, 1875-04-10
MI, DEEcHER'5 TESTIMONY,

Nh. DEEoHERs TESTIMONY.
We have purpose1y rcfrained from any
comment on Mr.. DEEcuEn's testimony until it
should be completed. Wo may now regard 1t
rs practically. finished; he has told the entire
story. Tho direct examination hos boen so
exhaustive on tho subject Of the letters in the
case TINT little is left to the cross-c1aminer
except o comparison between the present evi-
tlonce and thnt given before the Church Com
cvents OF associations in h1r. DEEouzR's life
which lie failed to bring out in his preliminary
autobiograrhical sketch during tho first doy
| Of his testimony. We have now Mr..
DEEcngns final and sworn statement Of
tho case. It may bo briefly summed
up in u general, sweeping, emphatic, elo-
qnent, magnificent denial Of the charge Of
ntultery, aud also Of the chargo Of improper
advances alleged TO hayo been T1L7oN's first
lis testimony. It has contained no conccs-
5ions, compromises, or reservations. 1Io
says thnt T11Tos, AouLToS, and Mira. Mou1-
TON have lied and psrjuret1 their souls, nnd
lo snys it with such fervor, direotness, and
grandeur that llo has carried grent psupor-
ton Of lis listeners throughout tho land
along with him, body and soul. His own
greatness l,as clothed his aeninl with m NIL
thority TINT would not ba conceded under lilo
circumstances to any other ,nnn living on tho
American Continent. Tho case stanils thus
to-tlay: Three persons, each lawfully on
titled to cq,al orelibility with Mr.. DEEo1In
except o. their evidence may be iinpeecl,oI,
have sworn circumstantially that Mr..
BrEcHEn confessed to them hin adultery with
Mrs. T1LToA l1r. DGEouEH places hia word
against theirs, denies circumstantinlly TINT he
made such CONFESSIONS and tho minority Of
tho people, without any other reason than hia
word, ere ready and eager to believe him.
No other combination Of circumstances
could SO titly illustrate BEEcuHH's tremendous
power. Thia power finds collateral support
also in the earnest desire Of every respectable
| man md woman to believe In his
innocence. An admission or demonstra4
tion Of his guilt would be a moral
! earthquake. It would shatter some of tho
| frmest foundation-6tones Of our social md
moral civilization. Men would have less coll
llcnce in their wives, md wivos loss col,-
| Gdonce in their husbands. Religion would
receive blight, md tho socia1 influence Of
tho clergy for good would be impaired.
EErcnEa'B crime-baso, treacherous, md in
| famous as 1t would ba-would still bo tri1ing
in comparison to the corruption Of tho young,
tho destruction OF human faith, md the
decentralization OF society, Hence our in.
clina.lons aud our interests conspiro to In,
tluco ready acquiescence in Mr. DrEcuEn's
oloqucuco; and, If tho case wero today
brought to sudden torE-inntiou, the great
minority OF tho best people In this country
would havo the comforting assurance In thor
own minds that Mr.. BEEcuEs Is m innocent
man.
Unfortunately for tho comfort Of the com.
munity, and thrcateningly for the causo ol
| GOOD morals, the case may not end here, alll
Mr.. DEEoNEa'a eloluenco may not hold its
power. Wo do not mean 10 intimate that le
will not bo able to sustnin himself, bui
simply that subsequent proceedings ma,
brea]: down his testimony, and tllat mature
reflection may suggest doubts that tile mos
magnificent donials cannot Of themselves re-
move. Mr. DEAcuEn'a testimony stand
alone,-n tnct we mist not In Justice forget
rhorc Ias, rs yet, been no evidence to 'sus
tain the charge Of a conspiracy. The theor,
OF blackmail Aas been abandoned. sincs MI
DEEcnEn tcsti1cs TINT tho contribution
to tho Golden 4ige, through III
3loul1os, were voluntary ..on his part
Tho case does not stand, therefore, as lh
Now York Tribune recently stated It, as III