The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1875-08-11

AsOuR readers are aware, Mr., Thomas
G. Shearman, the "iamous familiar Of
Henry Ward Bccchcr in the late trial,
rlhe lawyer who would not accept iec)
went to Europe Immediately after the
trial ended in order to recruit his ex-
haustcd vitality. lie has already aC.
quircd considerable notoricty abroad in
connection with speech that he made
at the City Temple in London on the 22l
Of last month. The occasion was his
attendance upon religious worship at the
place named, when, at the clo.c Of thcscr.
vicc., the clcrgymcn announced Mr.,
Shcarmans presence, and added that he
would remain after the bcncdiction
and furnish any information ~ To the
American scandal case which those
present might desire To obtain. \ con.
siderable portion OF the congregation
ayailcd themselves Of the invitation, and
Mr.. ShearmNn was duly introduced, lie
declared his Thorough personal knowledge
Of all the facts concerning Mr., l'cccher's
relations to the Tlton family, and his
absolute confidence in that Clergyman's
innocence. lie took occasion to freely
express his opinion Of MOultOn, and the
public are pretty we'll aware what that
opinioni. il. lie also explained his theory
of the jury's disagreement, and then
made, according to the Tdcgnphs report,
this remarkable statement
lie next went on to place before the
meeting the American kissing customs,
and showed that It was the common prac-
tice for gentlemen and clergymen to ktss
the wives Of their intimate friends, and
claimed for Mr.. Beecher what we should
call the credit OF being less given to this
familiarity than the clergy generally.
But on Tiltons request he had renewed
this practice with Mrs. Tilton subsequent
to her marriage.
This portion Of his speech il thus re-
ported by the London Tines
"Mr. Shcarman referred to an impress.
sion which he thought existed in Eng
that Mr.. Beecher had admitted some i'm.
proprieties.' This he entirely denied,
unless It was an improperly In Mr..
Beecher to kiss, on a few occasions, lady
whom he had known from childhood in.
timately, whose husband constantly kissed
Mr.. Beecher himself and expressly desired
his wife to kiss him. II such things were
necessarily wrong, no doubt Mr.. Beecher
was wrong, but, II 20, vast proportion Of
American society must be condemned, for
Mr.. Beecher was really more cautious in
his relations with ladies thus brought up
in his Church, and looking upon him aS
father, than was usual among the clergy
in America"
Mr.. Sherman Is apparently willing to
propitintc public sentiment in England
in favor Of Mr.. Beecher nt any expense
whatever to the character Of American
clergymen They will not thank him for
such a defence Of his patron Saint-even
those Of them, that, like himself, look up
to Mr.. Beecher as the great pulpit light
Of the country, and Of the century. To.
show how the English look upon Mr..
Shcrmun's apology we append the follow.
ing extract in regard to ii from the PdH
Mall Gazette. That paper speaks Of ii
thus:
Itis,itnppears,in Brooklyn the common
practice for gentlemen and Clergymen to
kia the wives Of their intimate friends.
Mr.. Beecher, indeed, with that innocence
which Is now recognized nV his chief
characteristic, was less given to this pleas
ant pastime than the generality Of the
clergy, and ii waS only nt Mr.. TilIon'.
particular request that he recommended
with Mrs. Tiion the bencdiCtiOns he had
Discontinued when she married. 1t Is
not, unfortunately, a wholly unhenrd Of
thing in this country for man to kiss
the vile Of his intimate friend, but the
practice does not bring any balm to the
husbands bosom. II wives OF the United
Statcsarc regarded from Mr. Shearman's
point Of view, II can, Of course, matter
little to a husband II not only the clergy.
men, but the Clerk aud Church wardens
to boot, are in the habit Of kissing his
wife. For Mr. Shcarmin tells us that he
loves Mr. BccchcT more than any human
being; his wife he love-; his friends are
very dear to him, hut none on earth take
40 high place in his heart IA Mr.. Beech.
cr' When man hpllI such sentiments
HE jealousy ywill only be aroused when he
catches a stranger ki1,ing M, HE wife,
L L Z