The Republican journal., 1874-07-30
The Great SGaudal,

We give in another place the remain
der OF the testimony in the great Plymouth
Church scandal, so far as it has trans
pred. We have, up to this time, the
testimony of the three principal actors in
this particularly unhappy drama = Mr..
Tilton, Mr. Beecher and Mrs. Tilton.
Quite as important as any OF these-pcr-
haps more so than all--will be the story
Of Mr.. Moulton, when he shall speak, if
speak he shall He was the recipient of Sc
crets from either side. the confidential
friend who acted in the interest of all CON
cerned, the mutual peacemaker in the en-
deavor to suppress the scandal lie is
probably the only disinterested party who
knows the facts Of the case in all their
length and breadth.
So far as the story has been developed,
we think the public verdict must be that
Mr. Beecher has not made ont defence.
Tilton's statement and charges were
square and direct, that Beecher had, while
acting as pastor and spiritual adviser Of
Mrs. Tilton, made her the victim of his
lust This is corroborated and sustained
by facts, incidents, dates, and by letters
from Bepcher, which, if they do not ac-
knowledge the offences charged, certainly
admit that he committed an offence of no
small magnitude The pastor is u calm,
self-contained man, a keen observer. 4
close reasoncr, and one trained 10 the &C
curate use of language. What, then, are
we to infer from the letter il which he
"humbles himself before him, as before
his God, ending with the frantic wish
that he We're dead? And again what does
this mean. from another OF beocher'S
letters
Nothing can possibly be so bad as he power
of great darkness in which spend much OF my
time. | look upon death As sweeter far than
any friend have in the world. Life would be
pleasant if ! could see that rebuilt winch i
shattered. But to live on the sharp Snd ragged
edge Of anxiety, remorse, fear, despair, ana yet
to PIT on an appearance OF serenity and happt-
ness, cannot be endured much longer.
The response of Mr.. Beechcr to this is
that he gave unwlse counsel 10 Mrs. III
ton, in the difficulties with her husband,
and upon discovering his unwis'iom he
was thrown into this state of rrmOrse and
despair Why, at the utmost, from his
own statement, Mr. Bcechcr was guilty
only of an error of Judgment, such as men
often make without specially blaming
| themselves OF being held worthy of blame
His language of self-accnSation and re-
morse does not fit his statement OF the
case at all-whle it exactly belongs to
the serious offence which Tilton charges
Again, all the surroundings Of the case
are consistent with the story OF Tilton
Here is 4 preacher of eloquencr, pervaded
by that subtle magnetism OF the orator
which takes captive alike the reason Of
men and the SenSuors nature OF women.
He il, as such men always are, Of strong
physical nature and animal procliyities--
but tettercd and controlled by cautions
reason Here is 4 woman who has for
years sal beneath the charm Of his cap-
tiyatng eloqucnce hanging upon his lips
and drinking in his thoughts When her
husband followed after strange women, 10
the preacher she Went for consolation
The situation had its danger 1t always
is dangerous when a woman in search Of
sympathy and relief. goes privately TO
epel, it from 4 man thar she has admired,
and has felt that the feeling was in 4 de
gree reciprocated. Pity is akin TO love,
and love under the circumstances is akin
to something which bears a rough name
When the Widow Wadman got Capt
Shandv 10 look in her eve for the mote,
lr ~an therein s'""l 'e9l nesidee the
annoying particle
We cannot say What is yet TO come, in
the way of cvidence-hut from what is
knownthc case looks very darl, for Beechcr