Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1874-07-31
BEECHER,s STATEMENT.


Plymouth Church., with Mr.. Shearman,
Mr. Ross and Gen. Tracy, met at MIR.
Beecher's residence and, after a council
lasting about three hours, drew up the
following statement of Mr. Beecherts for
publication: =
| do not propose at this time "a de
tailed examination of the remarkable
statement of Theodore Tilton,- made be-
fore the Committee of Investigation, and
which appeared in print July 81, 1874. |
recognize the many reasons which make
1t of transcendent Importance to myself,
the church, and the cause of public mo-
rality that | shall give full answer
to- the charges against me. But,
having requested the Committee of In
vestigation to search this matter to the
bottom, it is to them that | must look
for my vindication. But [ cannot delay
for an hour to defend the reputation of
Mrs Elizabeth r. Tilt0n, upon whose
name, in connection with mine, her hus-
band has attempted to pour shame.
One less deserving of such disgrace |
never knew. From childhood she has
been under my eye, and since reaching
womanhood she has had my sincere adj
miration and affection. | cherish for her
pure feeling, such as gentleman
might honorably offer to Christian
woman, and which she might receive and
reciprocate without moral scruple. | re-
ject with indignation every imputation
which reflects upon her honor or my
own. My regard for Mrs. Tilton was
perfectly well known to my family.
When serious difficulties sprang up
in her household it was to my wife
that she resorted for counsel, and both of
us, acting from sympathy, and, as it sub
sequently appeared, without full knowl-
edge, gave unadvised counsel which
tended to harm.
/ have no doubt that Mr.. Tilton found
that his wife's confidence ana reliance
upon my judgment had greatly increased,
while his influence had diminished, in
consequence of a marked change i'll his
religious and social views, which was
taking place during those years. Her
mind was greatly exercised lest her
children should be harmed by
views which she declared virtually
false. and dangerous. [ was suddenly
and rudely aroused to the reality of i'm
pending danger by a disclosure of do
mestic distress; of sickness, perhaps unto
death; of the likelihood of a separation
and scattering of a family, every
member of which [ had tenderly
loved. The effect on me of the discovery
of the state of Mr. Tilton's feeling and
the condition of his family surpassed in
sorrow and excitement anything that |
had ever experienced in my life. That
my presence, influence and counsel had
brought to a beloved family sorrow and
alienation gave, in my then state of mind,
a poignancy to my suffering which hope
no other man may ever feel. Even to be
suspected Of having offered, under the
privileges of peculiarly sacred relation,
an indecorum to a wife and mother,
could not but deeply wound any one who
is sensitive to the honor of WomanhoOd.
There were peculiar reasons for alarm in
this case on other grounds, Inasmuch as
[ was then subject to certain malignant
rumors, and fragrant outbreak in this
family would bring upon them an added
injury, derived from these shameless
falsehoods. Believing at the time that
my presence and counsels had tended,
however uncOnsciously, to produce So
cial catastrophe, represented as immi-
nent, gave expression to my feelings in
an interview with mutual friend, not
in cold and cautious self-defending
words, but eagerly taking blame upon
myself, and pouring out my heart to my
friend in the strongest language, over
burdened with the exaggerations of i'm
passioned sorrow. Had l been the evil
man Mr.. Tilton now represents, should
have been calmer and more prudent. 1t
was my horror of this evil imputed, that
filled me with morbid intensity at the
very shadow of it. Not only was my
friend affected, but he assured me
that such expressions, if conveyed
to Mr.. Tilton, would soothe his
wounded feelings, allay anger, and
heal the whole trouble. He took down
sentences and fragments of what | had
been saying, to use them as mediator.
A full statement of the circumstances
under which this memorandum was made
| shall give to the Investigating Com
mittee That these apologies were more
than ample to meet the facts of the case
is evident in that they were accepted; (;
that our intercourse resumed its friend
illness; that Mr.. Tilton subsequently rati
fed it in writing, and that he has con-
tinued for four years, and until within
two weeks, to live with his wife.
Is it conceivable that if the original
charge had been what is now alleged he
would have condoned the offense. not
only with the mother of his children, but
with him whom he believed to
have wronged them? The absurdity
as well as the falsity of this
story is apparent when it is con-
sidered that Mr.. Tilton now alleges that
he carried this guilty secret of his wite's
infidelity for six months locked up In his
own breast, and that then he divulged 1t
to me only that there might be recon
ciliation with me. Mr.. Tilton has since,
in every form of language, and to null
titude of witnesses, orally, in written
statements, and in printed documents,
declared his faith in his wife's purity.
After the reconciliation of Mr.. Illton
with me every consideration OF proprlety
and honor demanded that the family
trouble should be kept in that secluslon
which domestic affairs have right to
claim as sanctuary, and to that seclu-
sion it was determined that it should be
confined. Every line and word of my
private and confidential letters which
have been published is in harmony with
the statements which / now make.
NV published correspondence on this
subject comprises but two elements,
viz: the expression of my grief and that
of nv desire to shield the honor of a
pure and innocent woman.
90 not propose 10 dHdly 10 anu CoutCoe
at this time the extraordinary paper of
Mr.. Tilton; but there are two allegations
which I cannot permit to pass without
special notice. They refer to the only
two incidents which Mr.. Tilton pretends
to have witnessed personally, the
one an alleged scene in my house
while looking over engravingss, ana
the other a chamber scene In his
oxun bouoa Hic statements concerning
these are absolutely false. Nothing of