Wilmington daily commercial., 1875-03-24

great many people are forced to admit just
about this time that they were trihetoo speedy
in making up their minds as to the guilt Of Mr.,
Beecher. 1t is to be hoped that the operation
on their minds may do them some good, and that
hereafter they will be more deliberate in con-
victing men Of character and eminence Of crimes
which it is next to impossible they should COM
nit The swift coming proof that Mr.. Beeche-
has been greatly injured citizen fills fair
minded people with equal satisfaction and indig-
nation satisfaction that an honored name is
likely to emerge from the cloud of calumny, and
indignation that it is possible for an upright man
to be 50 beleaguered.
We are aware tho answer may be made that
the recent developments in the trial, while tend
ing to destroy Tilton, do not affect the guilt or
innocence of Mr.. Beecher. That is the opin-
ion doubtless held by many, but many others hold
that the late testimony does affect the ISSUE and
in most vital and convincing fashion. If TIL
toms moral and social worth be destroyed what
remains of his credibility? Why should we
feel called upon to believe man whose every
act shows him to be unworthy of belief? One
of the strongest points of the indictment WAS
that Beecher had destroyed Tltons home it is
now shown that the unworthy husband had
himself shattered that family circle. 1t is also
shown that, 50 far from the publication of the
Woodruff article surprising Tilton, he worked
that matter up himself and had complete I'M
derstanding with Mrs. Woodruff on the subject.
The effort that was made to get Mr.. Beecher out
Of the pulpit and at the same time to feather as
comfortable a newspaper nest for Tllton as he
had lost in the Independent, has also been con-
cusiyely proved. Is there nothing in all these
things to show that this is conspiracy against
Mr.. Beecher? The prosecution rests on three
people, two of whom gain most of their strength
from Tilton himself.
The alleged personal proof advanced by Mr..
and Mrs. Moulton, while it had its first smother
ing effect, can now be seen by just and decent
men to convey only the truth that Mr.. Beecher
did express himself earnestly and remorsefuy to
those persons for some wrong. But the impress
sion now gathers strongly that the reference
WAS not at all as the Plaintiff would have us be-
leve. Precisely so with the letters. In both
these important parts OF the case it becomes in
creasngly clear that Mr. Beecher was talking
and writing of one thing while his prosecutors
have been talking and writing of an
other. The great scandal approaches its
elimination and the evidences OF conspiracy so
thicken that verdict for Tllton, wond seem to
be ont of the question. At first our impression
was that the jury would disagree, but hopes of a
decisive verdict for Mr. Beecher now increase
daily. II there was offer of proof from some
one outside this close ring of plotters the call
would be diferent-but what good citizen es.
teens rlton fit to be believed
All II Beecher should be acquitted, COM
pletey. honorably aclutted-what shout would
so up and what bitter reproachiugs and mental
beggings of pardon Betterlrange on the right
side in good season and repair as far as possible
the bitter wrong already done.