Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-02-26

try of God. 1t was no bed ofrest. lie struck out
for the wild West, rung the bells in the fores
glade assisted by his dear wife, who accompanied
him. He is now the same true, simple. unaffected
| man rs he was then. The speaker then went or
to relate the history of Tilton who he said, hat
begun life upon the staff of newspaper as a re-
porter. He embraced the widest views and be-
| iieyed that the world would follow in the way
which he led. lie became deist, DENYING the
existence of a God and denounced the marriage
relations as fraud and hindrance TO the advance
ment of the world. Theodore Tilton fell from
his high eminencc to which few men attain to the
bottom of an ABYSS. In the blind impotence OF bis
rage he determined to visit his anger upon Henry
Ward Beecher, imagining that he had been Inc
cause of his destruction. Mr.. Beecher was the
fr.eni of both Theodore Tilton snd his wife Ire
friend. wife and children must be trampled down
to secure that yndicatlon for which ne nau p&Ftcf
ed his (Iilons) whole soul.
When Mr. Triton lived in Oxford street, Mr.
Beecher began his visits 10 the house. lie was IN.
yited BY the former, but Mr. Beochers visits were
| NOT yery frequent. Now, said the counsel, want
Won to- consider, gentlemen, that Mrs. Tilton
is the true defendant in this case. she whose lips
are scaled in this matter. Theodore Iiltons every
wish was met by Mrs Tilton, who did everything
in her power to make him happy.
Counsel then came back to Mr.. Tiltons career
when he succeeded Mr.. Beecher III the oditorshp
of the Independent, and in the first year of his of
tce said the counsel, he wrote the letter contain
ing the charges against his friend ana pastor.
Counsel here quoted from letter written by MIR.
Tilton to Mr. Beccher, speaking of the friendship
between them. "lf,' says the letter, Il should
die before YOU, be father to my children. l be-
lieve human friendship outlasts human life, and
meanwhile may the Father above protect you.
The letter was signed, your eternal and devoted
friend Theodore Iilton.
In her hour of sorrow about Mr.. Titons rehg-
ous sentiments his wife sought Mr. Beecher for
advice Counsel then read portions of letter sent
by Mr.. Beecher in 1866 to Mr.. Tilton, giving HIM
counsel and advice in religious matters. shortly
after this said counsel Mr.. Tilton showed change
in his views. He began to talk to his friends on
the subject and did not hesitate to tell his wife
that be regarded the marriage relation in differ
ent light from that in which it formerly appeared
to him
The devoted wife and mother was forced, day
after DAY and week after week. TO listen TO these
views which were extremely offensive to her. In
the year 1866 Mr.. Tilton formed friendship with
lady whose family he had visited in the West
He invited her 10 his house and introduced her to
his wife. His acquaintance with her made Mrs
Morse furious, and the lady, finding how deceitfnl
he was and hearing his views as to how eregard-
ed ladies, dropped his friendship.
lie wrote a letter from where he was stopping
with this family in the West, to his wife, telling
her how much happier he was with this western
family than he was in his home in Livingston
| street. But in 1868 his wife could conceal her
| feelings no longer, and when spoken to, he con-
fessed his weakness and husband and wife prayed
| for strength to uphold him in the future. On
January 26, 1868, he wrote his wife memorable
letter from the Hudson River railroad, in which
| he said that she all that man could desire.
She answered this letter the 3lst, and admitted
in il her hsrshness and took all the sin Of his fall
| ling, upon her. The letter says:
81 am the chief Of sinners, but understand how
you feel. We must both cultivate our own respect
BY being what we seem, and let us not have even a
shadow of doubt in each other Though all the
world disagree, let US be as one.
A letter of February 8, 1868, from Mrs. Tilton,
says:
1.-THE picture of your dear face is ever before
me, marked as it is with your suffering. To live
| is praseworthy bnt TO abnse your gift ofin1uence
| is SIM"
| This, gentlemen, is the letter which has been
| garbled here in this case, in which she has been
placed in wrong position. She was remontsra-
ting against the abuse of his influence over wo'
man. He had made her believe that her harihness
had made him hypocrite so that he had hidden
his feelings from her with regard to other women.
| At this point Gen. Tracy interrupted his address
and the court took the usual recess OF one hour.
After the recess Gen. Tracy resumed his open
wife of Feb. 9,lS6s, 81 am once more = man among
men," said the letter, Through your ceaseless
prayers and efforts. Each of your letters fills me
with increased love for my wife; You have the
richest of all human hearts, am pledged TO You
forever" Another letter of Feb. lS 1868, from
Mrs. Tilton to her husband was also quoted, ac-
knowledging the receipt OF the former letter. An
other letter was written by him. said the counsel,
to Mrs. Tilton on the 10th of February, assuring
her that he had broken his connection with this
western family. These letters were all written in
the West, and contained assurances Of fidelity TO
her. In the Summer of that year he returned 10
New York and renewed his acquaintance with his
old associates. Another letter, written in his of
fee in New York, in November, says: at Is his
great regret in life that he could not see her as
hap,1 ~. dash al 10 tp Nlp haI he
est soul that ever was put put into body. The
greatest mystery to me is that | have hearkened
to others. The troubles are of my own making.
Would to God they were of my own enduring
but your kind letter of this morning is very dear
to my soul; and write this to thank you for it,
Another letter from Mrs. t. dated Feb. 20, 1865
TO Tilton, says how glad she would be to have
him home again with her. In a letter of March
s, 1868, she says to him she never saw her path as
clear as she saw it now, and whatever he should
do she would act as Christian and mother.
Notwithstanding his promise in January p, Iheo-
dore Tilton in 1869 and 1870 was forgetting his
good resolves and falling back to his old habits.
Tilton then feared Beecher's power and he was
continually disparaging Beecher In 1868 new
paper was started in New York, called the Church
Union, and in 1870 Mr.. Beecher becrme its editor.
The rapid increase Of this paper alarmed both
Bowen and Tilton, and the latter's views became
mlder. In 1870 rumors Of Tilton's immortality
reached Bowen's ears, and the details of the VIM
stead affair; The young lady was no mere child,
as he says, but was larger women than Mrs. L.
This reached Bowcns ears, and there also ap-
peared in the New York papers a report that Ill
ton was gong TO elope. 1t was these stories that
caused Bowen TO desire his dismissal, eliminating
in the publication Of au editorial in the lndepend-
ent which committed the paper TO the doctrines Of
free love.
Mr.. Tracy went on TO state the trouble between
Bowen and Tilton, and to argue that the first
charge against Mr.. Beecher arose in connection
with these troubles. Some time before the hour
Of adjournment Mr. Tracy found that an accident
had happened to his notes and he was obliged 10
suspend till tomorrow
THE RElLNJE RfLL.
The following is the text Of tic bill Is it passed
the House