Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-04-16

one Saturday, day or two previous to tn
writing OF the letter, Moulton treated hin
very coldly. and upbraided him for no
doing more to help Tilton. This conduc
of Moulton Mr.. Beecher felt very keel
Mr.. Evarts then took up the letter, passag
BY passage.
Mr.. Evarts-reading from the letter
see youbut seldom, and my personal relations
environments, necessities. limitations. dangers ant
perplexities you cannot see or ina sine. II had no
gone through this great year OF sorrow, | would moi
have believed that any one could pass through my
experience and be alive and sane.
have been the centre OF three distinct circles
each one Of which required clear ndedness and
pecunsrIy inventive or Originating powrF-the
could not slight; the newspaper did roll OF;
the Life OF Christ" long delay ed, had t. be finish
cd, as the capital Of the firm was locked uD in II
| 10 say that have church on my hands is simp lie
enough. but to nave the hundreds and theusinds OF
men pressing me, each one with his keen suspicion
or anxiety or zeal to see tendencies winch If not
stopped. would break GU. into ruinous deience Of
me; TO stop them without seeming To do It, to
prevent any one questioning me; to me=t and allay
| preludices against T., which had their baginin,.
years before this; TO keep serene as il / was not
alarmed or disturbed; TO he cheerful at hOlne AM
among friends, when was sufarin, the torment.
| OF the damned To pass sleepless nj ,hts often add
yet TO come up flesh and full for Sunlay-ail tais
| may be talked about, hut the real thing cannot h,
unuerstoOu from she outside. nor Its wearing and
| grindins on the nervous system.
O. Now, Sir. what occasions, or sub-
jects of suspicion or anxiety or alarm or dis
turbance did you refer to in this passage? A.
Il referred to the anxiety when had that
these troubles in Mr.. Tilton's family, and
in which had felt myself to be culpably
careless IN their urigInatiln,-th they
| should not be made u matter OF publicity.
and that they certainly should not be dra =
| ged into my church, and be made the sub
jeet OF church inquiry it was thas part Of
the trouble that thruug ghuut the letter was
the occasion OF poignant suffering the
| preceding conversations and expustulatiOns
with me turned on this ground, that | had
damaged Mr. Tilton's name, fame, position.
and pecunlary Resources /; that had given
the weight OF my great influence. as it YVES
pleased to be called, to Mr.. Bowen, and
| therefore, to the propagation OF those
stories which had tarnished him it was
therefore only "a reasonable thing for me to
restore him, as tar as my influence went,
the good name that he had.
God knows that have put more thought and
Jud- -nent and earnest desire into ms rfrts pre-
pare way for T. AMI +. than ever did for nysel:
a hundred-iold. AS 10 the size public nave
Fever lost an opportunity u suitsn pr, iadee 10
reiate filaehOVds AMI to ~ Ite kirdy f-eiinS
among all whom met. | an thrown anon. c.er-
Symen, pubic men aud se.,eratly tne nlasers Of
public opinion. ana have used eyery Rational tn
deayOr u restrain the evi when have heen y ST.
ed upon T., and with ncreas NJ suceess.r
Q.-Now, Mr.. Beecher, what in your own
conduct or efJrt does this clause refer to
Alt refers to the prolonged endeayor that
L had made TO say that | believed the
stories Mr.. Bowen had bruited were false; that
| believed Mr.. TiltOn to be an honest man
neither lecher nor drunkari; that be-
lieved lIin To be weak In some things, but
still the brilliant man that he was when at
the head of the Independent.
Neither he nor you can be aware q the feelings
OF classes in society on other grounds than late
rumors. mention this to explain Why / kHor
with bsoiHte certainty that no mere statement
letter testimony, affirmation will reach the root
Of siliirs and re-instate them TINE AND WORK
WILL.
But ehronicevi requires chrome remedies. Ismy
destruction would place him all i-ht that shall not
stand In the way. | am willing to step down
and out. No one can oiier more than that That
DO oaer. Sacrifice me without hesitation, Il you
can clearly see your wav TO his safety and happi-
hess thereby. | DO not think taat anything would
he gained by il. / should be destroyed. hut he
would not be saved. T. and the children would
have their future clouded.
Now, Sir, what did you refer to in this
clause Of your letter! Al undertook 10
clear him from every imputation that a.
iected his character except those which be-
lOnged 10 his late associations with social
istic ideas and with the Woodhuils Ii was
Il common ground between Us that Eliza
beth and the domestic troubles were to be
yeiltd III >ilencs | could not undertake TO
do some things without bringing the whole
matter IN such a way that that would be
disclosed. could not undertake 10 clear
his character In regard to his sentiments on
soeialistic question-that could not do
hst- rh.. !
his household, In regard to E.iziosth and
the chlldren-ii he wished tnat, on my
part, to be dragged out and 10 be made
subject oi investigation. my opinion then
was, abf ~g> thrJ@gh the whore year. thds
TIA; could never come into the church with
out DESTROYING that church. and 1 wVuld
step down and out before anything should
ever destroy Plymouth Church. had an
exaggerated idea, but it was real idea.
that any thing vi that kIni-l would suffer
any thing, but that enurch should stani
Aud then, a. for hun and her and tho chIl-
dren-tbIs Is not exactly the language Ji i
literary lOgical statement, but II l. tue IAN
guage Ot a-as when Paul said. Il cjuIt
wish myself accursed from Christ tor my
brethren : sake or David Tor Ab>,llO.n, Il
would to God had died tor thee. Il my
going out OF the church and out vi tue liI;.-
sional lite would restore things rs tlvy were
before. had the feeling certainly when !
wrote this letter. that would give them all
up. willingly, u put thing- back ~arrc
they were.
In one point OF view could desire tls sacrifice
on my part. Moth NJ possibly hr SO bad a. the
horror OF great darkness in which spend much ol
my time. look upon death as sweetsr far than
any friend | have IN the world. lille " uid n-
pleasant II | could see that rebuilt whica IS shat
tered But to 1--we on the sharp and rds-,d edse %
anxiety, remorse fear, despair and Yet u pat "n ali
the appearance ui serenity AM happiness cannot
be endursd much lOn-sr.
Q-Was tina, clause I'll expressions al
your views and Your ieriIng~, II view o.
the situation as you have narrated II ! = -
Yes. Sir feeble words II there hsi ueeu
any stronger IN the English language |
would have put them In
O.-Now here l. au expression
Nothing can possibly pe - bad As the horror o:
great DARKNESS, sh.eh speEd much Of my
tims.
O.-What horror oi great dirsnes>-A--
| dJn't know | cannot deiinc It nor de
scribe it | Uuly know that AN Subject
to very profound darkness b. times and TT
actions, just a. at the other cxtrellc am
subject u very great exiltattJn- Mf.
Eyarts, | dIdn' ID right III wriIIns that
when said the most Oi my linis lived
yery near lO God tnriI, aud tue IlJ-t Vl my
time had peace.
O." Much Oi my time, it i. A-fs-,
most vi my time was above It, but there
were days on which midnight came d. mit-
day, and u horror OF great darkness.
Q.-NOw, at the tune OF writing this les
ter, Mr.. Becehcr, what was the condition Oi
YOUR spirits or temper? A.-Ol, was
l.. "A IL
day letter, alter such u SATURDAY
Q.-Now, Sir. In these clauses, Or aay y!
them, of this letter as have read them 10
YOU, WAS there present to your mind any
thou ght, idea, or memory OI any criminal
intercourse with Mrs. H!tUa! A.-NU,
Sir none at all none ut all mad DO
need of that There was enough 20 my
thought in hurting Il friend, In destroying
household, in being unlaIthiul u the
highest honor ot UbngatIJns-t.iore Was
enough in that to torment me with The
turmepts of the damned know no iuvrs
horrible evil in this world than 10 betray or
hurt friend. 1 do not say that other
things are not worse, but | say | could
suffer "a much for those as | could io- any
thing-as had capacity to suffer
am well-nish discouraged. Il You. too, csa'c
TO trust me, t. love me ! alone; have not
other person in the world TO whom couad 60.
ON reference - what relatiJus to Ar.
Moulton, did you use thOse expressions
A.-Oh, could have gone to iise hundred
there were five hundred tncusand wanted
me to come to them. Ii was SIMPLY the re-
coguition that was shut up, by circuH-
stances, To him, my friend, wnom | believed
to be a man OF wonderful fidelity aud
friendship.
Q.-By what circumstances were YOU shut
up To hial as the matter then stood? A -
By the policy Of silence, which We al Of Us
had entered into league 10 MAINTAIN, and
which did malntaiu.
Well, to God commit all Whatever II may
be here, it shall be we'll there. WITH sincere
gratitude for your heroic friendship, ami ith
cere affection, even though you ioye mo not,
yours, (thOugh unknown to you) II. W. b.
Q-Now, sir. in this express ion what was
the reference OF that phrase, Even though
| you love me not?" Al xas tile sung
Of that Saturday in me when he turned
-