The Rutland daily globe. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1873-1877, 1876-02-22
The Advisory Council.


Mr.. Moulton this afternoon sent to Dr.
Leonard Bacon, as moderator Of Plymouth
advisory council, the following communi-
cation:
BROOKLYN, Feb. 81.
Rev. Leonard Bacon, ID. d., Moderator,
etc. Rev. Sir From the terms of the
letter missive, had not supposed your
reverend body was competent to consider
or determine question Of the guilt or in
nocence of Henry w. Beecher. The pro-
ceedings of the council show, however, that
l may possibly be mistaken In my con-
struction of the character of your authority
since Mr. Beecher was followed to intro
duce his own protestations of innocence.
and some coroborative declarations by his
adherents. Mr.. Beecher invoked the diety
and challenged mankind TO deny or dis
prove his innocense which defiant declara-
tons the council accepted with applause.
| send this communication to the council
simply to say that I am prepared to prove
Henry Ward Beecher guilty Of adultery
and perjury by evidence both oral and
documentary and that if allowed the op,
poriuDity of producing such proof before
the council. l fail to make good this assur-
ance, then l am willing to be discredted
and denounced by mankind as wretch,
devoid of truth and honor and unworthy
of human association.
Respectfully your obedient servant,
FRANCIS d. MouLToN.
Henry q. Bowen to-day addressed let
ter to Rev. Dr. Bacon, moderator, contra
dictory to the statements made to the coun-
Gil on Saturday. He says:
First-That Mr.. Beecher is reported as
saying Mr.. Bowen is maa of courage,
but he has not courage to look me 10 the
face, aud never had, and intimate any
moral mpurity in me, and he never did.
Bowen says it is false that he never dared
to meet him in this way, and in proof of
his assertion cites case of an attempt to
bring about private interview between
himself and Beecher in reference to the
alleged charges of moral impurity said to
have been made by the former against the
latter and that Mr.. Beecher said, "There
isn't force enough in Brooklyn to draw me
into private interview with Henry c.
Bowen
Bowen continues l was no more afraid
then to meet Beecher and to intimate moral
impurity to him than was in your pres
ence last Friday night, or than would
have been on occasions on which | have
been before the examining committee of
Plymouth church of which he is the chair
man had he seen fit to be present. Mr.
Beecher, as reported, said to the council,
speaking of his interview with me at Mr..
Freeland's house, 1.-THE great difficulty was
that being newly married he could not en-
dure that his wife should suppose that the
was under the ban of the pastor" This
statement is false and all differences that
Mr. Beecher draws from it. The meeting
at Mr.. Freeland's house was about the first
Of February, 1870 | was married in 1865
The secret session of the council this
afternoon lasted three hours The five
first committees presented full reports and
committee No. asked for an extension of
time, which WAS granted. The committee
to which was referred ex-Des. Vests COM
munication and other matters of like char
acter, also asked that the time be extended
as their report was not quite ready, their
request was granted.
Mr.. BE cher's son-in-law, Rev, Mr. SEQ
will, requested permission 10 withdraw
from the council, because, it is said, be
wished to take no part In the discussion
over committees reports.
The committees reports were received
with evident qualification, for a murmur of
approval ran through the house as they
were read. The committee to which was
referred the second question in the letter
missive, that relating to dropping mem
bers from the roll. presented majority
and a minority report, and it WAS thought
that they will be subject of long
and heated discussion, as the house
is said to be divided in regard to the ques-
ton which is as follows: "ln this rule or
in these practices is this church acting in
consistently with the word of God or the
principles of christian justice" No infor-
nation could be CLEANED in regard to Mr..
Bowen's communication. and the members
of the council professed to be in ignorance
of Frank Moulton's letter, Offering to pro-
duce proof of Beecher's guilt II they
were received by the moderator 1t 10 prob
able he gave them into the hands of the
business committee without presenting
them to the council. according to the rule
adopted in open session.