New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-04-06
TIE ISSUE IN BROOKLYN.

We sec every day in our exchanges the hope
or the demand expressed that Mr.. Bcecher
will "prove his innocence beyond the shadow
"of a doubt" Sometimes this is the utter
ance of enemies, and sometimes of thought
less friends. 1t is an expression which
touches the very marrow Of the whole subject
of scandal. When a man of cOnspicuously
honorable life is accused of some infamous
crime, it is the habit of too many of bis
felow-creatIres to welcome the charges as
true until disprovcd, and to jump at the
chance of believing evil as long as they can
and it is too much the general fashion to
form sort Of ring about the accuser and the
accused TO look on impartially and sec fair
"playr between them. Many people do not
seem to see any unfairness i'll requiring man
to be always ready to defend himself against
calumny or conspiracy, and in giving to the
citizen and the assassin precisely the same
weapons, fair field and no favor.
We have sought to treat this Brooklyn trial
with perfect impartiality thus far and propose
to continue in that course to the end. Re-
spect for the Court as well as for natural
equity would permit no other course. But we
are violating neither law nor decorum in
recalling to our readers the question at issue.
Mr.. Beecher Is charged by Mr.. TiltOl, Mr.
Moulton and Mrs. Moultcn with revolving
crime. The only evidence against lin is the
word of these three witnesses who assert that
he confessed his crime to them, and his own
letters, which certainly need explanation. Tho
evidence of these three persons amounts to
little or nothing more than that Mr.. Beecher
confessed to them his guilt. If this stands,
he is destroyed. If this is invaldated, then
nothing more remains for Mr.. Beecher to do
than to explain his letters and his conduct in
this case, which he claims to be ready to do.
This consideration disposes at once of all
the nonsense which has been talked about
Mr. Tilton not being on trial. Dir. Tilton Is
on trial. and so is Mr.. MoultOn. Their credi-
bility is the precise point at issue. If it is
shown that their word or their oath is not
good against the word or the oath of another
witness, it is of the very essence of the case.
If Mr.. Titon says his home was an ideal home,
and that Mr.. Beecher alone destroyed it, it is
for Mr.. Bcecher's counsel to prove that his
home was not a happy one, ana that the cause
of its unhappiness was his own character
When he asserts that nothing but Mr..
Bcecher ever came between him and his
wife. il is the business of Mr. Beecher's coun-
sci to prove, if they can, that the marriage
bond was violated by Mr.. Tilton, and not by
bis wife. If they show that Mrs. Moulton's
evidence was false. they by so much invali-
date the testimony of her husband, and if
they succeed in establishing the fact Of the
conspiracy which they have charged upon
these witnesses, their evidence at once goes
Inv the board. and Mr.. Beecher has nothing
more To do with It,
There remains, then, the question whether
Mr.. Beecher satisfactorily explains to the jury
and to the world the letters which he has
written to his assailants, and his relations with
them during the last few years Upon this
their case must finally rest, and this they felt
when, after the signing of the trIpartitc cove
nant, they broke faith and kept these papers
for future use. Mr.. Beechcr's explanation of
them has made thus far q powerful impression
mon The crowd in the courtroom and
the hundreds of thousands who read
the testimony outside. If, as many
think, the evidence of Mr.. TiltOn and Mr.
Moulton has already been met and answered
by the contradiction of Mr.. Beecher. nothing
IL left to consider but the psychological qucs-
ton. what induced him to write the letters in
evidenced His work is now one of common
tary, and his word if it is logical and convinc-
ing is all the evidence required. But the main
question should not be distorted and turned
WONG side out. Ii is the business of Mr. Til
ton TO prove Mr.. Bcccher guilty, and not Mr..
Beecher's business to prove himself innocent.
If not proved guilty, we are bound by every
consideration of law, of ordinary justice, of
common decency, to hold him innocent.
RISSII IN ASH.