New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-09
THE LAST PLEA FOR Mr.. BEECHER.

Now, gentlemen, n jury brought IN any
doubtful sue even or b,ln.s OF Testimony to deter
minati0n which carries verdict for one side or me
other nd il it be verdict that carries 10 the defeated
party an injury loss that the measure or dement,
TO one IA distinctly measIred also by injury loss, or
deprivation other finds itself I'm Ter some stress
But here you have observed from the outset that the
orn ,ry distraction which might divide the sentiments
and feelings Jury far sent'm nts anl reeiinC
might INDUCED honest men IN regard to decision
OF the truth here wholly absent for In giving your
verdict defendant. M. eecher you give verdict
of safety and of honor the two families 81 Sir i'eechr
and of Mr. Tilton You uphold tho wife, you save the
family Of Mr. Titon AMI you save him IN his permanent
and definite honor. AIS. You cannot save him IN lis
truthflncss he lls told opposing stories on every
definite ami important fact in this cause. Your YER
dict then the defendant IL verdict OF saiety ana
honor everybody whose safety and honor nave peeh
involved in this long examination Your verdict FOR inns
pIantif TRIES into the heart OF his wife, and To the
destruction of his children breaks the heart OF this
noble wife OF Mr. Bee her, AMI destroys the happiness
and honor of that family strikes blow at the credit
OF our communities; brings di-honor upon me n'iae
OF orr common Christian religion however we may be
diyd in secs sentiments creeds and IN fact Is
blow at the dignity aud credit of human nature and the
civilization and purity OF American life. And You
are asked to do that in the absence OF II siuglc
item OF proof OF crime committed, upon The ahs"-
lutte and direct exhaustion or tie possib'iny>
OF his guilt by the only person who knows
all alb ut t that the Law permits to testify, AMI upon
affirmative evidence shaken AMI reduced both in the
credit Of the witnesses Mr. 3foon. Mr. Tlton and the
feeble SUPPORT ing evidence Of Mrs Moulton and met on
great facts not only by the dscrcdit OF the speakers on
their side testimony hit the direct refuaton or
the facts themselves by witnesses who are OBLIGED Oh
their own staten mt of Ia, matter, to confess
line OF statement under the most responsible Obligations
to pax the truth, an nnd ar the most direct forms OF
assavcrnton through series Of years that there Il not
a word of truth in the present charge and 0i course
whatever of loose ard vague perpleXIty or ooscury
might be left in the mind Of any man IN th's
Jury or ont Of this Jury, there is not any doubt
Of what the duty is uncr The rules OF law that require
you in finding an Affirmative verdict for this plaintiff
verdict AGAINST this dcfcnlint to put IL upon affirmative
proof that xcu les from your mind reasonable doubt
of the innocence of this defendant. And IN that
state OF duty and Of law, ana on thls s'ate
Of eyi,lence which I apprehcnd must necessarily
command from yUu each one OF you, an absolute
cony iction of the actual and complete innocence
of Mr. Bcechcr and actual conviction with whatever
charity Won may to the faults OF the acc
srs or their supporting Witnesses that this accusation
and This support Of IL in your case Is III the nature 81
consDlcy growing. and growing, and growing, having
no desperate purposes at the first bat In continual al
appointment OF III objects that they expected to
accomplish b. their Illustration, by the perversty and
folly of Mr.. Tton has finally come to an accusation
aant the honor AMI the moral life OF this great man.
You cannot doubt you do not doubt bat any one OF
you does Doubt that doubt tsef must give the verdict
for Nh Beecher.
And now gentlemen, character ia Away felt 10 he, in
difficult aud uncertain inquiries an object OF most Sole
itous the part Of every Judge and every riD
uual and every Juryman that has to pass upon it, All
how sad Il the condition OF stranger and foreigner
who comes brought into question AMI put on trial
in land where he Is found alone, with no knowledge OF
be r,st character friend to judge him "a belongs
70 his people, and their customs, and their
nature! And how bcnevoleniy the English law
provided for this SAD condition Of the stranger that
nut on trial. by giving him the best support possible In
aIng the Jury one-half with OF his country,
that at least he mi ht not be Judged by all foreign
ers TO him. and lac might have In the knowledge Of
hall OF the jury OF restoring what he missed
BY being put trial in a strange and where nobody
knew h,m, or his surroundings or his character
Now. sometimes character IL spoken OF as mat
ter that il TO be thrown LII "a weight IN
doubtful situations / prefer 10 hnl IL character
that direct means OF refuting false evidence upon
the external principles Of truth that every fact
matches every other fact and when particular
of conduct aud OF crime imputed against stranger
aud you know nothing Of his pas, feor an obscure per
son - and nothing be learned how so
lcitous jury 10 see II they
can exc out OF tho evidence something
that VIII stand instead OF this knowledge that they
miss so that they have the support OF feeling that
the conviction that they feel bound to give IL not at
variance and not at violence with his character II Is
on that principle that character, when known and
undertood, and not open to mistake, when
the vice and fault Is Of the heart and nature,
when il goes through years Of corruption
and depravity this charge III there he any truth in IT.
does or Mr. Bescher that you want 70 know whether