New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-05-20
Mr. BOWEN And TIE SCANDAL SUIT

LETTER FROM TIE REV. DR. LEONARD BACON
"MR. BOwEN's POSITION NEEDS EXPLANATION"
To the Edftor OF Thc Tribune.
SIR: In areported " interview" Mr HcnryC Bower
is represented as claiming that On distinction FROM
my son, the Rev. George b. Bacon) am "a personal
friend of HIS and saying, in confirmation of that
claim, that am "a regular contributor to The Indc
pendent" He ought not to be held responsible fora
representation made by an interviewer" Yet
nasmuch as the representation has been made in
circumstances which give il more significance thar
would otherwise belong TO it, may be allowed
offer word of explanation without implying that hi
has said Just what the interviewer mputes to lin
My explanation is this. Mr.. Bowen must not
sumo, nor may it be assumed in his behalf. that every
man who contributes to The Independent is in AM
special sense his personal friend" or becomes il
any way responsible for him. | profess to DO
friend of mankind / am not an enemy OF Mr.
Bowen; and am not in any relations of hostility will
him. But when send an article TO The Independent
for publication, do it not as an act OF frlendshpt
the proprietor, nor Is testimony to his moral char
acter nor as anything else than n business trans
action" Mr.. Bowen is not ignorant of the current
maxim that business is business" When he buy
paper he does not mean to imply that the paper
maker is a representative Congregationalist. Whei
he prints advertisements of quack medicines, ht
or his family with the nosrums which he advertiscs
So when write for the press ask myself what
journals will pay me for my labor, and through
which of them can hope to reach the largest mum
Der Of those readers whom l want to influence
Sometimes contribute TO The Independent; some
times to The Christian Union, and sometimes to Other
journals never as giving my testimony i'll favor OF
the proprietors or the editors, nor as approving
everything they publish, but always for other rea-
sons such as have indicated. And lest be msun.
derstood let me say that, in my opinion tho journal
of which Mr. Bowen il proprietor has greatly i'm
proved in all the qualities of good newspaper since
it ceased to be the vehicle Of Mr. Tfton's democrat
ling foes and especially since the present editors
began to guide it; Yet must confess that am ny
no means a constant reader of it, and my commenda-
ton must not be taken for more than 1t Is worth.
1t may be that esteem it more highly as compared
with some other journals because seeing less OF 1t.
have less occasion to find fault with it.
And now, while we are waiting for the verdict"
there is something to be said about Mr.. Bowens
connection with the great scandal. He permits tho
public to believe that he is in possession OF some
great secret which he will not tell save under tho
coercion of law, and which neither party dares 70
call for. Is there any such secretf HOW easy -
would be for him TO say III no can say II truiyI
believe Mr.. Beecher to BE- pure and upright "''n'
and know nothing which ought to impair any "'""
confidence in him." Why has he not saio q" 70"
anybody wonder that those who nave u,nsnaN'.
faith in Mr. Beechcr have little fath IN MI oo"eh'
But. on the other hand how much cohnuehcc can
,hey who heIeye that Mr. Beecher is a thoroughly
had man have in the man who, as they also believe.
has been for years conniying at his pastors guilt
cannot but think that Mr.. Bowen's position needs
explanation. LEoNAhp pAcoS'
Ye,e- Haren, May Is, 1873.