Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-07-29
BEECHER S DENIAL.

BEECHER S DENIAL.
New YORK, July 22.-This evening
several of the deacons Of Plymouth
Church, with Mr.. Sherman and Gen.
Tracy, met at Mr.. Beechers residence,
and after a council lasting about three
hours, drew up the following state
ment of Mr.. Beecher for publication:
I do not prepare at this time detailed ex-
| animation Of the remarkable statement OF
| Theodore Tilton, made before the committee
| of investigation, and which appears ii print
July q, 1874. recognize the many reasons
| which make it OF transcendent Importance to
myself, the church, and the cause of public
morality, that shall give a full answer to the
| charges against me, but having req .ested the
committee Of investigation to searcl this
matter to the bottom, 1t is to them that l
must look for my vindicati6n. But [ cannot
| delay for an hour to defend the reputation OF
Mrs. Elizabeth 4. TIlton, upon whose name,
has attempted to pour shame. One less
deserving Of such disgrace l never
knew. From childhood she has been under
my eye, and since reaching womanhood she
has had my sincere admiration and Affection
| cherish for her pure feeling, such as gen.
tleman might honorably offer to Il Christian
woman, and which she might receive and re-
ciprocate without moral scruple Ireiect with
indignation every imputatiOn which reflects
upon her honor or my own. Ny regard for
Mrs. Tllton was perfectly we'll Known to nv
| family. When serious difficulties sprang up
| In her household it was to Try wife that she
resorted for counsel, and both OF US, acting
| from sympa thy, and as it subsequently, ap-
peared without full knowledge, gave unad-
vIsed counsel that tended to harm. I have no
doubt that Mr.. Illton found that his wifes
| confidence and reliance upon NIX judgment
had greatly increased, while his influence had
diminished IN consequence OF a marked change
in his religious and social visits which were
takiag place during those Years. Her
mind was greatly exercised lest her
children should be harmed oy views
which she deemed virtually false and
dangerous. l was suddenly and rudely
aroused to the reality Of the impending dan
ger by the disclosure OF domestic Distress of
! sickness perhaps unto death, OF the likeli-
| hood OF the separation and scattering Of q
| family, every member Of which I tenderly
| loved. The effect on me Of the discovery Of
| the state of Mr.. TiIton's feeling. and the con-
dition Of his family, surpassed il sorrow aud
| excitement anything that I had ever eXpa-
rienced in my life. That my presence infu-
enced and counsel had Wronged a be.oved
family to sorro" and alienation. gave, in nv
state of mind, poignancy to ny suffering
which [ hope no other man may ever teel.
| Even to be suspected Of having offered, under
privileges OF a peculiarly sacred relation. an
| lndecOruEO to q wife and mother, could not
| DuU deeply WOuIu anyone VINO Is Sensitive to
| the honor CT WOmanhOOd. There were pecu-
| liar reasons for alarm in the case on other
| grounds, lnasmuch as l was then subject to
| certain Malignant rumors, and tiasrant out
break IN this family would bring upon
| them an added injury derived from these
shameless falsehoOds. Believing 81 the time
that my presence and counsel had tended.
however unconscously, TO produce a
social catastrophe represented as 1mm1-
nent, l gave expression to ny feelings
friend, lot in cold, cautious seLf-2efendng
words, but eagerly taking blame upon myself
and pouring out my heart III nly fienl in
strongest language over the burden with
| the e1aSgeratlons OF lmpassiOned sorrow.
Had been the evil man, as Mr. Tfton now
represents, l should have been caIner and more
prudent. 1t was my horror Of this evil i'm
puted til filled me with morbid intensity at
| the veIv shadow Of it. Not only was nv
| friend affected generously, but he assured NE
that such expressions, it conveyed TO Mr.. TIL
ton, would soothe the wounded feelings, allay
| the anger and heat Of the whole trouble He
took down sentences and fragments Of what I
| had been saying, to uee them as q mediation.
A tull statement OF the circumstances under
| which this memorandum was made I shall
| give to the investigating cOnInIttee. That
| these apologies were more than ample to
meet the facts Of the case 1t is ev dent. They
| were accepted =; that our IL tercOurse resumed
| it's frendness that Mr.. Tilton subsequently,
| for fCar years, and until within two weeks, to
live with his wife, is it conceivable that II the
original charge had been what is how alleged,
he would have condoned the otfense, not only
| with the mother Of his children
but with him whom he believed
to have wronged him? The absurdity
as we'll as the falsity of this story is appar-
ent, when it is considered that Mr.. Triton now
| alleges that he carried this guilty. secret Of
his wife's infidelity for six months locked I'D
| in ba
me only that there might be & reconciliation
with me. Mr.. Tilton since, in every form Of
language, ald to q multitude OF witnesses.
| orally, in written statements, and printed
| documents, declared his faith III his Wife's
purity. After the reconciliation OF Mr.. Tllton
with me, considerations Of property and HON
or demanded that the family trouble should
be kept in that seclusion which domestic at
fairs have right to claim as sanctuary, and
| to that secluslon it was determined that if
should be confined. Every line and word of
my private and confidential letters which have
| been published ls IN harmony with the state
ments which [ now make. Ny published cor
respondence on this subject comprises but
! two elements, viz the EXPRESSION of my
grief, and that OF my desire 70 shield the hon
| or OF pure and innocent woman
| do not propose to analyze and contest. at
| this time, the extraordinary paper o. Mr. Til.
| top, but there are two allegations [ cannot
permit to pass without special notice. They
refer 70 only two incidents which lIr. TIlton
| pretends to have witnessed personally. The
one an alleged scene in my house while look
ing over engravings, and the Other chamber
| scene IN his own house. The statements con.
cerning these are absolutely false. Nothing
| OF the kind ever occurred, nor any semblance
| OF any such thing. They are now brought to
my notice Ter the first time. To every state
ment which connects me dishonorably with
MRS. luton, Or which in any way Would M
pugn the honor and purity, OF this peiovea
Christian woman, | give the most explicit,
comprehensive and solemn denial.
| (SIGNED,) HENRY WARD BEEcHER.