New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-06-10


Beecher Indianapolis will furnish some very instructive
If not entertaining reading to my learned fiend' Mr.
Porter upon this subject A new announcements Vi
emotion a new revelation Of our emotional nature, Is
made In the speeOh of Mr.. Porter.
MRS. TILTONS RECENT ATTITUDE TOWARD
HER HUSBAND.
I had occasion to say, gentlemen, in the
commencement of this litigation that it would DO the
happest event that could in the history OF this
mournful drama II Theodore TiltOn and MS ADVISERS
could be satisfied by that kind OF proof when shoud
satisfy the Judgment of intelligent men, that his vile
loved him with hor early devotion and with her early
purity. No contamination Of this case could be moro
grateful, to my client and to those who aid him in the
assertion of his rights upon this trial. But Mr. Porter
gives us the assurance that she does love MIN,
and produces the singular antithesis expressed
ii this language: at Is ono OF the tnihgs
which seems to me marvellous IN the sight OF
man. and only explanabe when we shall be able
to look at It with the light that comes from Omniscence
that woman" referring to Mrs. TtOnl oathing this
man az she does" referring to Mr. Tton to this hour
loves him as I have a woman love man yet
I: strangest anomaly that have ever witnessed IN
the whole course of my lfethe most idolatrous sup
pose he tho love"the most idoatrous love ana
most abject" Well that is seemingly an frreconcable
inconsistency that Mrs. Tton should at once love and
loath her husband. That that love and loathing
should be expressed by the conduct which she
has pursued and by the position which she mas
assumed in this controversy, and that any
human being should assert to Intelligent and
feeling men that that woman still loves the husband
of her early youth and the father of her Children at the
same time oonfessng that she osths him with bitter
and utter oathng Is Of the most remarkable exhi
billions have witnessed 1t seems to me II this lady
had been left to the impulses and instincts OF her better
nature the forgiveness which covered her sin In 1870,
and the love and chastity which took her again TO the
bosom Of husbund If the policy Of protection OF the
wife had produced its just and legitimate and affection
alto influence upon nature II she had been true to the
policy of forgiveness and SILENCE which her nus
band followed. Of these sad consequences would
have been exhibited to this jury to-day. 1t was only
when msed and deceived, after all this life OF charity
and love toward this woman upon the part OF Theodore
Tton-it only when she was seduced from the home
which she had dshonored but which her husband had re-
built it was only when she led from the sancy and
protection of husbands love and husbands homo to
appear open of that husband and as the
defender and indicator Of seducert only then
that all hope Of concealmen:, all effort at senoe all de-
sire to keep the scandaous mass OF wrong and
guilt and sin and lying from the community was
given I'D The instant Elizabeth Tlton passed over the
threshold of her house. fugitive from it. and allied her
self to the fortunes OF Henry Ward Beeche 1t was only
then that the policy Of silence which Mr. Beccher says
should have succeeded, failed. Every eye saw, every
tongue this jury Of the vcnage confessed that there
must necessarily be an investigation-an impartial,
searching judoious Investigation. The moment Mrs.
Ton forever left her husband and assumed an attitude
of antagonism toward him, that moment conflict, con-
test disclosure inevitable, and they followed And
who responsible for 1T That question Will endeavor
to answer hereafter. But whoever Is responsible has
mighty weight Of responsibility to carry 1t Is not the
loss of time though that may be serious enough 1t Is
the interruption to your ordinary avocatons or to
the common pursuits of this court Of Justice isn0t that
that accumuates the amount Of sacrifice caused by this
trial It Generalization OF the public sense IL Is the
extended and profound interest which felt in this case
and all its unpromising and unattractive features IL
is that the Christian ministry deled 1t Is that the
wicked SCOT at Christianity and at the pulpit 1t Is that
however you may determine this case Mr. Porter says
there is jury Of intelligence equal to yours and OF
power beyond yours sitting this case, trying you and
trying this court There no end to this unfortunate
trial There isno end to any modification OF Its con-
SEQUENCES Even Mr. Beecher be innocent II he should
be declared innocent he take his stand in the
pulpit the same grand heroic character OF old Ho Is
shorn of his power good to very great extent He
Is sulied and damaged. Though you pronounce him
guilty, though you vlndicate MIR. Tlton, 1t
does not repair the injury he has suffered.
That broken home cannot be reconstructed and re-
united The stain and shame which have settled upon
that household can never be lifted Those children pure
and innocent and attractive must suffer still. And re-
peat the man. who in his folly in his recklessness
has forced this and these consequences to the COM
munity and to the individual has assumed mighty re-
sponsiblity.
And you with equal responsibility forced upon you,
you stand In attitude Of equal prominence and Of
equal power and responsibility And you cannot gentle
men-whatever my friend Porter may say on that sub
ject or anybody eseyOu cannot shift that responsible
ity. Nor, Ia 1t In your power, however faithful
to the law and to your cOnsciences, and to
the intelligence Of this case, you may be-,
you never interrupt the light which the evidence
In this has thrown upon the public mind nor can
you stay the judgment to which that light will lead
You may lead to crtcise your motives and the re-
suits Of your deliberations. You may gather around the
administration Of justice doubts and aspersions OF its
uprghtness and integrity you may attract tho criticism
OF the press and public opinion but You cannot change
it. And the for engaged in manly and an
intelligent examination OF this Is to do our respect
i've duties fairly and neigcnty and honestly and leave
consequences themselves The who does his duty
is above consequences Resting upon its conscientious
discharge he is fearless In the light Of all criticism or &C
cusation.
Well regret that my learned friend had not given
some better evidence OF the love Of Mrs. TtOn. am
sorry that discern through her associations
with this It's trialthat cannot sec from the
attitude which In regard to it, the tendency
of her affections that cannot perceive In anything
which she does anything which she says in any
laton which she assumes this case that there any
thing else bat the most idoatrous devotion to Henry
Ward Beecher and his All gentlemen. 1t throws
light 1t throws light upon the main issues yon are to de-
eide II there something else and somebody
else beside Bessie Turner to contradict all the
evidences and testimonials OF uprighness and
honesty and selfsacrince which Henry Ward Beecher
gives to Titon and to Moulton II, upon this evidence
there was any adequate proceeding from
Theodore Tton in cruelty In outrage, in wrong upon
that wife, might feel inclination to forgive the 20
stion she takes But where IN all the Developments
Of this trial. when through the series Of years through