Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1815-05-17
ofour society to their side many wee ,educed

IS sblished-they succeeded, and our happy SO.
;iety wac broke up, and divided into Two So.
;ieties
I" The better to retain their p1wer, they EN-.
rloyed various dcFices, magic add supernatu.
raj SBe1cyi thet devised great number of
gods, to whom they gave such names aud at
tributes as were calculated TO serve their de-
sigtlsi they called IN the attributes OF the good
aud eVii OF the ancient Pars-es, and they rave
the good attributes to one of their rods. and
ihe eYil to another; aud they made the god of
EN- destroyer and iraught with every propen.
sit5 enornus aud cruel, Jealous and revenge
III they made their demon more powerfu,
than the Benns of good, in order TO govern bv
terror aad cowardice; and they menacc,i those
VINO sought TO extricatc themselves from their
slavery and their vices with the torrents of this
Oe',t OF god 10 give constant eHicacy to their
exclusive rule, and to keep constant watch,
over their unFortunate subjects. tbey 9Th ;sh
ed classes IN society, class OF rulers who did
noufrS but govern and devour, and class o.
coiJurers, whose huslResss 1t was To- Couture
Sho TO terflty the people /; some OF these caused
1T to be spread abroad that there were cent;
Wnieh ruled the arr: and that the pnwer .h,,
proaneed th0ndsr and storms was In constant
intercourse with those coDjurors and ma.-ici-
~' .p o"'.sa 9%'"Fs.nd them 10 slay wof.
soeyer they would, and to consisn then To ne.
yer ending anguish, to exposure on the noun
talns OF Nova Genbla, or to names as terri
bic az the volcanoes Of Chimborasco and
Co'odiXi; IN short, they undertook to be the
eIciusiye interpreters OF those invisible pow
ets, and all Who dared to doubt or exarnine
'heir pretensions, or to question the rea,it. of
lheir magic, were eIther consigned to dungeons
or exposed TO the persecution of those who n ID
not sufficient understanding 70 Judge for lhem-
serves, or resolution to assert their common
rishts-the demon god of terror, and fear, and
horror, became gradually the principal arent
OF Their necroRancy and tyranny, and that
society now separated from us, which, while
associated WIKI us, in the state in which the
oenignant creator Of all had placed US, were
possessed OF happiness, enjoyed the 5osniies of
nature and The charms of intellect, who walked
erect and confident, fearless and unsuspiciovs
became debased. snllen, disconnected, misera
bic, and vicious their society became worthy
OF their god--eneInies OF all who aspired to
laPPlFess by liberty and virtue.
- Our 81 ate was better adapted to obtain han
Piness, Tor We were strangers alike to f ar aud
to sorrow but envy, jealousy, and anger, wars
perceived to affect our unfortunate fiends, who
having fewer Indictments and fewer resomrcea
to procure the means OF happiness were in.
dueed by their rapacious rulers, and con;u.
rers, hrst 10 despoil us of our means by secret
Practices and at length by force, by 1ferocits
more terrible than the 6ears and myers whom
he had formerly overcome! and by trcacberv
unknown to brute beasts. The slo,lfuI evcited
TO constant wars, IN which they never encoun,
tered either the hazards or The dangers bn,
the magicians, were of alt others the most SAN
Buinary, and the most relentless and feroc.ous.
ana Ihey mSde II crime in Us, that We did
not acknowledge the diaboiicai and cruel de
mon whose ministers they werei aud held our
lncredu'tty TO be the greatest OF all crimes
4 Osip sv-cf nj
moved our portion of society which continued
faithful to the laws of the creator, to :, fego,,
remote from our corrupted fellow creatures
we were for time undsturbed, but we b.J
not long been separated when the furies whom
thsy worshiPpe,i, or the magiciRis who w,re
me interpreters of those demons, stirred M
strife among them; while we were their ne;ob
Dor" amnesty was constantly excited apains,
US, because I'VE would not listen 70 necronan
GERS. nor believe in their diaboiicai div;njf,
put %hea lie had removed, thy began 70 dis
puts among themselves, and some Of .hen tt,,,o
haa attained the faculty Of freedom of erc,,.r,
dared to question the dogmas of.the Inae,ic;nns
the maSIcians made war upon these schIsraatirs
and tliey called in Tie xclusive rtilers 70 ex,;r
pate 'hese imPioas unbeiievers---the infortu.
na'e rieD He'd 10 our happy society, where thew
were received and the magicians, instiratctl n
war against us even TO determination. nc .,
ciety dangerous from its example to an privi
legged rulers, and to magicians and coniurors of
~ ~ description"
The veneer bic man psused--his countenanoe
perturbed, and my attention. which
had been rivetted to his lips, while he spokk
was now brokeh--his perturbation excited the
"a epest interest and solicitude-he listened. Is
1t TO dis ant noise-and was for moment
absorbed in profound contemplation I attemnt.
Ell 10 speak, bat holdiGg up his hand in man.
nNs frh Il T., l.
he resumed his discourse:
-" My son you have listened with a,ten,;
on, and you appear anxious for the conclusion
you have been Interested by the narrative
!, u vast history brought within small conn
pass it is not too large for your conception.
nor perpexed by the multitude and the minnie.
ness ofthe incidents but you must now learn.
that this little picture ola detached society is
only an epitome Of the history of mankind-
and 1t IS the history brought up o the period
in which you live.---I viii not deceive Won, Ijke
the msgicians WHO deceive mankind the be,ter
70 plunder and 70 goYerA tsem but will Five
you conjeetuFal view Of the events which time
is about to unfold. :"
At thai moment loud shouting was heard an
The opposite bank of the riyer--and Inc clamr
ors ofeSuitatiOn seemed gradually to float away
to tia westward behind where reposed and
10 tie eastward,a ciamor and groshs ofanguish
were heard, intermixed With screams ofteror
and horror, and sounds which though not dis
umct appeared 20 carry the accents ofreproach
and despair.
The sage was silent-aDd marking the curl
osity which these phenomena produced in nv
CONFERENCE.-The Continued
My son be not impatient, have said that
nature was governed by eternal laws and that
tie benignity Of the creator has invested man
with The Tree will TO choose between good and