Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1875-02-25
Opening Speech 70: the Defense by GeR-
eral Tracey In the Scandal Case
OF TiltOn against Beeeher.
Sketch Of the Life OF the Great Preacher
His Missionary Effort at the
West and his Services In
the City Of Churches.
Mrs. TlltOn a White-SouIed DeVOtee
Worthy OF Cancellation, a Ply
mouth Saint with an
Abelard.

numss, OF those present being lawyen
gathered TO hear the opening address 10
the defense In the great scandal trial
The principals to the suit were early il
their seats. General Tracey, of eounse
for the defendant, arrived q quarter OF al
hour after the formal opening of thu
court. When few preliminaries haC
been arranged he arose and said the time
had now arrived for the defense to open
their case. There were great interests
involved in this trial; they could not be
over-estimated, as they involved the
religious and moral interests of society,
Either this defendant was to go forth
vindicated from this courtroom or with
stain upon his life and character. Ny
client takes his stand here alone, but
is supported by his God and the justice
Of his cause. Defendant early devoted
himself to the ministry OF God. 1t was
no bed Of roses. He struck out for the
wild west and rung bells in the forest
glades, assisted by his dear wife, who
accompanied him. He is now the same
true, simple, unaffected man as
he was then in his western
home. There was no pain or
human sorrow but had found in him
reliever. Among his great congrega-
ton he had ministered for over twenty
years untiringly. He has been the
indefatigable teacher Of the people for
all these years. 1t was because his
| preaching was known by those who
knew the man, that he has been girded
around in this trial by so many warm
hearts. When danger threatened from
| abroad he was the first to lead the
masses in defense of the Union. His
| courage in that struggle won the admi-
ration Of the whole world and the
earnest gratitude of his own people.
One of the most striking characteristics
Of the man was his profound and earnest
interest in young men. This prosecu-
ton was reward received for love and
devotion he had lsvished upon young
man. The speaker then went on TO re-
late the history Of Theodore Tilton, who,
he said, began life upon a staff OF a
newspaper as reporter. He embraced
the widest views and believed the
world would follow in the way which
he led, He became a Deist, denounced
marriage as fraud and as hindrance
to the advancement Of the world. The
leader OF men must know how
to protect and preserve, but Til
ton knew only how to destroy.
Tilton fell from the highest eminence to
which man an attain to the bottom of
the abyss. In the blind impotence of
his rage, he determined to vent his an
ger upon Henry Ward Beecher-that
he was the cause OF his destruction. Mr..
BeecheT was friend both of Theodore
Tilton and his wife. Friend, wife and
children had to be trampled down to
secure that vindication for which he
had bartered his whole soul. Mr..
Beecher moved to this city from In
dianapolis in 1S47, and was already a
mstured man Of assured fame when
Tilton was enrolled among the men
OF Plymouth church. He had nothing
to gain from young Tilton,
and the latter had everything to gain
from the countenance which he afforded
him. Beecher's friendship for Tilton
was increased by the marriage OF late of
young girl in his church, in whom the
pastor had taken an interest. Tilton
became an editorial writer on the Ipde-
pendent, and was brought into still
closer relations with his pastor, who was
frequent contributor TO that journal.
Even at that time Tilton became to feel
jealous. Beecher leaving his country
residence, at which his family remained,
during certain seasons of the year, he,
as was well known, was frequently in
the habit Of taking his meals in Brook
lyn at the houses of his Pensioners, as
early as 1861 or 1852 Tilton frequently
urged Beecher to visit his home in this
manner, urging the regard which was
entertained for him by his wife
Beecher at length complied to
some extent to these solicitations.
Mrs. Tilton, who was the real defendant
in this case, was a woman of small stat
ure, child-like nature, and Of a NOR bid
religious enthusiasm. Tilton had said
that IL she had lived in the early times
of the Catholic church, her name would
have been surrounded by halo. She
was entirely devoted to her husband;
looked up to him in everything, and
consulted bis every wish. She watched
with pride his progress; but was doomed
to the sorrow OF seeing him blinded by
egotism, and losing his hold upon what
she believed to be the foundations of re-
ligion. She tried, with tears and prayers,
to turn her husband to the right, and
she looked TO her trusted pastor to aid
her in this labor. II Tilton had but fol-
lowed the advice in the beautiful letter
which Beecher wrote to him in 1867, he
would now have q happy home. Yet
we are asked to believe that at the very
time when this wife was trying to save
the virtue of herb usband she committed
the very sin against which che was warn
ing him. In 1862, General Tracey con-
tinued, Beecher sailed for Europe, leav-
ing Tilton in sole charge of the hide
pendent. In the absence Of his former
guide, Tilton's Jealousy of him was in
creased, but he still maintained the out
ward form OF friendship. In 1865, on
the night of November Both, he wrote
Beecher letter in which he spoke of
his long affection for Beecher, of their
intimacy, and OF the obligations which
he owed to him. He begged Beecher,
in this letter, to forgive him for
any word or deed Of his which had
given oSense, and also spoke in it OF his
religious depression. In this year, 1865,
Theodore 1ilton became managing ed
itor of the Independent, and in
his egotism took every method
of showing his independence Of Beech
er, whose equal or superior, he now con-
sidered himself to be, he took advantage
of political differences to make such
violent attacks on Beecher in the hlde-
pendent that the latter wa5 obliged to
dissolve all connection with that jour-
nal, The preteXt for these attacks was
Beecher's Cleveland letter, which had
been read in evidence, advocating q
BOAASS bOW0AN NAAC SOhNhg q
letter which read now, nine years after
ward, showed Beeeher to be no less
eminent as q statesman than a pastor,
in his views Of extreme men; and Tilton
at that time, as he has testified, found
himself with a majority Of his party.
Tilton In his editorial chair was sur
rounded ly extremists Of every sort, who
found in him mind disposed to take
the most radical view of every subject.
An alarming change took place in
his religious sentiments, as appears
from his own testimony and from his
letters, and from that Of Mrs. Bradshaw.
This change was the cause OF great sor-
row to his wife. General Tracey, to IL
lustrate this, resd extracts from Tilton's
letters already in evidence, and from
Tilton's testimony before the church
committee. Tilton had testified that
his change Of opinion in regard to the
divinity OF the Savior had caused his
wife greater sorrow than any event of
her life, except this scandal. in this
extremity Mrs. Tilton appealed to her
pastor, and the latter talked with her