The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-05-07

Henry Ward Beecher II am intellectual
giant. Ills brain l. larger. greater. more
vigorous. courageous, and tireless than the
combined brains of dozen men of ordi-
nary ability. Never Was man subjected
To such mental torture as that applied 10
Beecher during his crosse xamination
The rack. the thumbscrew. the wheel, and
all the other ingenious methods OF torture
invented by the inquisition. fail 10 furnish
AN adequate comparison for the mental
agony which Be. cher must haye suffered.
4 he theory OF his innocence does not affect
this statement. IL innocent, lac was still
involved i'm 80 intricate and damaging n
combination of circumstances that less
courageous man would have given up the
struggle. Ii was not the agony of the
heart that made up the heaviest load. IL
was the terrific onslaught upon the intel
lect which few Other men could have met
and resisted. He was attacked from all
sides. His own utterances were used a
the most effective weapons against him.
He was confronted By the most formida-
BILE army of legal ability. led by general
who WAS constantly aggressive and always
relentless. Ii was Bcecher's mission to
disentangle a web that baiilcd all other ef-
fort. 10 bring consistency out OF a mass Of
inconsistencies. To evolve conviction out
OF tumble Of contradictions. II was the
work of AN Intellectual giant becailse he
had 10 meet circumstances. evidence. let
tiers. documents and confessions that
would have overwhelmed and buried any
other man. He was called TO PUT upon
the appearance of guilt the appearance Of
innocence. Ii was a task for Herculean
brain.
IL is in this view of the matter t-at the
outcome OF Beecher's cross examination
must be regarded as "A great Intellectual
triumph. And in "A review of the or
deal through which he has passed il j.
notable that he struck out for HIM
self Independently of his friends.
of his church people. and even of his law
yers. Tire theory of his church and lay
supporters was that be- had advised Mrs.
Tilton TO separate from her husband on ac-
count OF the latter's infidclities. and hence
the disscnsion and the remorsc- The
theory Of his LAWYERS. deliberately formu-
lated in Gen. Tracy's opening. was that
OF n conspiracy against him for the pur-
pose OF blackmail. Mr.. Beecher in turn.
had gwen a tacit acquiescence ia both
these theories before the Church Commit
tee and in the earlier conduct Of the trial.
But in his own sworn evidence in the trial.
he has clung to one point. never before
made distinctly. and. in spite of every
effort 10 the contrary. he has caused all
other circumstances. all other utterances.
all other testimony. 10 hinge and turn
upon 1t. Ii Is the only theory advanced
that can command any respect as an ex-
PLANTATION OF his letters. and his geneial
policy with reference To the scandal up 10
the time of the final explosion in the Bacon
letter. IL is equally well adapted 10 the
lawyers charge of conspiracy. and TO Mr..
Beecher's present declaration that lac did
not believe that he was undergoing de-
liberate blackmail. Ii i the only theory
that renders pos sible misconceptiOn on
the part of Tilton. MoulIon. and Mrs.
MouIton OF what they took To be confess
sions OF adultery. Ii j. the only hypothe-
si- consistent with his assertion that the
charge of adultery failed 10 make any inn
preston upon him. There j. nothing else
which could sustain Becchcr's honor. re-
morse, and intelligence. Nothing else.
i'm the assumption of his innocence. could
excuse the folly of an innocent man aud
an intelligent man committing himself To
so many evidences Ct guilt and rcmorse.
None other could preserve the chivalry
of the man and the honor of the clergy
man at one and the same time. This alone
i consistent with the great magnanimity
involved i'm Beecher'S present professions
OF kindly feeling toward Mr.. and Mrs.
Moulton.
This central. pivotal explanation from
which Mr.. Beecher has never departed,
and from which Mr.. Fullerton has been
unable to drive him. j. that Mrs. IiltOn had
transferred Ia him the affections which she
ought tb have saved sacred To her husband
alone. and that Ae (Beecherl became con-
scious OF il and did nothing to prevent il.
Here Mr. Beecher rests. aud here has been
az strong and tenacious az only a man Of
his colossal intellect could be.
III Mr.. Beccher j. guilty. how shrewdy
has he counted upon the sympafhies OF
mankind. and how marvelously he has
analyZed the processes of human jndg-
ment, in adopting this line OF defense. He
has opened up opportunities for the inn
agination. the sympafhies. and the reason
ing powers Of his Jury that no other posi-
ton could have afforded. He has adhered
to il with a persistency that has already
carried conviction OF his innocence TO the
hearts Of many people who were in doubt
He has confessed his inability 10 explain
certain things. and has acknowledged him
self powerless TO recall impressions
that, on any other theory than
this, IL would have been absurd
to admit the possibility OF having
been ignored or forgotten. lie has been
committed TO lapses Of memory which. in
man Of his great intellect. would have
been Incredible except under such circum-
stances. What may not a true. righteous.
and honorable man, occupying the first
pulpit in America. have done when he had
revelation that woman whom he re-
spected. and the wife of his most intimate
companion and friend, had conceived AN
unholy love for him and which he had
not repressed. This Is the specu alton
which Mr. Beecher has LEFT to the jury
and TO the public, and il is a fruitful
theme which will in most cases be worked
ont TO his advantage. II Is no answer To