The Morning herald., 1876-02-11
BOWEN N-BERCHER.
MEbr1Na OF THE COMMITTEE

OF THE COMMITTEE.
Propssittpn and Elymouth
Church's ultimatuna.-A Referee 1
Trlal Net Favored BY tho 81 'i
0omsnittee Very In.
.5,ts. teresting Display
,gtaUs Of Cress Pur.
~ penes. ~ r ,rar
BROOKLYN, Feb. 1Q.-Another meeting of
he Examining Committee Of Plymouth
Church was held at Assistant Pastor Hal
liday's House this evening to hear the ex'
pected statement of Henry G. Bowen. There
were present Rev. c. P. Halliday, H. N.
s. v. White, Mr.. Robinson, Mr..
Blair, IMr. Tilnsy, Dr:: W. H. Ward, Henry
G. Bowen, C. a, Bowen and. two steno-
one for the Committee and one
for Bowen. The latter stenographer was
not allowed to remain, one being sufficient
for the Committed. Mr.. Tilney said:
Il Mr.. Bowen, we have called you tonight
to testify in gard to facts known to you
on which you made charges against Mr..
Beecher and we are now ready to hear you.
Mr.. Bowen here read the following state
ment:
BROOKLYN, February 10.
Tothe Examining Committee of Plymouth
=, Church s'' -s
= GENTLEMEN Your communication OF
February Sth, received yesterday, informs
me that your Committee are clearly OF the
opinion that the offence charged IN Mr.,
Whites grievances now exists In mos
aggravated form, and further add that !
have without pretending to have personal
knowledge made Infamous allegations. The
insinuations against the pastor Of Plymouth
church. 1t is plain you herein indorse Mr..
Whites grievances, and add to them further
charges of your own; indeed while assuming
ta sit in primary judicial box which,
can only receive charges made by others
and decide upon them, you, assume the
function of plaintiff or prosecuting attor=
torney.- hesitate to characterize 1t as it
seems to me to deserve the position OF
court, which, before beginning it's trial as
sumes my guilt and decides against me. 1t
may well be questioned whether such is
proper tribunn1. might also justly pre-
test against your action in summoping me
before your bar without serving upon me,
according to immemorial usage, the dis
tinctly formulated charges with speci6ca-
tions on which am to be tried. You tell
me am OH trial, and inform me you have
already prejudiced my case, leave me to
Gull out here and there from
your letter the charges on
which you have first convicted me, now
wish to try me. This does not appear to
me to be the position that would be taken
BY / proper tribunal. I might further just
" protest against your precipitancy in citing
me to appear for trial on but single days
notice. You will hardly assert that this
agrees with any civil or ecclesiastical usage:
Were Presbyterian should be allowed
at least ten days after being summoned to
appear, in which to prepare my answer and
collect the testimony in my defense.
think that nothing less than this simple
Justice would be allowed by any proper tri-
bunal. do not. however, care to take ad,
vantage Of what appears TO me to be your
unfairness or your irregularity OF proce-
dure, so Ii as in any way to
avoid all investigation which you
NAV desire, indeed / would assist you to
make it more thorough and conclusive.
therefore, now appear before you to make
p,opositiop which trust will please you,
providing for more complete investigation
than could be made before q committee
constituted as yours is. You viii remem-
ber, IN referring to a portion OF the evidence
which had led me to an unfavoraple yudg-
ment of the pastor OF Plymouth Churcn,
l said: II never can or will be base enough
to allow single name to he Druited oeiore
the world" i is almost certain tnat the
questions which might be asked before your
committee would lead to identification OF
names referred to and to their being uiti-
| rnately brought before the public. 10 ths
l cannot consent, whatever may De tne coh-
sequences to me personally. rearing,
| therefore, lest an investigation before your
committee should be inevitably incomplete
and unsatisfactory,sI propose that three
men within the Congregational BODY ne Sc,
lected, distinguihed for their wisdom, ano
impartiality;, such for example as fresl
dent Woolsey, President Asa u: smltn
President Fairchild, Judge Lafayett 3. fos
ter, the Hon. Altheus Hardy or Hon. 'uda.
| H. Seelye, men in whose decision the worio
will feel confidence; who shall be pleged te
keep all such evidence sacred; before whom
only Mr.. Beecher and myself shall appear
with our witnesses; and before whom VII
consent, without any reserve whatever, ano
as soon as they can meet, to give IN full tn9
evidence which has led me to say that
have no doubt Mr.. Beecher is guilty OF adul
try, perjury and hypocrisy. ask noSnlG9 a,g
more than that they shall fully consul.
or the questions which you seem 70 nsvt
before YOU whether deserve scclesiastica
censure for my previous silence IN relorense ;a'
to Mr.. Beschsr, and whether am now JIs
titled BY the facts in my possess'on,, N @ t;an.
| Ing what you call my infamous ailegst'Vhh. E ~.
about him. lam willing 70 naSy a6,e of ny MEN o h
SSr' NJ Reecher Fan and Plymouth church will slse
submit to their decision. reaffirm every
thinx I have stated about Henry Ward
Beecher IN INV previous communication u
| vou and I amready to substantiate 1t before
trihurol Varv ResDectfully,