, 1878-04-20
GEN ERAL NEWS.

l.
Mr.. IRA 3. WHEELER Dear Sir:
A few weeks since, after long months
of mental anguish, | told, as You
know, few friends. whom l had
bitterly deceived, that tie charge
brought by my husband of adultery
between myself and Rev. Henry
Ward Beecher was true, and that the
lie 7 had lived SO we'll the last four
wears had become intolerable to ne.
That statement now solemnly re
affirm. and leave the truth with God,
to whom also 1 commit myself, my
children and all who must suffer.
I know full we'll the explanations
that will be sought by many for this
acknowledgment, desire to return
to my husband, insanity, mallce,
everything save the true and only
one--my quickened conscience. and
a sense of what is due to the cause
of truth and justice. During all the
complications Of these years you
have been my confidential friend,
and therefore [ address this letter to
you, authorizing and requesting you
to secure its publication.
(Signed) ELIZABETH r. TnToN.
BROOKLYN, April Is, 1878.
WASHINGTON, April ia com
promise was effected TO day between
opposing interests in regard to the
Northern Pacific bill recently re
ported from the senate railroad com
mittee aud the proposition framed
by the Northern Pacific Co. which is
now before the senate public lands
committee. Both bills are to be
placed in the hands of the senate
railroad committee, and substitute
reported shortly which will secure
the earnest cooperation Of the en-
tire Oregon delegation and the
Northern Pacific Company. It viii
provide for the speedy opening Of
the Columbia river by the construc
tion of a railroad around the Cas-
cades within two years and around
the Dalles within two and onehalf
years. The proposition for the
transfer to the Portland, Salt Lake
and South Pass company of an
amount of lands equal to those here
tofore granted to the Northern Paci
fic for the abandoned branch across
the Cascade mountains is to be re-
ported as q separate bill.
Failure of the Northern Pacific to
comply with the conditions as to
construction of portage roads at
Cascades and Dalles within the time
specified is to forfeit the grant
along the Columbia to the Portland,
Salt Lake and South Pass Compa-
ny, which shall commence construc-
tion of the road at Portland within
three months after such failure; the
road between Portland and Umatil-
la is to be opened for common use
of both, Lands are to be thrown
open for immediate settlement in
quantities not exceeding one hun
dred and sixty acres to each settler
at $2.5 SO an acre along the whole line
of the proposed road.
By a vote, 81 to 6, the senate pass
ed the bill to repeal the bankrupt
law.
Sargent to-day introduced bill
providing that all persons who de-
serted from the army in the terrific
ry of Oregon and California between
the date of the discovery Of gold and
the close of the year 1913 shall be
relieved Of all penalties except their
forfeiture of any pay and allowances
that might have been due them.
PETALUMA, April 15.--The Work
ingmen's ticket carried the election
to-day, excepting two Of the city
trustees. There is considerable ex-
citement here tonight.
New York, April 16-M-. Beecher
was out of the city when Mrs. Tilton's
letter was made public ard his wherea--
bouts was not known save to few
friends. The Tribune telegraphed him
copy Of the letter at a late hour to-
night and received the following dis
patch in reply:
WAvERLY. N. Y. April Is, 1878.
To Editor N 7. Trbiune-I confront
Mrs. Tilton's confession with explicit
and absolute denial The testimony to
her own innocence ard mine which for
four years she had made to hundreds in
private ard public. before the court IL
writing and orally, declare to be true,
and Che allegations now made in contra
diction of her uniform solemn and un-
varying statement, hitherto made. l
utterly deny. declare her to be limo,
cent of the great transcresnion.