The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-01-13

Mr. Bowen Mr. Beecher and Mr.: Tllton. u VIM cal
your attention to paragraph OF that signed by Mr.
Beecher Ill have said anything injurious to the
reputation OF either OF them meaning Mr.. Tilton
ana Mr.. Bowen) or have detracted from their
character and standing as CHRISTIAN gentlemen
revoke 1t all" That was signed on the
signed BY MIR. TiIton made him deny that there
were any charges against Mr.. Beecher so lar as he
enemy, and he refused to sign 1t, but he did sign
that part binding himself not TO repeat or press
any charges brought against Mr.. Beecher by Mr.
Bowen. Now, bear in mind this was signed In
| APRIL 1872, and after that we have charge OF
adultery brought by Mr. Triton against Mr.. Beecher
What, ask did he on the I'd OF April, 1872, revoke
as toward Mr.. 1iltOnS "lf have detracted from
his standing and fame as Cnristian gentleman
What, ask. did he on the I'd OF April, 1872,
"revoke" AS toward Mr.. Tilton' Bear in mind
that at that Time Mr.. Triton had written the Wood
hull biography. II Mr.. Beecher had for that con-
| demned him he revoked 1t all. Bear In mind that
before that Mr. Tllton had presided at the stein ,
cred her lecture. il Mr. Beecher condemned him
Tor that on sGs "a Of April iS12 he revoked It
dgnatlOn. by procaiming Tree love doctrines, SO
that the Aduance had to be started to supersede
all. Had he said that prior TO this Mr.. Titon was
bankrupt IN character and morals II so, on the
Mr. rlton WITH promsouous i n inG i so
he revoked 1t all. Had he told Mr.. Bowen chat he
m the ~ s
because OF his brutality to his vile. because o.
DENYING THE INSPIRATION
OF the scriptures and the divinity OF Christi II
so, the "a OF April 1872, he revoked 1t all. Had
ne accused Mr. Tllton or charged him with having,
on the 3Oth or December, 1s7o-charged HIM falsely
with an infamous crimeY II so, ne revOSed 1t all
tleman. All these things had transpired prior to
the end OF April, 1872, and Mr. Beecher up to that
rogatory to the Christian character OF Mr.. Tlton;
he revoked 1t ALL He was "Chrstian gentle
man. Aud In q lew days alter, in his own paper.
IA IN
are the most sure that he Is honest IN his convlc-
tons az he 10 fearless In their utterance and that
which he works TOR what seems TO him
best for man and Tor society" And mat mat
he now declares he then knew to have been
bankrupt in morals and In character to have
been guilty Of prom Use mmoralitlesNto nave
means by this conducts As well may they at
tempt to argue that am now talking to you in
midnight darkness rather than IN the glare OF the
MONDAY sun as to attempt to give any other
meaning to the conduct OF the defendant IN this
case than that have attributed to him.
Will call your attention. gentlemen, here. to an.
other circumstance. Mr.. Beecher says that when
Mrs. Tilton made her concessions she SAID that
Theodore con lessed his "alien loves" TO Mr..
MOutOn Mr.. Beecher said that Mrs. Tilton told him
that when she made her confession her husband
then excusing herself Tor having confessed to
Mr.. Beecher, and she makes this statement to him.
When they speak OF AMEN loves, so lar as Mr..
Tilton Is concerned, they say 1t means adultery
When to the defendant, she made similar con.
LESSONS TO MIN, IL ulu not mean auQterys Anu
now, gentlemen, Will proceed to examine some
OF the lacts occurring IN larer Stage IN the his
tory Of this case On the I'd OF November. 1872
was published, IN what Is known as the Woodhuu
d. Clanfn weekly, o story, In which Mr.. Beecner
was accused of adultery with Mrs. Elizabeth r..
Tilton At the time that TINS publication appeare
MIR. Tiit0n was absent from the city and absent
from the State. He was in one OF the New Eng
land States, engaged 10 the Presidential campaign,
when this story came out accusing his pastor
of adultery with his wife. What did Mr.. Beecher
do in connection with that story and with that
,finutt w mt I an m ntfh
he to have done Is the question which now con.
your Dld he, on that occasion, act as an IN
ought he, as Christian minister, to have donep
Bear In mind that ne was accused or the crime OF
adultery with the wife OF the man whom he de-
clared but short time prior TO nave been CHRIS.
HONORED MEMBER OF HIS CHURCH,
and ne accused OF uItery with the vile OF mem.
Der OF his church. wat ought he to have done?
What did he dor He did nothing; ne waited until
very night OF the publication OF tnat story meet
ing OF his trusted members-sOme OF whom after
ward figured on the commlttee-were called to-
informed that they had best take no notice OF the
story, out try and live 1t down. Fearful that MS
church would take some action, would say this
scandal must be lnvestlgated-wny you are
charged with adultery with the wIe OF member
! be taken In that direction, TINS other device was
resorted to, and that was to Try and live 1t
that the pastor OF Plymouth cnurch with mis-
! power, with his church that would stand by him
/ right or wrong, guilty or innocent: IL may De
that with all TINS immense power ne could live
! 1t down; but how, ask you. IN the name OF KIND
! heaven could the woman i've 1t DOWN You recol.
lect gentlemen-il you 40 not Will state 1t TO you
/ the TACT that after the publcatlOn OF this story
! there was u universal demand throughout the
! land, q universal call upon MIR, Beecner to speak
| but one assuring word, to deny this charge. livery
appeal that could be made iOr the cause OF moral
! ity, Tor the sake OF religion, by all that he held
/ dear on earln, by every consideration that could
! lie addressed to MIN, he was abiured to deny
THE TRUTH OF THE STORY.
( But not word, not word. While the cause OF
rengion was suffering from this scandal; while the
trusted member Of MS CHURCH was suffering in the
silent as the grave, and wnen Mr. liton returns
ne induces nm, or tries to induce him. to publish
whom / hoped wen OF mas proved utterly
! unworthy; | snail never again notice MS
stores, ana now utterly repudiatc ner statements
made concerning me and mine." Was MIR. lilton
the man to deny that story, VINO knew absolutely
and unqualidedy whether the story was true or
whether 1t was false? What was his duty? wat
would an innocent man have done under sucn Cir
cumstances? Why, ne would nave branded It as
false at the earliest possible moment. lie would not
| have said that al can't do that, because 1t pro-
| ceeds from so low an origin" on no 1t was IN
the paper-I care not what paper or OF what char-
acter the paper was-lt was in the paper, and lC
was mis- duty, being innocent, to have denied the
story ana not stop to question Its authority. But,
after that, 1t appeared In many respectable jour-
nails OF The land, ana those IN when 1t did not APP
pear united IN calling upon MN TO say one WORD,
to give one assurance that there was no truth In
the story, that his Tiends In behalf OF morality,
might deny It, But
NO DENIAL. NO DENIALl
Very truly Mr. Tton replied to him:-"You know
why sought Mrs. W0Odhull's acquaintance 1t
was to save my family ana yours from the c0nse-
quences OF your acts, facts about which have be-
come known TO her. They nave now been pub
l lisned, and 1 Will not denOuDce that woman to
save you rom the consequences OF what you your
self nave DONE" Why, ask again, did lc allow
the perniciOus story to go throughout the lana,
eating into his reputation. sullylng the cause OF
religion Why did he do 1t Why did he not
deny 1t Because a denial would nave pro-
duced contest on her part. IL would have In
creased the discussion. 1t would have led to an
investigation on Inc part OF bis church, ana an
Investigation would have been runOus because
IL was OF that he speaks when he speaks OF the
difficulty OF preventing the tendencies winch II
Of OFF, me Anv.Hina AWNING that Iendea TO an
investgatun-anythiug and everything that
/ looked toward developing the truth-was rum
Gus defence to him. And that Is what he means
In his letter the dif1culty OF "preventing tnat
tendency, or stopping the tendency without seem.
ing to do it, What dOes that mean, without
! seeming to do itg' lie could not say It, II ne did
1t would nave been re pOrted and that would have
IN nd har a o