The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-02-20
THE SCAN. MAG. OF THE AGE.


ring age of ours, nothing has created the pre-
found impression in its immediate neighbor
hood that the Beecher-Tilton trial has mad
in Brooklyn and in the North generally.
is quite Difficult. indeed for the ordinary mine
to comprehend fully why vas. community
composed of such heterogeneous materials
and of SO many diverse religious faiths, should
be SO violently exercised and diyided on q
mere case Of sean. mag, which has for Its
chief actors noted Journalist Of strongly
advanced views on the one hand, and on the
other the leading pulpit orator OF America.
But it is safe 70 say that the current of social
and religious life at the North was never SO
Agitated before and many long years hence
the trial of Beecher will stand forth IS the
most celebrated of all the causes celelrss Of
the century.
The facts of the case are well known to The
reading public, and SO rooted are the beliefs
of many as to the guilt or innocence Of the
accused that they will probably remain un-
shaken, despite the evidence yet to be taken
and the verdict still to be rendered. Indeed,
it is a matter of small moment what that YER
eACL budll De, buC0 IL Will utVeT uuTmOulZe
the present conflicting opinions.
Mr.. Beecher is charged with grave offense
against morals; with violation Of his pas. |
tcral vows, and, what is even more heinous
among gentlemen with betrayal of his
friends honor. To these charges the accused |
files general denial and when reminded of
certain extraordinary letters, statements and
agreements bearing his signature, he shrugs
his shoulders and pleads his excessively
emotional nature, which must not be limited
in its expression to the dry, matter of-fact
Language in use among ordinary. roortals.
In effect, the great preacher says, .Its all
So did write those remarkable confessions,
but did not mean what you think or what |
said. did admit that had wronged Tilton
as no man was ever wronged BEFORE but ;
meant something else. l did wish thatI were ,
dead, but that is my wayIof talking when
get excited. did get into shady situations
and shabby predicaments, (which I can't very
well explain, but l was badly frightened ,
and am coward anyhow-and sol am =
up the whole story. They are blackmailers z
and hardened villains, and am an unsuspect- !,
ing, guileless put upon individual" This is :
the defense. -z.... a..a :,
Now. we imagine, there is the least pos !
Ebe interest felt in this latitude for the fate ;,
of the persons involved in this suit. We :,
hardly care the value of a brass button .,
whether Beecher or Tilton wins. We are u
concerned merely as spectators, curious to =
watch the strange, abnormal developments of
social phenomena which are daily evolved 7
from the judicial inquiry; and we are alter
nately shocked and amused by the ludicrous
and disgusting features of the exhibition.
have had its counterpart in the South. Had ~
D similar exposure of social crime occurred
In any OF the communities lying below the
Potomac River, We are quite sure that it
would have had different termination, and
hat one or both of the principals would long be
'ince have "shufled off this mortal coil" eff
3ut the public sentiment of the North is be
verse to that mode of redressing wrongs of we
hat character, and we are content to allow tn
hem to dispose of the matter as suits them tb
,est.
But we cannot forget, that both Be echer CHI
nd Tilton have been the idols Of that politi- ag
al party which has worked woe and tn,
Vretchedness for this fair land of ours; that tbe
he one in the pulpit, and the other through VIII
ne press, have urged on war against the peo- ne,
lie OF this section; and that they have held loo
up to the gaze Of the word as systemati- In,
ally guilty of every crime in the Decalogue. ma
late, blind, malignant hate has blackened y
leir hearts; and we stand to day indebted the
IT many of the evils now distressing us to r;s,
he ability, zeal and persistence of these two his
'en In the same proportion that they dan
capped calumny upon US, they trumpeted on
broad their own virtues and claims to
lperior civilization. In one breath they q. .
the men of the South as slave ro,
rivers, rebels, red handed murderers. and in -
le next sounded their own praises in the NAV
ost harmonious tones.
WIZ w s0nei"''on' perhaps before the Cha
nth IS fully known about all the causes of II
Q late political differences between the two vb,
ctions; and when the future Macaulay sits was
wn to the task of unrayeling the tangled it W
e'n he VIII ma the amplest employment rgb
I wit, sarcasm and invective, as he probes T
Q thick coverings which have been indus Mo,
ously wrapped around the truth by our vic the
rious antagonists, and brings to light their to &
pocrisy and deceit, and the enormity of Of
cir crimes committed under the sacred afte
Use of religion and patriotism
We canfancy his feelings, as, delving among
usty archives he stumbles upon the bound w
,v yorL n o. "a iona
"a eyes the story of the man who was not 81
intent 70 preach to dozen mistresses stea
ory Sunday from his pulpit butmust needs deta
niger for the wife Of his friend; and who. sail
order to overcome the scruples of this fair A. NJ
Ifron of forty found fnll rsa G.,