The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1884-10-14
BEECHER'S RECORD.
Review of His Course Which Tells Why
He Is for Cleveland.

Review of His Course Which Tells Why
He Is for Cleveland.
H. j. Ramsdel. in Philadelphia Press.
The present is not the first time that Mr.
Beecher deserted the Republican party. He went
over to johnson after the death of Lincoln, and
when the whole Republican party was agbast at
the course of Mr.. johnson. For this he was
severely taken to task by Mr.. Triton, in the In
dependent, who said among other things;
But, under the spell of an unhappy blindness which
has rested on his eyes for year past he has done
injury to the American Republic than has been
done by any other citizen except Andrew johnson.
We had secretly cherished the conviction that Mr..
Beeeher, during his last few months of silence
corning public affairs, had been a sad and thoughtful
We could not force mind to the belief that in the
great civil struggle of the approaching autumn the
minister of Plymouth Church would be found on the
side of Clement L. Vallandigham the pirate Semmes,
and the murderers of New Orleans.
Mr.. Beecher is in the same position to-day, and
in the same party.
In February, 1872, Mr. Beecher wrote a long
letter to Mrs. Tilton. 1 only give an extract:
My vacation was profitable. 1 came back hoping
that the bitterness of death past But S troub
les brought back the cloud with suffer-
ing. But chronic evils require chronic remedies. If
my destruction would place him (Theodore) all right
that shall not stand in the way. ] am willing to step
down and out. No one can snffer more than that
clearly your way to his safety and happiness
thereby don't think anything would be gained by
it. should be destroyed but he would not be saved
E. (Elizabeth) and the children would have their flu
ture clouded In point of view desire the sacri-
fee my part.
Comment on such letters is not necessary. L
only give the extracts that the people to whom
Beecher is writing may not forget the char
acter of the man who assumes to be better now
than the rest of the Republican party. 1t should
not be forgotten that we owe Mr. Beecher some
thing of debt. He did good service for us in
England at the request of Mr.. Lincoln early in
the war, and he gave our language such popular
phrases as ''nesU-hiding," ''step down and out "
1.-THE ragged edge" and ''the true inwardness. -
l take the following from the ragged edge" let
ter
Nothing can be so bad the horror of great dark
ness, in which l spend much of my time. look upon
death as sweeterfaced than any friend have in the
world. Life would be pleasant if l could that re
built that is shattered But to live the sharp and
ragged edge of anxiety, remorse, fear, despair, and
yet put all the appearance of serenity and hap
piness, cannot be endured much longer.
This is remorse if the English language is
capable of describing it. What is remorse? Mr.
Webster says it is ''the keen pain of anguish ex-
cited by a sense of guilt; compunctlOn of con
science for a crime committed, and this is quite
different in its significance from regret Are
these letters from one whose presence, dear
reader, you would encourage in your family of
daughtersl Later, Mr. Beecher wrote again to
Mr. Titon: ''No one." said he, ''can ever know
none but God, through what dreary wilderness
| have wandered. There was Mt. Sinai, there
was the barren sand and there the alterna-
lions Of hope and despair that marked the pill
grimage of old. If only it might lead to the
promised land--or, like Moses, shall | die on the
borderl" So many of Mr.. Boecher's utterances
at this time indicate thought of suicide. No
wonder he is for Cleveland