The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-02-23
THE THE DRY OF TIE DEFENSE.

THE THE DRY OF TIE DEFENSE.
TILToN's "INsANE JEALOUSY" AT THE BOT.
TOM OF THE DIFFICULTY.
brooklyn Letter to Chicago Tribunol
One of Beecher's friends-nay, bis
principal agent in dealing with the pub
lic-has issued what the French would
call an official explanation of the case.
1t is taken from the Plymouth brief, and
is virtually an epitome Of the defense. |
am not responsible even for its phraseolo-
gy, but l guarantee it to be the author
lied synopsis of what Beecher will swear
to, and what Evarts will elaborate. The
defense will be an entire denial of any
wrong against Tilton, but not of an Of
fensc, which Tilton could we'll afford to
condone, in 1870, and which the world
will willingly and gladly pardon now. If
Mrs. T;lton is to be credited, her mar
riage experience and her husbands is that
Of thousands of families in this country.
Theodore Tilton is naturally vain ard
egotistical beyond most men. He mar.
ried young a woman who was then quite
his equal. He grew rapidly and in eve
ry way. At thirty he was the friend and
companion of men Of worldwide distinc-
ton. His name had been identified with
a great moral and political revolution.
He was fine writer, graceful and elo.
quent speaker, and man of exceptional
ly good presence He was pointed at in
the streets as remarkable man. He
was fattered, sought, and sued in his Of
fee, on the platform, and in the lyceum,
by men who were honored by his com.
panionship, and by graceful women who
were proud of mis- attentions His wife
lost her youthful charms, for she bore
him many children before tbe flower OF
his life had blossomed. "He used to say
says Mrs. Tilton, "that our appearance
in the street together caused ridicule be.
cause he was much taller than l. On
one occasion, when 1 joined him on the
street, he angrily said that he would give
thousand dollars if came up to him .
On another occasion, ,at party, he charg.
ed me not to come where he was again
during the evening" He was not per-
haps entirely conscious of the wrong he
did her, but he did it all the sane.
His business as lecturer took him
away from home. A greater man than
he had access to that home during his
absence. lie found companIonship in a
little lady who felt herself neglected by
her husband. She was the envy of other
women because of the great preachers
manifest preference for her. He read
manuscripts of his articles and books to
her, admitted her excellent taste, consul
ted her judgment, and-most delicate
and seductive hattery of all-sometimes
accepted it, and the glory was greater
because the world did not recognize in it
the paragraph that was turned as she ad.
vised it to be or the literary character,
that was fashioned or shaded as she had
recommended. To the preacher and au.
thor this companionship was very CRATE
full.
The husband came to see this. He
was too proud or too weak too resent it,
as he could so easily. outside his home.
The pastor saw that he was encroaching
on the rights of others, but he readily
convinced himself that he was ipiuriay
nobody. He was made to see, at times,
that he did give offense, but he was not
conscious Of any great wrong. The es.
arrangement between the husband and
wife deepeped and widened. Finally it
came to be whispered about that Tilton
had formed alliances with other women.
The wife blamed him, but was the blame
all his 4? The beloved pastor did not say
that it was hers. Reports grew louder
of the husbands in6delity He was the
avowed associate and companion of wo-
men that even "men of the world" avoid.
ed as being too notorious, or as holding
their favors too cheaply. The husband
goes step further, and defends the the
orics of women who seek to defend them
selves and drag others down to their lev
ell by endeavoring to show that women
may become prostitutes upon principle.
Still the pastor holds that the trouble is
from without ami not from within. His
sympathies all 60 out to the woman whose
home he is half-concsiously breaking up
his censure to the man whose ruin he is
unthiukingly accomplishing. The pas
tor goes as far as TO advise a separation
Another mans wife loves him. He
knows it, but the knowledge is sweet to
him, The husband knows it, but he is
too proud or too weak to resent it.
All at once the wife's consciousness is
awakened All at once the husband as.
serts himself; the pastor, the friend, the
counselor, the father, is confronted with
the ruin he has brought about. His re-
pentance is exuberant in its expression his
rcmorse as absolute as il the worst
offense had been committed. Lives
are blighted, home is shattered. Til.
ton, with an essentially weak nature, fol-
lows up his advantage; he argues him.
self into the belief that he has suffered
extreme wrong through his wife aud his
friend he goads the one into the admis.
sion that she was at least tempted and 50.
licited. He argues himself into the be
lief that the other had not solicited and
tempted in vain, because they both were
too close in confidence. He insists that
they both were guilty of sin they never
imagined. Beecher having told his story
with certain frank, boyish shame. first
because he blundered into Mrs. Tilton's
affections. and, second, because he blum.
dered ont of the entanolemant in a man
ner derogatory to his selfrespect, will
leave the stand as one who, in telling the
whole truth, has not only abstained from
sparing himself, but as well has charged
nothing worse than insane jealousy to his
prosecutors.
Having showered his Goals of fire, he
will retire with an empty scuttIe, and al.
low his counsel to supplement what was
generous and forbsaring confession OF