Year: 1875

Having obtained from his hands the evidence
which he held against them, promise that the accusation
and the reacon should again be used the next thing
that have occurred these parties pursue this
interview and If they could obtain from Mr. Beecher
something authenticated by him which would give preext
to the accusation which Mr. Tton had made against him. Be-
Mr. Tton did rest il he could help IT, under
the the reracton had been surrendered
he did not rest under the mputaon which that retrac


ton cast upon him and he sought possible to get
thing from the defendant which should Justify paate the
charge which he had made Therefore Mr. MoutOn returns
TO the interview Jan 1s shall not stop to dwell here
temen upon the want Of memory OF Mr. Mouton as to the time
when that interview began and when ended whether
the gas lighted whether it all that will be dis


nct your mind come the interview, as he relates
IT. and 10 what did In fact that interview and to dis
If how much credit his testimony entitled to-
when he that the paper which he took from that in
eryew paper dictated by Mr. Beeche sentence by
tence, and written down by him thus dictated


On the evening Of January Mouton again visited the house
Of Mr. Beecher But he to make peace, not He
drew picture OF Ttons soows of the wreck Of his
fortunes Of the destruction OF his family peace and all in terms
vivid and touching feelings Of his hearer
the highest pitch He dcated his friend from the caumnious
which had brought Mr. Beecher had been
believed by him He convinced Mr. Beecher that the charges
which the latter believing them to be had repeated to Mr.
Bowen, utterly without foundation Then he dwe
the alienation which had arisen between this husband and wife,
and the utter misery which had fallen upon the whole family
consequence. All this calculated or
blood from compassionate heart but without word Of direct
accusation against Mr. Beecher under everything
the implication that way Mr. Beecher responsible
for all this suffering Responsible for tons business misfo


because he and Bowen had united TO turn him out Of The
hdepeadet and The Brooklyn Union Responsible for the do
mestc misery because the alienation Of the wife, which Mr.
Beecher had previously supposed have arisen from the mis-
conduct husband assumed been caused
by undue affection pastor violent and prorced


struggle between her passion and her Of duty which had
destroyed her health and unsettled her


Now gentlemen neither of these fairly describes
any thing which Mr. Beeche had actually done They only
what he made by Mouon believe he had done 1t is
very easy 10 imagine the Of such process upon nature
proverbay kind and ingenious The Of undeerved
misery then preated Of this plaintiff having been piled very
high with careful ingenuity needed but slight push Of sug
gestion roll the whole upon the defendant II needed
special argument persuasion to fix the responsibility the


shoulders had been prepared haened himself
it. Henry Ward Beecher stood convicted in his
morbid Imagination slanderer Of the meanes type and as


pastor and friend whose needless folly had introduced dis
cord the hoe Of relations and had plunged into sorrow
one Of the happiest families Of his flock.


Gentlemen you picture Yourself the agony Of his self
reproach under this and astounding reyeaon Can you
imagine with what fanacal he would pierce himself
again and again with the thorn thus furnished his hand
What species Of SANDER he would say is base as TO
charge friend falsely with marital unahfGness seeing that
the charges must involve not him alone but also some innocent
woman in inevitable obloquy? IL true ne might paate 70
himself the fault by pleading the honesty Of his intentions and
his belief IN the truth OF reports But neither law
in morals the belief SANDER any justification for its
utfeance absence OF preliminary inquiry, with
proportoned the magnitude Of the Why had ne not
made careful inquiry into the Of his nfomaton
Why had he not instituted more searching investigation into


the facts before assuming the responsibility Of action nu
rous? Why prompt receive with credit calumnious re-
ports against friend? Such the questions which the
aroused conscience Of the defendant under the skfn manpu
ation of the plaintiffs serceable friend pushed nome with
singing force and agonzng effect.