The New York herald., 1875-02-08
West, MOultOn and TiltOn the Three Chief
Witnesses for the Plaintiff.
THE ELIZABETH AND THEODORE LETTERS.
How this Mass of AmatOry Correspondence,
Furnished by the Plaintiff, Is Used
by the Defence.
THE ENCE UTLINED

9umOrl3t WOulu nave calleO u sweet DOOn"
Not that the days languidy spent nor TOO
completely occupied. Not Catharine OF Arragon
NOR Queen Caroline nor warren Hastings we're more
sumpiuously tried. II Is the dignifed hour OF
eleven before Court is called but that barely allows
uptowp New Yorkers time TO breakfast and cross
she ierry; and then at one the conflict ceases and
there are cries In the court room OF "Nice 'am
sandwichesi Frled Hoystersp At four the crier
makes proclamation that the jury is about to re-
tire. Then after hvtle caucusing the plantin
and defendant, lawyers spectators and Judge take
their departure through black file OF auditors
drawn up In the darkened loDbies Outside the
cOuri house every fair day at four great
multitude is drawn up in the public
streets. The OBJECT OF observation Is, or
course Mrs. Tton. Beecher comes next
IN notoriety, with his wife. Then T1lton draws
his modicum OF attention. Lastly the Judge and
the lawyers extort notice and criticism. In every
new relation OF man special new interest at
tacnes TO him. Mr.. Beecher, widely known
before, to his countrymen as Greeley or Joe JEFF
lerson, stands now IN wholly new position, and
those who had read Norwood" or the "Star
Papersn and heard him preach a lecture, come
again, responsive to the accusations against him,
TO II there be any proofs Of these blemshes on
his exterior. Tilton was never widely known. in
the reality or that term-that Is, he was known,
bur not to the outer multitude. He was men.
stoned, but not famed. There was q glimmer OF
him, ana to his circle he was plain portrait; but
tne recognition which arrives after years OF the
highest performances he has never obtained, and
even now, magnined by his relation to mis- tower
ing adversary In this scandal, he is thin and
vapory being To edit weekly religious news
paper lecture through the country in the winter,
make some clever poems and have an incidental
relation to polemics and politics cannot give that
rank which Mr.. Beecher has won as the pulpit
spirit OF emancipation, personal friend and pee
OF Lincoln, Chase. sumner and Seward, and am
bassador to the people OF England to neutralize
the people OF that country by his eloquence,
and finally. at the close OF the war,
selected TO raise the nag that was hauled down
by MAJOR Anderson. When the small-beer poet
Greene arraigned Shakespeare, when Cnatterton
defed Walpole. when Rochelort challenged Theirs,
mankind had something OF the parallel which ap.
pears TO the great multitude at Titon matching
Beecher. And nothing but the quality Of the crime
charged upon the great defendant could nave so
speedily raised the plaintiff to an equality Of no
torlety.
OF course In the nearest circle OF critics there
are some who outweigh Beecher with TIL
ton, bur this is rather an intrinsic
than an extrnsic study. There are
some who think that Tilton's logic Is
more sound; his English purer, If less copious;
purpose bold, with less sel-indulgence At least
TWO of Tltons lawyers say that he is one Of the
most remarkable men In hbre and OF will they
have ever known. But then again there are tens
OF thousands who have no sympathy with Mr.. IT,
toms prominence and regard 1t as mere forward
ness, and believe he is one OF the mere ducklings
OF Beecher, foolishiy experimenting on the wide
pond where his patron has SO long been power.
TO others the very nature OF this complaint Is 2
testimonial 10 Beecner.
''Look,n they say, Eat Tito n, under forty years
OF age, asking the protection OF court to
keep a person a quarter OF a century his senior
from taking his wiie's affections. With all the
yostn, tall beauty, ambrosial locks, pomade,
poetry and assumption OF Theodore, be puts it on
record that MIR. Beecher had out TO come into
MS household ano ana write svey. @ o,0 n pso
would De more natural Let the tall young
man OF thlrty,nine be arralgned as the
require the damages. But this illustration could
not be patented, because 11lton In tue bar would
ii found guilty OF the offence the great pastor Will
leave in the court that portion OF his lame which
Is necessary TO all the rest. Ii Is the nobility OF
his sentiments which requires that their sincerity
, should also be proved under this complaint.
THREE ''GRAcEs.n
Mr.. Tilton has been one three important wit
nesses IN TINS cause up TO the present time. The
nrst was Frank Mouton; the second Mr. West,
are all three young men. West somewhat junior Of
the other two. West was something OF mutual
friend, like Moulton-that Is, his admiration Tor
his pastor and his devotion to religious principles
led him TO take a middle ground and demand that
both be vndcated from the prevailing asper-
sions. lie declined TO take Mr. Beecher's Judgment
IN = matter oil morals, and insisted that Theodore
Tilton De disciplined, mucn against Mr.. Beecher's
desire He therefore made q series OF charges
against TIlton, which would nave put the latter
out OF the Jurisdiction or the church but for his
personal appearance, where, meeting MIR. Beecher
lace TO face r1ton was excused or pacided and
the whole matter quashed IL Is said tnat after this
Mr.. Beecher looked askant at West as being too
Officious, and that the latter had grown lukewarm
in the church. Mr.. West attested oy his appear.
nto and innft die
action led TO one important feature IN the
case-namely, the refusal OF the church to COM
MS own request. Unfatnomaple mysJery over
hangs all this portion OF the case The long Sc.
90 much anguish, lies back in the ecclesiastical
records and traditions OF Brooklyn: ike the secret
behind the man in the iron mask. the archives
1his ira BY the pIainLln on the allega,
a showing for Mr.. Beecher's innocence. but
the defence has all along replied that these rec.
ords, not oeing their property, must be obtained
At the expense ana by the labor OF the plaintiff
Perhaps never TIL the hereafter, wnen Stors.
Budington, Bacon and others write their me-
molrs shall IL De known what Ministerial intrgues
were accessory 10 TINS trial. There Is Deef
amo ng some clear-headed folks OF Brooklyn mat
the plantin luton operated for some time
through other ministers TO BRING Mr.. Beecner
70 the bar, ana that they procured Or.
Bacon TO preslde at q triaI OF Pymontn
Mr. Beecher, his age ana temper being now
ductie and on the decline ana encouraged TO
kahe nttlux instant 10 NlIJlCdJe MI. beecEer Ia
order InaT the latter might get the laugh his
1nquls1tors. To make IL snort, some Brookynites
say Storrs, Buddington and others sent for DR..
Bacon 10 preside at an ecclesIasucal council Of
their own getting up; tnat Beecher used Plymouth
church TO bun the council that DR.. Bacon
then decoyed TO relieve Mr.. Beecher BY denOunclng
Tilton, thus throwing the weight OF the mead )f
the council IN favor OF Beecner's character, and
that tnis IIuJ pas brought on the Bacon letter,
thc storrs committee, and. dnally tins trial.
Mr.. Vests appearance as witness In the case
connects these church intrlgues with the civn
auIt. The Congregational churches OF Brooklyn
are disnclined at present 10 receive members
from Plymouth oy certihcate mere Is vast oit-
terneSs under the surface Of church society,
utterly irrespective OF any feeling Tor Tflton. The
Storrs letter not helped 70 allay this. during
tne trial only Edward Beecher, amongst clergy
men. has appeared at his brothers. side. ON sew
eral occasions clergymen nave come into
court and Brother Caldwel has been prompt
10 invite them to the good seaB be-
hind brother Beecher, but it has appeared