New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-02
DEDUCTIONS FROM THE NATURAL BENT OF
HUMAN ACTION.


your attention the vast value OF these two facts t
we have fought againsthe evidence OF the plaintln
out OF his own mouth OF other witnesses 80 iar as
they could show collateral support TO tive have fougnt
against these two propositions OF there being TINS acuoh
Of the wife contemplating separation resort 10 the pas
tor this dealing by the pastor with It, openly clearly
ecisiyely and this point Of the dealing between
Mr. Reecher and Mr. Bowen whereby Mr.. Beecher es-
poused the view which Mr. Bowen communicated ABOUT
Ttons character and the necessary action Oh MI bo"cn
In regard to It, corroboraed assisted connrned secucu
and aided by disclosures OF this couga dscoru anu
of this personal pro1igacy with Bessie turner anu
with Others Gentlemen, you are full grown men,
Some people seem think that II they have come into
urybox they to lose all their common sense al inc
elasticity OF their understanding all their personal
know ledge and views OF human nature ana OF human
conduct, and take up dry and formal following vi
testimony as 1t may be long drawn out before them'
Why gentlemen you here because you are practical
men, because you know something OF our common na-
ture, because you come from the bosom OF the very
society in which these parties moved and In which their
action is TAKEN and by which it Is to be judged. All
the number Q. Witnesses that would prove 70 you that
the moon made OF green cheese would not JUSTIFY
you in bringing verdict that it was made OF green
cheese not the least 1t would Justify you In bring
ing In verdict that the witnesses were made OF green
cheese LaughtcrJ Now, ask You this-do you peieVe
that there could relation Of paramour and mistress
between man eminent In society and woman the wiie
of man prominent society and moving In the circles
of social intercourse Of religious association OF puDo
notice. that belonged to these people and these the r
spective famles-o you believe that that relation be-
tween paramour and mistress could have continued ior
eighteen months, and then, By qhance-much more Ny
confession or communication from the whe-come W '
knowledge of the husband and then, everything peng
lovely and quiet between them that there no out
break there-do you think the vito and tho mistress
would have left the paramOur six months unadvised thae
somebody knew OF It, that that somebody else was
the husband that husband tho hater on independent
grounds of the paramour Do you think sol Did you
ever hear anything like that that would lead woman
that had had that degree OF affection and submission to
man. that she would not him against the
ungllarded course OF his life toward this family that
would expose him TO the observation, TO the condemh
ton to the resentment Of the husbandi That would Dc
new chapter character, and think II 1t could
understood ltural and probable sequel OF tese
Illicit relations and of their discovery that II might thd
to discourage the ventures that men make in that drec
ton No. gentlemen, common dscards that We'll,
IL wife, conscious Of this nal deepest guilt OF woman
as toward her husbandcOnscous OF the long COURSE vi
seduction concealed from him, and OF the long poiuoh
OF the marriage bed and contamination OF the OFFSPRING
by STAIN had confessed and found forgiyng husband
ready TO conceal unwilling resent against the inrer
do YOU think that that wife, with that knowledge OF her
own conduct and OF her husbands privity to 1t,
will be the first to pick a quarrel and desert
tho shelter OF that roof What roof could be so
hosptabc to her guilt that What shelter against
discovery against publicity against ruin 80 safe as that
What break the tact the actual compact OF m
muny OF OF restored and continued love on the
part of the husband to the fallen and penitent wife so
necessarily so absolutely, the we's desertion OF the
home and accusation Of the husband Of proigacyf Well
gentlemen If you imagine that wife so SITUATED 80
sensitive so morbid on tho question Of secrecy could
rush OF that house. and accuse her husband wheh no
knew ofhcr progacy must have some strange views
OF human nature and II cannot try these people as
human beings We can try them ut ALL But, do you
think would go the paramOur and the PASTOR ana
II she did, do you think he would turn over to his WIFE, ana
his wife his turning to Mrs Beechcr this matron
who makes the name OF marOn all the more noble mat
she Is conspicuous in its roll OF honor this woman that
saw enough tho eyes of Theodore TtOn eleven years
before to Danish him from her house, and enough into
the cyes OF Henry c. Bowen TO keep him from crossing
her thresholdi Do you think that Henry Ward Beecher
would his mistress to his wife for her 10 exam
inc with all the power that woman knows to apply To
false woInani Now, you may think that Is natural, ana
you may il safe. AMI may think that out oil
these two women being shut up, Mrs Bcccher and Mrs
Tton there came nothing but advice toqut the husband
brave him. to sustain her purity. You may THINK 80
would like to have client OF mine convicted OF any
crime like this but you, gentlemen Ii nc mas 10
he convicted would like have him convicted on owl
dence this for the evidence answers tho cOhVcuoh
Look now, at the enormous value OF the dealing when
Mr. Beecher exhibited to the Bowen missile proceeding
from the bow and the skful archery OF MI Titon
Take Bowcns statement; there ever greater uncon
Germ was there greater Indifference ever stronger
more definite Drawing OF it than Mr. Beechers treatment
of the mssye and his treatment Of the mani Was there
any yiedingf Was there any entreaty OF Mr. Boweni
No All Mr.. Beecher wanted to know was, whether
you came here Dlr Bowen, coupled WITH conscious or in
completely with this insane, mad contumey OF Mr.
TiltonP II Mr. Bowen had said, " did suggested it,
urged 1t, going to back 1t up, then Mr. Beechcr
would have them BOTH and he has faced them both
ever since But neither Bowen nor Ton has faced him.
can imagine possible construction OF human conduct
that would treat this charge, this demand, under Mr.
Itons own signature Mr. Beecher treated it, there
had been the least OF those guilty relations
What did do He talked with Mr. Bowen as long as Mr.
Bowen chose to talk, and then Mr. Bowen went about
his business and Beecher troubled himself in
the least never sought Mr. Tton, sent friend to
see him. thought of the subject further and waited
what anybody would have TO say to do about It, Well,
gentlemen we might think, consider all attempts to
convict Mr. Beecher Of this crme upon moral evidence,
as substantially ended by these two penetrating thrsts
into his very soul that this evidence has given to him,
and you read its unrufcd mirror the placiuy OF III
! nocence which forbids you to imagine guilt.
Are you to take an alternative proposition that he Is
an old offender full Of wickedless Well there you run
against thousand improbabilities not to say mpossi
1ities You against what even in the case OF sin
gle instance OF guilt, Is really moral impossbility.
Is there nothing them in the wisdom Of the Great Mas
ter that when are judging Of moral character you
are to Judge by the conduct of the lie Is there nothing
In the proposition that do not gather grapes Of
horns and figs OF thistcs Do you plant thstles TO
raise figs, and thorns to expect vintage from
| What greater vintage OF Christian benefcence
and activity has ever been poured out
| into the winc-vats OF nation than the life
| of Henry Ward Beccher has furnishedi And yet all
grapes have been gathered from this thorn tree
and are gathered STILL IT, under this g tree men could
what benetcept shelter has been reared
character and human conduct for the