THE BEECHER-TILTON SCANDAL.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 4198, 3 September 1874, Page 3

THE BEECHER-TILTON SCANDAL.

. The American papers received by the last mail are filled ad nauseam with.'.gossip< and correspondence relating) to.* the rectot scandal concerning the Key,Heray7,Ward New, York, arid jnemhers of his'.. congregation.'; Much of the matter'can only contribute;., to' prurient tastes, and it bears on the face of it 'the character Of what the Americans „',them-. selves briefly! call " bogus."!.-. Numerous letters purporting to-be' ivritten.-by' the'rev. gentle--man are, published, but their .genuineness,' may.', well be doubted. The following is ; from tho Alta California of July 25 : : -■■■■/•■ "Rev. Henry Ward i Beecher returned r'td Brooklyn last* night from Peekeßll,: when saw for the first .time, therstatement•>presentedto '■• the Committee by Tilton. 1 He has* promptly'met the charge's ' in _the, following card do hot propose rat this time a detailed' examination of the -remarkable statement of Mr. Theodore Tilton made; before ; the Committee of" Investigation,' and,.which appears in the Brooklyn Argus of July 21st, 1874. ■, •! recognise-the many reasons which make it of transcendant .importance to myself, the Church, and the cause of public morality, that I shall' give a full- answer to'the charges against me, but having the -Com*'. initted of Investigation to search this;'matter to' : the bottom,!it is to them that I. must look to > for my vindication.. But I cannot delay for 1 an hour, to • defend |, the reputation, of Mrs. Elizabeth B. Tilton, upon whose name .uvconr...; nection with mine her 'husband has attemptedto pour shame. One less deserving' of ;such disgrace, I never knew.,' !;I);om childhood^she has been under my eye,'?.and ,since> reaching womanhood she has had 'mySincere admira tion. and affection.,, I cherish, for, her', a.lpure': feeling,-i: such . .as'.:•» .igentleman • might honorably offer to a Christian-; • woman, and which she might' receive and, .reciprocate without,,her morals -being''corrupt.' :'"X reject'. with indignation every imputation • which reflects upon her honor' or my own. ' My regard for Mrs., /rilton, was , perfectly... well known ,to; my family.' When the serious; difficulty Bprang \ip in-' her household it^ was to my wife" that 'she resorted'for counsel, and both of, us acting from sympathy, and, as it. subsequently .appeared,, without full -knowledge/ gave unadvised counsel,, which, tended to'harni I have hd'douht that'Mrl Tiltoii found, that his wife's confidence i and relianoe upon ; my judgment had greatly increased, while his influence hid': diminished:ih ,cbni ;! sequence ; of ; a marked!change in ; his religiqus and: social views which were-taking -place . during those years. 1 f Her mind; was, greatly exercised lest, should by the views -whioh.she deemed .vitally'ifalse and 'dangoroußi'i'l waS'- suddenly and Tudely aroused to the reality,"6f tije impehdihg/danger. by the .disclpsure;of apmestic,stress of,sick-,* ness, I perhaps unto death,- and likelihood of separation and scattering of a'family, 'every: memberof which tehderlyiloye'd.;, .The effect, upon me, ofathe'discoveryioffthe, state. of Mr.'*TUtbn , a'.feeHngii ! >hd: / condition of his

family surpassed in sorrow and, excitement anything that I had ever experienced in my life. That my presence, influence, and counsel had brought to a beloved family sorrow and alienation, gave in my then state of mind a poignancy to my suffering which I hope no other: man may ever feel. Even to be suspected of having offered, under privileges of a peculiarly sacred relation, an indecorum to a wife and mother, could not' but deeply wound anyone who is sensitive to the honor of womanhood. There are peculiar reasons for' alarm in this case on other grounds, inasmuch as I was .then subject to certain malignant rumors, and a flagrant outbreak in this family would bring upon them an added injury derived from these shameless falsehoods. ■ Believing, at the time, that my presence and counsels, had tended, however unconsciously, to produce.. a social catastrophe represented as imminent, I gave expression to my feelings in an interview with a mutual friend, not in cold and cautious :self-defending words, but eagerly taking the! blaine upon myself, and pouring out my very heart to my friend in the strongest language. Overburdenedwithexaggerationsof impassioned sorrow, had I been the evil man Mr.Tilton represents me, I should have been, calmer and more prudent. It was my horror,, of the evil; imputed.that filled me with, morbid intensity at the very shadow of it. Not only was my friend. affected, but he assured me that sueh expressions, if conveyed to : Mr. Tilton, would ■ soothe his wounded feelings, allay anger, and allay the whole trouble. He took down sentences and fragments ,of what I. had been, saying, to use them as a mediator. A- full statement- of the'< circumstances under which this memorandum was made, I shall give to the Investigating Committee. That these apologies were more than ample to meet the facts of the case is evident, in that they were accepted; that intercourse Tesumed its friendliness; that Mr. Tilton subsequently ratified it in writing; and that he has continued for, four years,' and until within two weeks,-to live.with.his'wife. Is it conceivable, if the original, charge had been what it isi now alleged, that; he would have cbndoned the offence, "not only with the mother of his children, but with him whom he believed to have wronged .him ? The absurdity as well as the falsity of the story is apparent, when it is considered that Mr". Tilton now alleges ;that he carried his guilty secret of- his wife's infidelity for six months locked up in his own breast, and that lie then divulged it to me only that there might be a reconciliation with me. Mr. Tilton has since, in every form of language, and 1 to a multitude of witnesses, orally and in written statements, and in printed documents, declared his faith in his wife's purity. "After the reconciliation of Mr. Tilton with me, every consideration of propriety and honor demanded that tlie : family trouble should be kept in tint seclusion which domestic affairs have a right io claim as a sanctuary; and to that seclusion it was determined that it should be confined. Every line and word of my private and confidential letters which have' been published are in harmony with the statement .which I now made. My public -'correspondence on this subject comprises but two elements of the expression of my grief, and that of my desire" to shield the honor of a pure and innocent woman. I do not propose to analyze and contest at this time the extraordinary paper of Mr. Tilton, but there are two allegations which I cannot permit to pass without special notice; They, refer to only two incidents, which Mr. Tilton pretends to have witnessed personally. One an alleged scene in my house while looking over engravings, and the other a chamber scene in his own'house. . His statemerits; concerning these are; absolutely false. Nothing of the" kind ever occurred, nor any semblance of any such thing. They are now brought to my notice for the first time. To every statement which connects me dishonorably with Mrs. Elizabeth R. Tilton, or which in any wise-would impugn tlie honor and purity of this beloved Christian, woman, I give the nio3t explicit, comprehensive, and Bolemn denial. Signed, Henky Ward Bkechek. Brooklyn, July .22, 1874. - ,