The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1875-04-28

dissension and the remorse. The
theory of his lawyers, deliberately
formulated in General Tracy's OPEN
ing, was that of conspiracy against
him for the purpose of blackmai MIR.
Beecher, in turn, had given a tacit ac-
auiescence in both these theories be-
fore the Church Committee and in the
earlier conduct oe the trial. But, in
his own sworn evidence in the trial,
he has chung to one point, never be-
fore made distinctly, and in spite of
every effort to the contrary, he has
caused all other circumstances, all
other utterances, all other testimony,
to hinge and turn upon it. 1t is the
only theory advanced that can COM
mand any respect as an explanation
of his letters. and his general policy
with reference to the scandal UP to
the time of the final explosion in the
Bacon letter tits equally we'll adapt
ed to the lawyers charge of conspira-
cy, and to Mr.. Beecher's present dec
laration that he did not believe he
was under going deliberate blackmail.
1t is the only theory that renders pos.
sible misconception on the part of
l.
of what the;: took to be confessions of
adultery. 1t is the only hypothesis
consistent with his assertion that the
charge of adultery failed to make any
impression upon him. There is moth
ing else which could sustain Beecher's
honor, remorse and intelligence.
Nothing else, in the assumption of
his innocence, could excuse the folly
of an innocent man and an intelligent
man committing himself to so many
evidences of guilt and remorse. None
other could preserve the chivalry of
the man and the honor of the clergy
man at one and the same time. This
alone is consistent with the great mag
nanimity involved in Beecher 5 pres
ent professions of kindly feeling to-
ward Mr. and Mrs. Moulton.
This central, pivotal explanation
from which Mr.. Beecher has never
departed, and from which Mr.. Fuller
ton has been unable to drive him, is
that Mrs Tilton had transferred to
him the affections which she ought to
have saved sacred to her husband
alone, and that he (Beecher) became
conscious of it and did nothing to pre-
vent it. Here Mr. Beecher rests, and
here he has been as strong and tena-
cious as only man Of his colossal in
tellect could be.
If Mr.. Beecher is guilty, how
shrewdly has he counted upon the
sympathies Of mankind, and how mar
velously be has analysed the processes
of human judgment, in adopting this
line of defense. He has penetrated
the depths Of human nature further
than all his lawyers. He has opened
up opportunities for the imagination,
the sympathies and the reasoning
powers of his jury that no other posi-
ton could have offorded. lie has ad-
hered to it with persistency that has
already carried conviction OF his in
nOcence to the hearts of many people
who were in doubt. He has confessed
his inability to explain certain things,
and has acknowledged himself power
less to recall impressions that, on any
been absurd to admit the possibility
of having been ignored or forgotten.
He has been committed to lapses of
intellect, would have been Incredible
What may not true, righteous and
honorable man, occupying. the first
pulpit in America, have done when
he had revelation that a woman
whom he respected, and the wife of
his most intimate companion and
friend, had conceived an unholy love
for him, and which he had not OPP
pressed? This is the speculation
which Mr.. Beecher has left to the
jury and to the public, and it is fruit
e.
be worked out to his advantage. 1t
nonsense, matter of. fact man in the
ordinary relations of lie would have
done. There are two reasons why
such an answer will fail to break
down the strength of Mr. Beccher's
position--first, because he was not
matter Of fact man in the ordinary re-
Iations of life; and, secondly, because
common sense judgments are the ex-
ception and not the rule Mr. Beech
er has created his impression, and ii
remains to be seen whether the subse-
quent developments of the trial shall
be able to remove it.
What magnificent adroitness, cool
ness, circumspection, and deliberation
there have been in Beecher's conduct
on the stand, with all his excitement,
eloquence. and figure of-speech. Full
lerton, as the cross-examiner, was not
more incisive, analytic, and cold
blooded than was Beecher under his
knife. These was all the fortitudc
and imperturbability which Socrates
exhibited ia describing the expert
ences of approaching dissolution.
There was all the alertness of French
.c% & ,Cf
skillful antagonist. There was all the
Of the expert and devoted chess play
Ows of great melodramatic actor,
from grave to gay, from lively to Sc
we're" 1t was death-struggle In
which all the advantages were against
Beecher, and he fought for his life
with the desperation of madman,
but with the deliberation of philoso-
the power and resources of his intel
lect, as developed in his cross-exam-
ination, will cause future generations
to. say: There were mighty men in
those days"
One who is experienced in 1nterpre-
ting the ways of God to man consoles
us for the loss of the fruit crop by the
unprecedented cold snap, with the
assurance that "a partial evil is
universal good" and that what the
people think to be calamity is
blessing in disguise. 1t will be found,
we are told, that this cold weather so
late in the spring was sent to kill off
the grasshoppers in Kansas and the
Colorado bugs throughoutt the country,
and to rid us of other vermin This
cheerful view of the matter should