The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-12


| fly to the facts upon which he founded his
opinion of Mr.. Beecher's guilt, and declar-
ing that in case of his persistent refusal
the committee would deem him "to be the
sole author of the calumnies which he had
published, and would report his case to the
church for such action as may be wise and
just" Mr. Bowen was accompanied by
DR.. Ward of the Independent and Henry
+. and Edward A. Bowen and steno.
grapher. The latter was not permitted to
remain. Mr.. Bowen submitted the follow
ing statement
MR.. BOwEN's PROPOSITION
BROOKLYN, February 10.
To the examining committee of Ply
mouth church-Gentlemen: Your commu-
| nication Of February 8, received yesterday,
informs me that your committee are clear
| ly of opinion that this offense, charged in
| Mr.. Whites grievances, now exists in
more aggravated form, and further add
that l have, without pretending to have
| personal knowledge, made infamous allie
cations and insinuations against the pastor
of Plymouth church. 1t is plain that you
herein indorse Mr.. Whites grievances and
add to them a further charge of your own.
Indeed, while assuming to sit as a primary
| judicial body which can only receive
charges made by others and decide upon
them, you assume the function of plaintiff
or prosecuting attorney. / hesitate to char
acterize, as it seems to me to deserve, the
position of court which, before beginning
its trial, assumes my guilt and decides
against me. 1t may well be questioned
whether such is "proper tribunal"
might also justly protest against your ac-
ton in summoning me before your bar
without serving upon me. according to i'm.
memorial usage, the distinctly formulative
charges with the specifications on which |
am to be tried. \ on tell me that am on
trial, and inform me you have already pre-
| judged my case, hut leave me TO Gull out
here and there from your letter the charges
on which you have first convicted and now
wish to try me. This does not appear to
me to better the position that would be
taken by proper tribunal" | might
further quietly protest against your preci-
| pitancy 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. We're
Presbyterian, / should be al
lowed at least one days notice, af-
ter being summoned TO appear, in which
| to prepare my answer and collect the testi-
mOny in my defense think that nothing
less than this simple justice would be
| allowed by any 'proper tribunal" | do
| not, however, care to take advantage of
what appears to me to be your unfairness
| or your irregularity of procedure, so as in
| any way to avoid all the investigation
which you may DIES re. Indeed, | would
| assist you to make it more thorough and
conclusive. Therefore now appear before
you to make proposition which will, !
trust, please you as providing for more
| complete Investigation than could be made
before a committee constituted rs yours is
You will remember that, in referring to
portion of the evidence which had led me
| to an unfavorable judgment of the pastor
of Plymouth church, | said, 81 never can
or will be base enough to allow single
name to be bruited before the world 1t
is almost certain that the questions which
might be asked before your committee
would lead to the identification of the
names referred to, and to their being ulti
matelv brought before the public. To
this cannot consent, whatever may be the
consequences to me personally. Fearing,
therefore, lest an investigation before your
committee should be inevitably incom-
plete and unsatisfactory, propose that
three men within the Congregational body
be selected, distinguished for their wisdom
and impartialty, such for example, as
President Woolsey, President Asa ID.
Smith, President Fsirchild, Judge L4fay-
cite S. Foster, the Hon. Alpheus Hardy, or
the Hon. Julius II. Seelye, men in whose
decision the world will feel confidence, who
shall be pledged to keep all such evidence
annrpt hafnra whom only Mr. RapPbar
and myself shall appear with our witnesses
and before whom l will consent without
any reserve, whatever, and as soon as they
can meet, to give in full the evidence
which has led me to say that / have no
doubt Mr.. Beecher is guilty of adultery,
hypocrisy and perjury. | ask nothing
more than that they shall fully consider the
questions which you seem to have before
you, whether l deserve ecclesiastical CEN
sure for my previous silence in reference to
Mr.. Beecher, and whether | am now justi-
fled by the facts in my possession in max
ing what you call my ''infamous allega-
tions and insinuations" about him, made
in response to your own demand for re-
ply to Mr.. Whites grievances. am will.
ing to abide by the censure or approval of
such body of men, if Mr.. Beecher and
Plymouth church will also submit to this
ueClelou IedlllTul everything nave
stated about Henry Ward Beecher in my
previous communication to yol, and am
ready to substantiate it before such tribu-
nal. Very respectfully,
HENRY c. Bowen.
THE PROPOSITION REJECTED.
When Mr.. Bowen concluded the reading
Of his statement, Clerk Tilney said they
were not there to listen to suggestions
from him. The committee they considered
to be the proper tribunal to act in his case,
and they would ask him to repeat all the
facts known to him about the pastor.
Mr.. Bowen reiterated his proposition,
when Mr.. Blair moved that the committee
decline TO accept it, as this was not case
between Bowen and Beecher, but case
between Bowen and Plymouth church,
and should not be Withdrawn from the
church and carried before strangers.
After some remarks from Messrs. White,
Bowen and Bean, the latter's motion was
carried, whereupon Mr.. Bowen said 1t
seems that | am now on trial before you.
1t is not fair TO put me on trial without
serving on me charges and specifications,
and giving me sufficient notice. l am
ready to be put on trial, but | must insist
that it is utterly unjust TO summon me for
trial and expect me to answer with only "a
hours notice. | must have time to con-
suit documents. dates, memoranda and
witnesses. / must also request you, as
speedily as possible, to give me the formu.
lated charges and specifications on which
you bring me to trial, with the names of
witnesses, if any.
Mr.. Blair then read from Matthew 1919
to show that regular steps had been taken.
Mr.. Bowen replied that, in all other &C.
clesiastical organizations, ten days notice
was given, and in the courts twenty days.
He was ready at any moment to answer
any question which referred to the essen
tal facts only, but was not ready, then, for
formal trial. lie had been silent for years,