Year: 1875

We have given little attention to the unfor-
tunate Brooklyn scandal since the close of the
trial, beyond the publication of the current
news. We have felt that, so far as the par
ties in interest were concerned, the trial
ended it We believed that controversy
tried before distinguished and painstaking
Judge, conducted on both sides by advocates
of commanding ability and representing the
highest legal talent, lasting through months
and months, necessarily exhausted itself
We were only too happy to have it pushed
forever out of sight The result of the trial
may be summed up in the Scotch form of
mot proven" although jury which
stands nine to three may safely
be understood as showing that the pre-
ponderance of public opinion was
in behalf of the party who had convinced
nine jurors of his innocence. But the scan
dial does not seem disposed to die. The
men who prosecuted Mr.. Beecher for the
crime of adultery are not disposed to accept
the verdict of the Brooklyn jury. They
entered into this work for the purpose Of de-
stroying Mr.. Beecher, not only as q minister
of the Gospel, but as man. Many in
fiuences combined to this destruction. There
was the enmity arising out of Mr.. Tilton's
sense of personal wrongs. There were Mr..
Moulton and his friends, who writhed under
the imputation of perjury which nine jury
men imposed upon him There were the
clergymen in Brooklyn who, for a
quarter of century, have been jealous
of Mr.. Beecher's worldwide fame. Be
yond all this there was that grovelling
sentiment which rejoiccs in the wounding of
a high spirit and the degradation of noble
name In the meantime the plaintiff in the
trial, Mr. Tilton, has been receiving what we
suppose we may call "ovations" in his lee
turing tour. He has made q great deal of
money and become the recipient of wide
attentions. He went into the controversy
without friend and has come out Of it with
q strong party.


We think that Mr.. Beecher's true course in
this complication would be to retire from the
pulpit He is making an uneven war. He
is one against ten thousand. Tho ten thou
sand who are fighting him would have con-
Lluutu bnG COAblONCAoy CN1h "A AO A1hh AC-
ceived unanimous verdict from the jury.
Apart from any conscientious belief in Mr..
Beecher's guilt, which, no doubt, is shared
by large portion of the community, many
of the men who oppose him do so with the
instinct of selfpreservation. Mr.. Tilton has
so managed his controversy that anybody
who took part in it would come to sure de-
struction. The only way for Mr.. Moulton
and those who took sides with him in the
trial to remove from their names the stain is
to destroy Mr.. Beecher by another trial or
by tanning public opinion to such an extent
that he will stand condemned without q
trial Now, clergyman, like judge, should
not only be guiltless, but above even the
suspicion Of guilt Even Rumor should not
assail him. Scandal always furnishes the
sacred Office. No clergyman can fulfil his
function when his character is at all in ques-
ton. Mr.. Beecher's character is certainly in
question Even if innocent of the grave
charge alleged against him, he is guilty, as
shown by his letters, of weakness, Needless
ness the absence of true dignity and care
lessness in his pastoral relations which make
any further performance of the sacred Office
reflection upon the true spirit of Christian
religion.


Mr.. Beecher owes it to religion to with
draw from it the calumnies that are
heaped upon it through him. He has known
much suffering. Even if guilty he has been
punished beyond precedent, and bis punish
ment continues from day to day. The
scandal can only end by abandoning
the sacred Office and spendinG. the re.