The interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1872-1881, 1874-08-28
HoWiton's Original sfafemswf.

AOultons original statement hr heen given to The
pres, but owing TO It's great length are only slc
to si'e brief estract. frUm H. The statement IL Pre-
farcd with the following card
had been friend of Nj Tilton since my boy
hool, aud fpr Mr. Becher had always entertained
the warmest admiration. In ls70 learned for the
first time that Mr. Beccher had given Mr.. Tilton 81
grave u ofTen-e that II the truth .boold be
made public great national calamity would en,ue.
believed that the scandal would tend 10 undernse
the very foundations II social order to lay low be-
niheent power for doing god in our country, and
blast the prospects and blight the fsmily Of one Of
the most brilliant and promising Of the rising men Of
the generation. Thus disastrous deemed Il, and
still regard It, and determined 10 ,ry aud avoid IL
Foo nearly four years have sborei most a~lduou-ly
10 ave both Of these from the consequences Of
their aris, whether Of unwisiom or psssion---aet-
which have already seriously involved them in q
nes-iss and disastrous quarrel, which 10 made the
prcteNt Of pouring out on the community food oi
impuriy and sandal deeply affecting their fam
lilies. and threatening like whirlpool II not stiled,
10 draw into the vortex the peace o mind and good
rcpute Of hc-t ofothers More than all saw that,
because vi the tpn-sresslons Of another, innocent
ehildrcn would he burdened with load d oblrluy
which woull weigh most heavily and cruelty on
theii young hearts.
All these considerations determined me 10 take on
active part 10 the transactions which have since be-
come - notorious. This decision involved NE 10
great xiety and labof for which the hope Of sav-
ing these interests could he my only compensation.
Even that reward had nov failed me, and instead Vi
IL an attempt Is made to throw on me part Of the
shame and disgrace which belongs to the actsrs alone
one Of them, whom have sealously enaeavored to
ave has ct, with all the power Of his vast iahu-
ence, and matches art as q writer, to visit me
the penalties of his own wrong-dongs, at the same
time publicly appealing 10 me to make known the
truth, as II 1t would jusufy his attack feel
that the failure Of my efertions has not been owing
to any fault Of mine worked faithfully and sin
cerey, under the the almost daily sdviee and diree-
lion OF Mr. Bee,her with his fullest APPRECIATION ON
dencc and bcaning gratitude, until a. think, In
evil hour ior him, he took other advice. have failed
and, strangely enough, he 10 desire TO punish
for the sad consequences oil the folly in,inesrty
and wiekcdnc~ Of his present oounsellors.
Mr., E-echer, in his statement, testihe- that he
brought this invest cation without my knowledse
advice Even when mourning what seemed 10 me
the utter unwi-iom Of this proceeding, have done
all coult honorahly To avert the catastrophe, and
have kept silent although saw with -orrow thai,
this silence was deeply injuring the friend oi my
boyhood. Prompted by sense Of duty, not TO one
only, bot To all the parties involved, denied the
aud Mr.. Tton to produce the evidence In my pos
-eson partly because felt that the injury thereby
done 10 Nr nlton was far less oalaniiou. than the
destruction which must come on all the interests
had for years tried 10 conserve, and especially On
Mr.. Bcecher himself, II ! should comply with this
request but stated clearly that in one emergency
should speak, namely In defense Of my own integrity
oi action, II II should be wantonly as~alled left
Mr. Be-'cher untrammeled by the facts In my hands,
todeiend myself, without the necessity Of attacking
me BY the published accusations Of Mr. Bcechr.
affecting my character, my own sef-respet, the sd-
vice Of my friends and public, therefore, the state
meni had prepared TO lay before the cOmmitt.e,
without the alteration or addition Of a -nt-nce, oT
scarcely a word-ccrtainly without the change Of a
single y liable since read Mr.. Beechers statement
aud the evidence, OF because of 1t.
This paper withheld from the Committee when
before H. In last desparing effort for peace at the
earnest solicitation Of some OF Mr. Bee,hers friends
and with the approval also, Of some OF the most val
ned Of my own. do no, nov give II 10 III. Commit
tee hut To the public. be,ause Its production con-
my self rather than the principals In the strife
II Is made for my protection against public c.
cusatons and no, to aid the parties to the oontov
sy. For the needless and cruel necessity that now
- inperatively cOmpels its production, have the
most profound grief for which there Is but a single
alienation namely that the disclosure o the facts
at this time scarcely work more harm 10 him
whom | AZ first tried 10 befriend by Withholding
them from the public, than they would have caused
him in January 1874, when, but for my interference
the public most assuredly would have be-n pat in
Possession Of the whole truth This publication, 10
which Mr. becher forces me- renders fruitle>s years
Of constant and sincere Efforts TO save him II l-ayes
him and Mr.. Tton in almost the same position in
which found them, excepting In - lar as their owa
diSngenuous unthruthiulnes In their solemn state
ments, nay lower them In the estimation Of the
World | reserve TO my self the right hereafter, to
review the statements Of Mr. Beecher in contrast with
the iacts a. shown by the documents herewith sub
ioine.l, and other which have At my hand the
production Of which did no, seem necessary, until
some PARTON nj the published evidence OF Mr
ise,her demand eoRtrsdietion.
FRANCE II hovLIoN.