The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-03-19
Mr.. Beecher,s Line of Defense.

It is our purpose to invite the atten-
ton of our readers to certain circum-
stances showing what the theory of the
defense must be, and that there is reason
still to hope that the innocency of Mr..
Beecher of the crime with which he is
| charged, can be established We are
not about to urge the plausibility of this
| theory, but will content ourselves with
| presenting it as possibility.
Our readers have noticed the recur-
renee of the phrase spiritual adultery"
or as Mr.. Tilton phrased it in an article
| of his read in his cross-examination,
adultery of the soul" This, Tilton
said in his editorial, was the most Grim
| lnal form of the crime. He is q man of
| poetic temperament and morbid moods,
| excltable, cratic, n seeker of originality,
a crllivator of the imagination, and he
has testified that his memory is series
of pictrlres-not record of events.
Many have read the novel of Griffith
Gaunt," and recollect the devotion of the
lady to the priest, mistaken by the hus-
band for a criminal passion. Mrs. Til
/ ton, it Will be remembered, referred to
| this story, and admitted that, like
Catherine Gaunt, she had given up too
much of her heart to her pastor, aud she
felt remorse for it. Suppose the trouble
began right here.
4u1. 4AtOA Izt3 expressed nlInB04 LQHG
sc adultery of the sou1'' is the highest
form of the crime. He accused his wife
of that. She confessed it. He was
| Jealous of Beecher's fame, and now came
to look upon him as usurping his place
in his wife's affections. Out of this grew
morbidness, ,wretcnedness, and acute exag-
gerahon of petty things-the aggravation
| of all Irr1tahons-a state of monomania.
| Mrs. Tilton Is a nervous person, worn
~.
/ of her husband, devoted to long prayers
and vigils, timid little woman, imagina-
tive, troubled with fancies, craving SYM
pathy and support, shrinking from con-
tenhon, and often in dreamy state of
mind like an opium eater-0 woman of
ilusions-one who has fallen into frances
She says her husband was everlastingly
nagging at her about this crime of the
soul, and endeavoring to give it q physi-
cal Interpretation, and especially to ac-
cuse MIR. Beecher. She might, there
fore, write or say almost anything, with
out seriously affecting the case.
y
! Instances are not unfrequent in which
people go on misunderstanding each
other vitality for years, when both believe
all the while that they have perfect
knowledge. They may converse, each
in his own current of thought, and
neither see the thoughts OF the other. It
Is the lack of mutual understanding that
makes quarrels. In these entangle-
ments, what one utters as protest be-
comes to the other confession word
of self-reproach for a trivial thing is
sounded abroad as cry of despair. The
world Is full of these neutrality-suspicious..
q The drama-farce and tragedy -abounds
4 with them. History bristles with them.
IS Trifies Light as air" in other than the
miserable scenes of stinging jealousy,
become g confirmation strong as proofs
of holy writ, " of some preconceived no
ton. One may walk very near the truth,
and yet in an abyss of falsehood.
We offer this theory of the defense
merely as worthy the considerate atten-
ton Of our readers, feeling that the vas;
majority of them would be happy TO vel
come any rational solution of the darh
mystery of the case, consistent with the
redemption of the i1lustrious name thai
is now in the valley of the shadow o.
death.