New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1876-04-26
FR4NCIS D. MOULTON'S OFFER.

nE ASSERTS HIS DESIRE To SUBMIT TIE ISSUE WITH
MR. BKECnEE TO Az IMPARTIAL TRIBUNAL PRO
POSED AMENDMENT 10 MS CoMPLAlNr-NoMl-
nal DAMAGEs-rHE SELECTION OF JURY.
Francis ID. Moulton yesterday wrote a letter
to Mr. Boechcr In order, he says to bring forward an
ISSUE II possible to determine whether you ought to be
I'm the pulpit or ought he In prison II Is due To
social order tie well being OF tho community aud re-
gon which ia brought into contempt that you should
leayo the one or - into the other" Mr. MoultOn then
.ays You have made pretense, ever since calling To-
cetber tho Iuyc,gating Committee OF your church.
that you desired fair and full inYestga-
ton OF the charges against you; ana YET
knowing your guilt, you hayo awaited yourself OF
every expedent that your willy counsel could suggest
or your own ingenuity devise 10 cyade impartial Inquiry
and supprcss tho facts" As evidence OF this alleged
desire to eyade inquiry shown by Mr. Beecher Mr. Moul-
ton sets forth tho indictment procured against him FOR
libel on which noe proseqi was entered, and the de-
murrer submitted by Mr. Boechcrs lawyers In Mr. Moul-
toms suit for malicious prosecution Tho remainder OF
Mr. Mouton's letter IL IA follows:
You denirred to cludo investigation notwithstanding
from your pulpit you declared your Willingness hnd de-
sire to be tried before tribunal that coud compel VIII
nes,rs but not before foxes and wolves abiding 10
proposed council OF ministers You we're talking theh 10
an audience OF your choice, aud for effect They
honght you brave and cheercd you to the echo. They
believed you. did not, and 10 not now but propose
To hold YOU II can, 10 your own declaration
Ielng now desirous only Of submitting the Issue be.
tween to competent and impartial tribunal, ana
IeTp
10 avoid aud eyado 1t, submit tho following PROPOSE
tOns: A.,
IL ia not So offered now that by your perjury you caused
me TO indicted for libel for saying that you were hn
mdnltercr you then well knowing that what said was
true Waving all fOrmatcs, VIII go to trial upon THIS
issue alone. and Will agree that all witnesses shall oe
heard without technical objection VINO know anything
any fact tending TO prove mat issue elther OF ther
knowledge or by the statement Of either party con
cemcd In the double crime or any Othcr testimony tle
tribunal before which the trial Is had shall choose To
hear. -. - -,
SUIT which would perhaps be paid from the funds OF the
church. which ought To lie devoted To better uso tn
udrmnlfying you against the consequences or your
crimes will ask damages whatever, save the nOin
nal sum of dollar II the issue IA found In my faVOr
will submit this issue TO Jury summoned IN the Oui.
nary mode II you say 1t would be impossible o get
unpr udcod and intelligent Jury III the nsiia way
will tnat exPresient Woolsey OF Yale College
shall select the jury, Will leave Its selection To Geo:
C. Robinson OF Brooklyn, who was elected deacon OF
plymouth Church By reclamation, ana whom YOU de-
cared ON oath ON the witness stand TO DC OF ,e en
c-ent Of the earth or to any man those gentlemen can
neither OF these propositions Il satisfactory to you.
will name man, and you can another adthey TWO snn
agree upon third act rcforee under rule OF the
| court ,u, A.,
| Thomas q. Shcalman aud your brother Edward
| Beecher. shall select six men, ana VIII name TWO
men 10 select six others, neither you nor nor our
to object TO the men so ohOse anu inc
verdict majority be accepted by us Us the maj
| decision OF The case -. -,
think my propositions are not open TO any nya I hst
will settle the question whether you ought 10 DO III tue
| pulpit or IN the pententiary -, A.. c,,.
You need not ask why do not go before the CSmis
sion contryed by your parsans In and out OF the Adj
yisory Council. Tho issue now is dld you comh PEI,
jury did and my Tiio comm. ~ NJ. have "a deep
AN interest In the proper decision OF that question 49, you
have n my picked friends were to Institute uipuhn,
nd e 10 90 before t. Your picked friends have IN
sttutod such tribunal, and as properly ds'rus' Hs