New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-11

lett connected with tho fact OF that association jusncs
me- think repeating what suppose may DO possipy
an expression Of sentiment upon the part OF MI Baie
or the paper with which he Is intimately CONNECTICUT
upon the particular subject which Is now under discus
siuu may remark. however. that OF whatever vaiuo
the opinion Of Mr. Bartlett may have been In tne carry
stages OF this controversy and however clearly ne may
have formed and expressed tho opinion that this
was an arrant case Of blackmai. IL wouiu
be difficult for him any ohor gentleman 10 MAINTAIN
that conclusion the face Of the very clear ana
evidence given upon that subject by Mr. Beecher But
speakng upon this subject OF presumption OF innocehoc
arising from previous good superficial character WIFI
out any power-for cannot 800 tho heart; VIC c"no
search the secret OF human nature; VIC c""o
explore all tho mysteries Of personal lie; we p"' soc o
superficial character the public acts OF men, AM"
trie from those developments may, with reasonaoio
safety, conclusion in regard TO the,r essential
merits But yet Judgments are deceptive They give us
no clear and satisfactory clew TO tho uuc i"
wardness Of man. We 90 hoV so' ."
tho bottom facts We have to judge, as
we'll as we cam from the ordinary manifestations OF
e unable to trace his acts TO thcir mo''os
NAV be excupat0ry or cOndemnng, with none OF Ihae
unerr;ng infabity with which each to be judged
boreafter and we cannot well say Of any man, even
with whom personally acquainted however cS'
mabe may be all his characteristics ana ASSOCIATIONS anu
apparent acts-we cannot after all say to him. or OF hm
that he Is autless human being and the error OF 'S
argumen. founded upon mischevous moral proposi'on
OF Mr. Evars is that it Is conradiced not only py Tie
teachings Of inspiration but by tho revelations OF our
daily lives: and 1t is well expressed and exposed III
paragraph or two which I adopt, and which suppose
Mr. Bartlett IL he had had the happiness, and my friend
the qualification Of an association with this dochSe
would have very readily expressed upon the trial:
One Of the principal arguments in behalf or Err.
Beeccrs innocence is his alleged incapableness oi e
crime charged upon MN.
Incapablcncss! II had not seen that coming from
Mr. Bartlett or The Sum- should have thought 1t was
Beechcrism ILaughterl
His counsel in the courtroom and his friends out OF IT
his having done what Mr. Tlton he has DONE The
incident OF his long successful public career MS NJ
crary and oraorca achievements and his services 10
the Church, the nation and to humanity in general are
recounted and appealed to as proofs tna no coud never
have yielded to temptation and fallen INTO SIN ID
word the effort is made TO take him out OF the common
category of the human and place him by the SIDE OF
One who assumed the weaknesses OF 0i nature only 10
resist and triumph over them
II there anything plainly revealed in both the Ola
and the New Testamcnts IT is that all men are more or
less prone to all crimes The very first man and frst
rny of ngratitude, dsobedience, and lying. Their
frsborn murdered his brother and their posterit
in few CO INJURIES became corrupt that thoy were all
but externnated by their Creator off the face of the
earth The survivors and their descendants Kept on IN
the same career, and their history down to the very
latest period ono long tale Of depravty Drunkenness
rcachery cruelty murder theft adultery nies a sre
charged upon them with pitiless precision OF detail
| Abraham repeatedly showed himself capable OF
and robbed his brother of his birthright. Josephs
brethren only refrancd from murdoring him that
they might sell him into slavery. The Hebrews That came
out of Egy were 80 rebeous and ungrateu that they
were denied entrance into the Land of Canaan and Their
children constantly engaged IN 4uaTrels anu civil
wars among Themselves David committed adultery first
and murder afterward Solomon was voiupuary ana
doator. The records OF the kings OF po lsiel anu
Judah show them TO have been almost without exception
cruel revSnSe, and brutal 9ts IN ,her PASSIONS anu
Nor are the early Christians represented in better
light The rival factions among them came at times al
to blows The converts from among b3h Jews ad
heather charged by the apostles with all manner Oh
vices and the annals OF the Church ever since nave Dee
stained with lust boodshed and violence on ,he par o..
some Of her most conspicuous servants no wonder
westminster Confession OF Faith, that all inherit
corrupt nature Iguoting the confession wbercpy we
utterly n naH Sead to ali eS Th The
trne all orthodox denominations, and even lnhGes
S raDssy Yet ~ the face Of ali this testimony
and their profcssed creed Plymouth Church and It's
ca character and reputation Henry Ward Beccher
is intriuscally incapable Of adultery and perjury!
Beechers career hitherto from Isslng as is
claimed the presumption that he Is SO dne =, IRON
sim He has been conspicuous for sefdenal and
ascetcsm. On the contrary he has consistently prac-
ced as he has preached-the enjoyment u the pleasures
Of the senses e is good eater and dinkef fond Of
pictures music and poetry keen admircr OF horseesh
and of Alexander Dumas and last but not least cpl
cure Laugher Not one word in his sermons
his IN his character 10
and every neaent of his features declares him
those apetites marked degree To try and exal such
man into saint who tranpled under foot the inner
tied evils human nature, and particularly TO claim for
him exemption from human inirmity which Is the
peculiar grace the Savior of Manknd.i insult alike
TO religion and to The case never can be
settled by such an argument
So much for Mr. Bartlett, who Is worry high authority
in the estimation Of my learned friend.
Mr. Porter-Do you say Mr.. Bartlett wrote that
Mr. Beach, say Mr.. Bartlett is associated with The
Sum- In which this article appears and makes constant
communications and some of the most able communica
tons appearing In the columns Of that paper