Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-03-05
The Scandal Trial.
TIE orENINo FOR THE DEFENcE.

Ten. Tracy, it is known, reluctantly &C
cented the task assigned to him, of opening
the case for Mr. Beecher. But, having ac-
cepted it, he has performed it well. The
reports Of the New York Herald, which has
shown no Partially towards the defence and
no friendship for Gen. Tracy during the
trial, says of his opening
This rough. gallant lawyer, who has made
his friend : cause his own, was insenslbly
the Hotspur Of the trial
The cxordium Of General Tracy was
almos, elegant in phraseology, and delivered
with good taste and deep feeling. For
fifteen minutes he made an excellent i'm
preston. Mr. Beecher appeared to be
moved hi, wife was touched His sons
watched Triton very narrowly.
After awhile General Tracy became too
much the slave Of his manuscript. On the
whole Lis performance was more finished
than that Of Judge Morris, but not 50 efec-
tive in delivery. 1t still appeared to be
more satisfactory to his client and his
client : friends, and he was congratulated
at recess uad again Al the close Of the day
Tilton heard the severe Characterization
Of himself with listening but not mental
sensibiiity. General Tracy did not turn to
him to address him. The speech was de-
cJrou- as 10 all its outward manifestations,
and raised General Tracy in the estimation
OF those critics who had heard him cross
examine Frank Moulton.
Gen. lEACi : SPEECH.
After IA brief aiiusi0r to the deep personal
responsibility which he felt resting on him,
in view Of he inagnit lde Of the interests in
yol,ed, he proceeded, thus
Look at it as we may, IL j. impossible to
separate the defends nj from his representa-
tive character
Not that wonlt iniorsc the remarkable
statement If the plaintiff counsel IN has
opening, ";ha: up On the result VI your yer
diet, 10 a very lar e extent, will depend the
integrity OF the Christian religion. God
forbid that the integrity of the Christian
religion should depend upon the character
or the fortunes OF any man, however learn
ed, eloquent OF eyout
My client expects no other support from
the Christian religion than such aS may be
foun2 in it, pr omises. lie takes his stand
here alone upon his own integrity, sustained
Only by TOD and the justice Of his cause.
And yet, &c ntleman, repeat, you cannot
consider him altogether without reference 10
that sacred faith Of which be las been for Il
lifetime one Of the most hon0red ministers
which wou' acquire lu-tre in his yindica
ton, and which could not bat he deeply
wounded in his fall.
lie went On briefly to sketch Mr.. BeecheT :
history. nd to linn the leading features Of
his char 4cter and work
In tie mid t of all the refnernents and
luxuri e. of city life hi- motto has been that
of the great apostle he 50 much resembles
$50 | know how to be abased and | know
how 10 al ound" To some, who, in the
carly DAYS when he was less known than
now, under took to control his utterances by
threatening loss Of place, he made this
memorable reply. " You may unseat me
but you co anot control me. | came from
the wood and | car 90 back to the woods
again"
This oan. 20 introduced to US, ha-
wrought and taught for now thirty years
in our idst. lie is no longer q stranger
and no j niger 4 new acquaintance Genial
and una ssumirg in his manner, inspiring
in his ps ech Il, new vine, accessible To all.
from the grayeSt citizen 10 the humblest
child, the life L. has lived before u has
been rs arm and fruitful As Gods sum
mer, as ,Jpen and beneficial a. His day.
No trut I stru gclil>g with error has ever
tailed 10 find in him champion no phase
If hums sorrow haS sought him in vain for
sympatf and relief lie has been emphat-
ieally preacher Of the people. Living
himself in constant C ,mmunion with the I'M
seen, h has interpre Jed the mysteries Of the
soul IN given voice o those dim intuitiOns,
those : immortal YEAR lungs which spring IN
eve:y human breast. but which 50 few can
" er tier. i clergy man Of the Congrega-
tional Church, he ha labored for the az
Of no &C t, or the building up
OF no nomination. His creed is as broad
As hun anity Itself, and his deep, warm heart,
instinc lively reSpoudir 9 to the feeling OF all,
has enable him 10 to unmon the rscc TO Il
higher. nobler and pan er lie.
Tiltmi was next allu led 70,
The plaintiff in tn case, presents the
most impressive instan, e that has ever come
within my observation Cf the remOrseless
power and the destruc tive eject Of single
master pass On. An abdominal
ing, selfish egotism is Il lc basis Of his charac-
ter Here, gentlemen . here speaks the
- master 1asson of this perverted man.
At this very moment if Inc could realize the
sad truth that he i mo : ally dead he would
still rejoice in this post r ortem investigation
of his character The dc c lying corpse would
rather be dissected thu buried but we
propose, gentlemen, to { issect him first an
the interests ofltruth &c to bury him after
wards in the interests Of deceney
Tlton rise and fall ere sketchei. and
extracts from his oditoriaL were read. show
ing the laxity of views he came to cid
in reference to marriage and the rclatio n
Of the sexes. Gen. Tracy went on
These views and Tilton's associates were
extremely offensive to his wife She de-
spised the doctrine and its adherents she
forbade her house TO the women who al
,oeated 1t size remonstra red with her
husband against the principles he held and
The people with whom he associated, and
She suspected his numerous
with women which lie charac-
terized as sacred weddings which knew
no sex" She rejected his sophistry that
they were helps to him in his labors she
presented with wonan's instinct the end
to which such relations would bring him
still Tilton persisted in the necessity OF
such friendships. In 1866, during a lee
.ure tour in he West. he there made the
OF family and fell desper,
ltely in love ', 18th one of its daughters, and
lie insisted upon his wife inviting this
7oung lady to their home in Brooklyn.
[ilton himse # testified that his wife wept
)itterly on Il re introduction of this young
ady, and on seeing the extreme cordality
# friendship with which he received her.
Mrs. Tilton J ielded, however, to her hus-
and, and in yited her to make visit.
The lady acce, pted and came. 1t was this |
and visit which drove the mother |
n-aw almost TO insanity on account of the |
ttentions paid to this young lady by Tilton
While she was living under his roof That |
lie was desperate civ in love with her there
5 no doubt He has left the fact on record |
n correspondence which he himself has |
and which he introduced in |
violence before you. But the lady, soon
earning his true character and the danger
Thich threatened her fair name, suddenly
ut an end to the acquaintance, to the
reat sorrow and disappointment of Mr..
lton.
He passed on to Mrs. Tilton's sudden
.aving Of her home, driven from it BY Til
on's conduct, and her application to Mr.. |