, 1875-07-04

this great trouhle has arisen. Even supposln
the worst to be true which has beea alleged il
this trial. it was her conscience and her truth
fulness which brought it to the knowledge o
her husband. II chs had smothe:ed her con
science and Kept silencs, the guilt which sh
is said to have confessed could never haV
been detected. At the very worst she is ths
victim OF her honest franEness; and as sh
made the confession On the condition TINT bel
husband should never arra,gn her seducor, ane
IS ho consented to receive tho confession or
that condition. and thought it cous;stent witt
his honor to live with her as q wife for lou
years afternard, no correct mind caa justify hin
IN putting her to shame By revealing the secret
AS man OF honor. he WINS bound t. sunder his
coDjuga relations ut once, or elae, having con-
dooad the offense to have forever LITER hold his
| peace. Ihere ia no pretenco On the part OIL
Tilton that the adultery WAS renewed after the
confession, and it was inexcusably lntainou3 for
him to bring it into exposure aid institute 8
| suit after an act of forgiveness ard fonr years
OF subsequent cohahitation. It is impossible
! for any honorable mind to foel sympathy WITH
Tlston, Or to resrst, on his account, that the
jury does not find a.. = verdict sainst Beecher.
In every view Tlton's coadlct IN bring
ing this suit is iofamous Hid he brought
it in 1870. Immediately after the alleged confes-
| sion, many would have justitiet him, not"1th-
standing tho pledge he made t. his wife before
receiving her statements. But, having forgiven
! her then, he bound himself tt subsequent 81
lence unlees she should repeat lpr ofeuse, which
is not pretended. Nobody, Therefore, can feel
| tuy regrets at the disappointment Of luton in
not getting verdict against tie invader OF bis
| home. In tho public jud Emau Tilton's WRONGS
! are not considered. the who'll interest OF tue
| case being centered in Mr. Becher. The only
point in which the millions whs have been watch
ing this case feel any interests the acquittal or
condemnation Of the Plymout pastor. Nobody
cares anything Tor Iilton. because. on every
principle which governs The conduct Of houor-
able men, he bound himself to everlasting si-
lence by continuing to live nth his Wlfe after
I her confession, unlass shs enewed her guilty
intercourse, aud he does not assezs that she did
| rencw it.
But tho just contempt u,'ch is felt for Til
! ton, ind his lne1cuBable baenesB IN bringing )
| forgiven offense into publicity, cannot afect the
| bearing Of these c1posurean the character OF
| Mr.. Deecher. It be ia guilty 1t ls monstrous
| insult to Christianity for him to continue to
preach, and it is unfortunae that tho jury can
| not agree in Acqutting hit. Tho failure OF the
! jury to vindicate him ,aves an ineffaceable
| stain on his character with can never be wiped
| ont. At best his innoonce ls not clear, but
doubtful; and ciergymn Of doubtful charac-
tor for moral purity isan eagle with clipped
seems probable, Mr.. Beeher will be, Tor tho
rest Of his life, under . dark and polluting
cloud. Plymouth Chuch NAV continue to
stand by him him tor nile, but his former Rs-
cendant moral inluene will wilt into con-
tempt. Tbs great aud rspectable denomination
Of Congregatioualists with which Plymouth
Church is connected cnnot afford to counte-
nance q church which sstains pastor Of doubt
full morals aud, if coucl Of that denomination
pronounces a sentenceof disfelowship against
Plymouth Church, it ill be cut OF from the
sympathy Of the rel.ious world. and must
wither like branch SEPARATED from its parent
tree. II tho CopgreationaliBts disfellowsaip
and cast off PlymoutlChurch, it will rest under
ban Of mora! condensation which will reduco
it to the condition Of mere place of ecclesias-
tical amusement. whos crowds may assemble to
witness the antics Of .d.sgracea pastor.
THE LESSONS oFTHE GREAT SCANDAL
Ph,ladphia 71nes.
Tho Tuton-Beache trial will be memorable
mainly as the great egal battle Of the age. It
will never be referr4 to as having established
single truth or dlssiated single falsohood. It
will DO ths text OF leal students for generations
to study the boundlss snuositias Of the law for
defeating justice nd there it's great lesson will
end. Ali its metohss eloquepcs will 60 for
naught save Is it callenges admiration because
it is matoh1ess. Tb great trial will tech moth
ing more in it's leal aspects, and it Will pass
into history as thenost brilliant failure record
cd in our Judicial .nnalR~ Stripped Of its over
sparkling but nending technical battles, |
what have We the frnits Of the great |
trial? Before itzeached the temple OF JUS !
tice, we had 3lr. .Tilton's statement. and Mr. |
Beecher's statesnt and Mr. Tlton's supple
mental statemen and a1r. Moulton's statement
aud Mr. Beechor statement before his church
Committee, andh1rs. Tilton's statement, and
Miss Proctor's Itatement, through = referee;
and with them Ne had Mr. Bcecher's letters
f. I'D
and Mrs. Morse letters, and food OF like dis /
gnssing lterat1o, ali Of which, even in their
eoftest touch, are aemart as lizards stings"
and like "bong screeon-owls" they "made
their concerts lll.'' And what mora have ne
now7 We I've had Beecher over again
under the solanity Of An oath, and VIC have
had T1lton reaBhed in Like nanner, and We
have had ss. Tlton in several dramatic
side scenes, I'd ne have Mouiton affirming !
Mouiton, and have Mrs. Moulton sustaining |
Mr. Moulson but it was the old, old story,
simply growir il vehemenca and recklassnesa
as the play prresscd until the sanctity Of an
oath seemed ffada into romance before Judge.
counsel witDses, and jurors Never before in
the history any great trial Was perjury go
Every poasib ground for mistake was coufess-
ed1y removetand bold blasphemy aud appalling
perjury ran ,s in the temple Of Justice. We
do not accus individuals in presenting this re-
T0ILIuE plEa0 u tuAbf uAk Lud luLeiIlK60E !
Judgment othe world is that no one side uas !
entirely blaeleas. It was thts horrible spectre
OF ssstemat aud unfaltering falsehood. m.in-
tanned uod solemn oath before the God Of |
truth, that rgt led the public to turn to the
fountains vence came these putrid streams to
spread thei fntid currents in the fairest and
holicat pas. They found not truth. but the !
most porte organization Of lying at the altar Of
iusiice anthose who sought to attain just
Judgment 3re compelled to look beyond all tho |
actors in + judicial farce. TO the causes and in
spirations hich brought them together in such
unnaturaEIife.
And turng from trial that had become but
. mocker,f both truth aud Justice, what safe
landmarkpave We to guide tho unbiased mind
to lust Hgtnent? This ls grave inquiry. II
Mr. Beech were but common man. he and his |
cause, vi all its bewildering scandals could be
decisions. He could stand or {
fall unnGed and unfelt. But Mr. Beechar ia !
the great. moral and social teacher OF his
gonerntit Since St. Paul taught, mona has i
eloauently, nor nodded tho {
convict4 add purposes Of such multitudes. :
The woTwill in the absence Of tho whole ]
truth, jge' mr. Beecher BY the measure Of his q
for it's suppression. Threo wit T
nesses fnd to-day aa they did the day the trial i
most conspicuous as sources Of the | t
hidden ID controlling facts bearing upon the c
guilt ohnocence Of Mr. Deecher. and their lips | '
arc stiIealcd Why the sullen and At times al c