Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1874-09-02
1Eatchman & journal.
Plymouth Church Report.


II. w Beecher, have both been made and
scquit him Of all the guilt charged upon him.
The investigating committee show conclu.
siyely, as we think, that the original otfense
confessed by Mrs. Titon aud charged upon
Beccher by Tiltou was not criminal inter-
course but improper solicitation. This con-
fession was destroyed and its retraciion by
Mrs. Titon, six months after it was forced
from her, relates only to q criminal propo-
sition and not 10 any criminal act. II is
reasonable to suppose that the retraction Of
the charge by Mrs. Tilton correctly speci-
fes the ofienses which she at first confessed.
Mr. Mouton is brought upon the scene
at the time Of this retraction, which was
given to Beecher by Mrs. Tilton, and
wrested from Beecher by Moulton by means
Of outrageous intimidation, in which pis-
tol was exhibited. Immediately after this,
when Moulton has got the confession and
the retraction Of Mrs. Tilton in his hands,
the confession is destroyed and the recanta.
tion Of it is preserved. Thereupon the
Mutual Friend" begins gradually to
change the character Of the ofIense until it
grows into adultery. lie is all the while,
under simulated friendship aud promises of
protection against scandal weaving net Of
complicated falsehoods about Beecher, max
ing him write letters Of contrition for one
oiIense aud referring them in his memo
randa to another and graver cffense F; excit-
ing conscience already morbid and tremu-
lous to eztravagant solf-condemuatons for
comparatively triaing wrong, and using
these outpourings of sensitive spirit as the
which his own statement reveals most
clearly, involves Mr.. Beecher in q net
work of falsehood and scandal and shame
from which the only deliverance seems to
be death. He fairly bound him on the grid
iron, as St. Lawrence was bound, aud has
been roasting him over slow FIRE for these
last four years.
The very fact that the allegation against
Beechor grew, under Moultou's assured
friendship, from impure solicitation to
actual adultery, throws absolute discredit
on the original charge. Ifsimulated friend
ship was capable of charging the offensc so
enormously, it must have created the Of
Tense in the first place. We are inclined to
believe Mrs Titon's statement that the
original confession was dictated by her in
iuriated husband, and that her retraction
was perfectly honest. All the facts in the
case are only applicable on this theory. We
think the committee correct, also, in stating
that the charges have been growing all the
time under the manipulation Of Moulton
What can we think Of an offense which
since it first saw the light, has grown from
M improper thought or an impure word to
monstrous and disastrous act 1t clearly
must have been manufactured by the devil
ish cunning of treacberous friendship in
the first place.
1t is popularity about this whole thing
nat the allegations Of wrong, aud not the
wrong itself, have been increasing in vol
ume and force day by day. Neither Mr..
Tilton nor Mr. Moulton come out like hon.
est men, whose sense Of justice aud right
have been shocked by the aagitiously i'm.
moral conduct of their friend and pastor
who has made use Of his Office to do vile
wrong to his friend, and who is known by
them to be, as they state, guilty of coustan
and abominable impurity, and bear thei
testimony at once against him. 1t seems
if we are to believe them, that Mr.. Beeche
was in the habit Of the grossest unchastity
all of which he confessed when it occurred
to Mr. Moulton and that be advised an
counselled Beecher, as constantly as his oil
lenses we're committed, how to escape tbei
consequences and hide them from publ
notice. Moulton admits he has been tn
o)nfdant OF Beechcr's incredible rascaite
for four years, and yet be has sustained
aided and helped him taken notes to tn
papers denying them; privately declarin
them malicious scandals, and doing all /
his power to give public and universe
credit to q minister whom he all the tim,
says he knew to be practicing the base,
vices Of human nature. What credit Gu
be given to man who, according to hi
own statement, has been a con6dant an
concealer of such foul offenses on the PAL
Of bis own pastor? BY the side of Mou
tons statement, Beecher's seems to have tn
simplicity and purity and cleanness of al
solute truth.
And we are Informed by tho papers ever
day that Moulton is Engaged 10 preparin
new and crushing statement; that he
going to publish documents concerniD
Beechers crimes that cannot be resisted
Well why did he not give them before
Is it justice, or love of truth and purt
and Christianity, that makes Moulton 1
long in pulling of the mask from the fac
Of clerical impiety and vice a? How lon
must the suffering honor Of the communit,
Of the Church, wait his leisurey hand i
unwilling the deformity of one of its chez
ished preachers? Has not the offense y,
been committed that he is going to expose
Has be not yet learned what it is. that he
50 slow in declaring what he says he know
TO be true2 Does he need to manufactul
new crimes, or new proof Of old crimes
Is the case never going to be closed ?
the indictment never goingt be completed
How long does it take an honest man. who's
sense Of honor and virtue has been out
ragged by his fellow man, to tell his story
How long does it take husband, who's
wife has been grossly insutcd, to publish an
brand the insult9 How long does it tax
bis next friend to make up his mind to tie
the whole truth and expose such yioatio
Of trust and righteousness Pshawi mi