New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-10
THE CLOSING ARGUMENTS FOR MR..
BEECHER CRITICISED.

Why, gentlemen, in the history of the JUS
tice Of this country has there been such an exbi
ton has been presented in this courtroom within the
last Is daysi Have you ever heard such storm OF In
vective and abusef Have you heard loer exhi-
biton Of the power Of oraoy than has been given by
both my learned riends Have there ever been In any
cause efforts extended and so marvelousi And yet
my learned friends say TO you, The plantn never had
any case" Why my friend Mr. Evarts says to you therc
is not the slightest evidence in this cause OF the guilt OF
Mr. Beccher Why, when the plaintiff rested he ought 10
turned out Of court he had no cause there
no proof and my learned friends with all the arts
and the powers Of oratoy have spent 10 days to con-
vince you Of that gentlemen They have given very strong
proof Of their Sincerity they have given to you very
strong evidence OF their conception OF this case.
With skill and adroitness unexampled In our courts,
they have endeavored escape the consequences Of that
evidence They have resisted 1t by but one witness ana
that is Henry Ward Beecher. Tie amazing declaration
made by my learned friend Mr.. Porter, that Tilton
and MoultOn contradicted by "a witnesses why,
gentlemen 1t Is the most astonishing declaration which
could been made in this case And 1t can be met
only by clear and explicit denial. On the contrary,
hope to demonstrate you that Tlton and Mouon upon
any of the material facts in this case have been contra
diced by no single witness except Henry Ward Beecher
Most OF the time been occupied n this case by the
examination Of immateal and unimportant collateral
questions. II Is said that we have occupied your tme
when you recoect that all this long investigation
hundred Of days. has been directed not to the question OF
the guilt the innocence Of Mr. Beecher but to an I'M
sustained and abusive attack the character OF Iton
and Mouton and the other witnesses upon the part OF the
plaintiff
Gentlemen cannot pass to the consideration OF TINS
case without single further remark upon the address OF
my friend Mr.. Porter 1t was a most remarkable effort.
For thirty years that gentleman and myself have prac
tced together in the courts There is gentleman. In
or out OF the profession for whom I feel more
unfeIgncd esteem and respect; none In the pro-
fession whose qualities lawyer 1 more
admire and respect I have been accustomed TO
see him in the fore rank Of professional controversy,
claiming maintaining the Hottest hOnOrs OF our rofes
SION And panied and grcved that upon this occa-
he has lost that position, and appears here as
subordinate and secondary adversary In that there Is
no humiliation gentlemen No lawyer Of our profession
eminent even Mr.. Porter is would be dsSracedD by
following the leadership Of gentleman as eminent as
Mr.. Eyarts. It is not that. But the humiliation
consists in the ignoblo and unworthy service
no has undertaken. to abuse and denounce and
calumniate, and, by fierce and furious epithets.
to drive this plaintiff the respect Of this jury and
from the consideration Of this Court Mr. Tton Is said
TO hollow and theatrc," think, was the
term and snguary enough that accusation comes from
my friend Mr. Porter, who has given the most disn-
ushed evidences OF the possession OF the hslest us
trionc ability. Why you remember, gentlem, n, with
what display Of theatrical power with what violence OF
gesture, with what incompetence OF speech Mr. Titon
assaej. 1t began to be somewhat alarming; 1or'
when my learned friend Mr. Porter was hourshing his
fist so firiousy IN the face Of Mr. Tlton, and IN his
sonorous and impressive tones crying out Down, down.
down to hell, and say sent thee there" felt some
anxiety for the safety OF my client llaugher and
looked around with some amazement to see wat hah
become O; him. (Iaughtcr 1t was very gratifying 10
me to find him there sitting composed aud unaarned
rather amused at the grotesqueness OF the per-
iormancc aud wondering really what my friend
Porter thought of himself. Well. Sir, are you
to determine this case upon such arguments
Is party in a court Of Justice appealing to the I'm
partially and equity Of the law asking from his fellow
men legal consideration OF his claims and his rights 10
to be hunted from cOur, land by eptets and denunc
toni What sort of cause is it which demands THIS
advocacyi And how happens it that gentleman capa-
BILE OF tho loftiest legal efforts, gentleman claiming
more than due share land deservcdly tool Of pro-
fessiona renown instead Of temperate, logical argu
ment upon the evidence spends five days In violent
assault upon the opposite party and his witnessesi
II Henry Ward Beccher Is innocent he needs no such
clarnorous and foul defense. II Theodore Tlton Is
perurer and an adulterer. cold and shameless de-
bauchee 1t can be proven from the evidence and where
it, gentemeni shall have occasion to ask you more
particularly that question. But let your recollcc
ton this proof; find II you can the
evidence which thus impeaches the moral
character Of Mr Tlton, which, in the presence OF Ills
demonstration upon the stand in court stand an in
ter But the necessity of this defense. Tton must
be DESTROYED Moulton must be dscreded Mrs Moulton
must struck from the ranks Of honorable womanho0d
Mrs Bradshaw be disbelicved Richards must be ca
Illuminated and all the Others who have uttered syllable
OF reproach OF the character or standing OF
Henry Ward Beecher must be destroyed; ana II thls Is
not accomplished this defense fails and my friends know
IT, And the effort Of both Of themwith persistent elo
ouence with an ingenuity almost devilish in its concep
TONS both of them have srven for 10 days not to dem
onstrate the innocence Of Mr. Beecher but to destroy
his accsers and from that demand verdict from the
hands OF this jury.
Well there is singular inconsistency in the modes Of
argument and I'm the conceptions which my learned
friends indulge In regard this Ton Is not only
a pcrjurer and an adulterer OF most base and III
famous character the seducer OF young girl intruscd
to his honor and BY his wife, but according to MI
Porter he is the cunning adro subtle conspirator VINO
has organized this deopaid and longprosecutcd con-
spracy against the pocket and the character OF Henry
Ward Beecher. And my friend Mr.. Tracy, on the con-
t ry very low opinion OF his skill and sagacty and
forecast He denounces him having genius for blum
dcrng. All admit that he is a man OF intellect MY
learned friends agree that he Is rheorcan and elocu
ZIONIST Henry Ward Beecher praises him for his intel
lectual powers, rather commends that genius which,
early In fe lifted him to lOftiest editorial chair In
America" as MI Beecher says You have seen him upon
the stand There has been no irritation no maevoehce
there been departure from the demeanor when
Of intelligence and honesty undertake
to say Sir that his relation Of his life as 1t was exam
ined by the searching inquiries Of counsel and the his
tory which he gave OF that life and Of this episode
in IT, attracted your confidence and belief. In the
whole history of his acts with reference to this domestic
tragedy he uttered word OF reproach or OF
censlre against the woman who betrayed him. Tothe
honor Of manhood to the honest emotions aud love OF
his own nature he has been true even under the empa
ton of this case. With fidelity unexampled. with an
exercise of Christian magnanmity and forgiveness
which has been rdcued in this court OF Justice anu
before Christian men. he fOrgave what Henry ward