
| trouble having reference to me. cheered her a.
| best could, and prayed with her just before
| leaving. This was our last interview before the
| trouble broke out in the family. l describe |, be
cause II was the last, and its character has bear
| ing upon the latter part of my story Concernn"
all my other visits, II is sufficient to say that
no no interview which ever took place between Mr.
| 1flton and myself did anything occur which
| might not have occurred with perfect prophet,
| between brother and sister, between a lathe
| and child, between man of honor and the wifr
of his dearest friend, nor did anything even hal,
| pen which she and sought TO conceal from hci
| husband.
| Mr. Tilton and myself, his doctrines, NJ scS
forth in the leaders of the independents aroused a
storm Of indignation among representative
| paper was still very largely supposed to he IN!
| organ, was written to ON the subject. In reply,
Indignantly disclaimed all res possibility for thv
| views expressed by Tilton. Ny brother Edward.
| then living in Illinois, was prominent in rcmun,
| sIranecs, addressed to Bowen, concerning H.
| ment. 1t was understood that Bowen agreed IN
| consequence of proceedings arising out Of this
| remonsuance TO remove Tilton, or suppress his
| peculiar views; but, instead of that, Theodore
! seemed frmer In the saddle than before, and his
| loose notions OF marriage ana divorce began to he
shadowed editorialiy. This led to the starting OF
| the AdrdHce in Chicago 10 supcrsede the IHdt-
pendent in the Northwest, and Mr. Bowen was
! made to feel that Tilton's management vas
! seriously njuring his business, and Tilton may
have felt that his position was being undermined
oy opponents of his views, with whom he subse
qHently NSetendcd to believe | was in league
Vague, hNmations of his feeling hard
toward ny l ascribod to this miscon,
SSsPtiop, SPn, had really .S tsken no step t.
ia nar'h nm. Rltel hrs; ,o -IiIIon return ron
ME- Tilton had taken into her own family. cd .
Gated, and treated like an own child Cher test
mOny, understand 10 before the cOmmittec), wS'
sent 10 me with an urgent request that Moult
visit Mrs. IiliOn at her mothers. She said that
Mrs. Tib0nhAd left her home and gone to hcl
mothers in consequence of ill-treatment of h.
husband. She then gave an account of what shC
mad seen of the cruelty and abuse ON the bart q
her husband that shocked me, and yet more whcl
| with downcast look she saidithAt Nj. Tiltun ha
Visited her chamber in the night and sought he
ennsent 10 his wishes. | iY9nediately viSiI't
count Of her home life and of the despOtisn, o
her husband, and Of the management ofs woman
whom he had made housekeeper, which seems
like a nightmare;dream. The question wa'
whether she should go back or separate foreyc
from her husband: asked permission
l thought better than my own, and accordingly
second visit was made. The result of the inter
view was that my wife was extremely indignan
} toward Mr. Tilton and declared that no consider
; alton on earth would induce her to remain N
hour with man who had treated her with ~
hundreth part of such insult and cruelty fel
as strongly as she did but hesitated, as l Away
do, at giving advice In favor OF separation /
wns agreed that my. wife should give her fna
} advice at another visit. The next day whcl
ready to go, she wished nnal word, but ther
} was company and the chidre were present, an'
sn I wrote on a scrap Of paper, incline 4
think that your view is right, and that scparc
tion and settlement OF support will be wises'
and that in his present desperate state her pre-
haired than her absence" Mrs. TiltOn did no
tell me that my presence had anything TO d
/ with this trouble, nor did she let me know tha
II ON the July previous he had e1torted from her