Year: 1875

! pose of intimidation. Counsel referred


to the question why Carpenter had not


been called and said it had never been
pretended by Morris or anybody else,
{ that Beecher had confessed adultery to


him in express terms. Carpenter was
| held 10 contradict Becche' in rebuttai of


what the letter denied in the interview
held with him, but the state of the evil


dence did not Grender it necessary. He
said that in his professional intercourse of


thirty years with Porter, he had gained


the most atiectonate respect for him and
he had spoken in kindness, words of rep


rehension which his duty had compelled


him to utter. In referring to the un-
worthy assaults of Porter upon the
plaintiff and his witnesses, Mr.


Beach then considered the proposition
of Evarts, that this form of action was
an anomaly, and tnat TO bring it was dis
reputable. 1t was an extraordinary


proposition to come from an eminent


law yer, that proceedings sanctioned by
law was legal anomaly, and that it re.


fected discredit upon the citizen who re-
sorted to it for


The Punishment Of the Seducrr,


Our homes might be broken up, our


families destroyed, our wives and daugh-


ters sedhced, without any remedy from


the law established to protect society.
So strong was human feeling upon this
subject, that il protected the injured man
who took the law into his own hands,
forgetting the declaration, vengeance is
mine, saith the Lord


Here man came into a court by the
only path which was open to him, and
restrained his arm from that vengeance
which was opposed to the law of man
and Of the Almighty He was told that
his Christian forbearancc was iguomin-
ious, and that he was miserable seeker
after pelf 1t was for the jury TO say
which view they would inculcate. He
would cndeavor To- show by and by what
claims there were for this torbcaranCr cy-
tended by Tilton to Il fault Of his wife
and a hoary- headed seducer, and then
they could determine whether the plain
titl deserved to be bounded out Of court.
He had no desire to detract from the eX-
travagan. laudation of Beecher as II
preacher and public man, but when it
was assumed that Mr.. Beechcr could not
sin, he took issue with the counsel for the
defense.


The doctrine ran all through their nd
dresses that because Bccrhor WAS great
preacher, a great writer and had done Il
great deal of good, therefore he was in
capable of sin, and if ne had sinned it
was miracle. If we accepted this doe
trne what would become OF the teach.
ing of the Bible and our experience OF
the world were we To
except the theory that the
human heart was not drcettul above all
things and desperately wicked; that
men no longer stole the livery of Heaven
to serve the Devil in; that men must be
good because they appear good.


WHAT Became OF The At0ncnient
under this theory2 What need was
there for God to descend from Heaven
and sacrifice himscl: for the sins of men,
if none could become imperfect and in
capable of SIM He denied this doctrine.
but he did not wish TO disparagc
unjustlv the value ot char
ater. The most eloquent words Of
the counsel for the defense had been cX-
pended on this point He reyercnccd his
character and especially that holy char
actcr which should attach to minister
of that God whom, if he did not adore
in christian spirit, he, at least, rcvcr-
enced and feared. If this case rested
or oral testimony alone, barring cut that
of Mrs. Moulton, he should not hesitate
long to the belief that the defendant
could be guilty of this charge although
it was brought by two men
whom he believed to be as pure and
honorable as any who had ever
adorned the ranks of literature and Of
that business which had been 50 highly
eXtolled by his learned'friend, /


The hour of recess having arrived, Mr..
Beach took his seat.
Judge Nelson Addresses the Audi