Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1842-09-23


DR.. Dove asks her fshe wishes TO so home, TO which
she answers, Yes
Or. Richie then called upon the Chairman Of the
Committee 10 proceed with MIR. Riters consent) 10
the Phrs no Mesmeric experiments. Dr. Deane re.
oiled. awe do no, admit them-l have no confidence
in Phreno- Magnetism.
Mr. r. taking Dr. Doves hand, calls her by name
sgain-but as before, receives no answer.
She was now taken into another room, and after
versed passes Of the hands on the part OF Mr. French
soon opens her eyes, gets up, and ret'res.
.The Committee declined making experiment, In Phreno Mes
ues because the subject admitted that she had heard
thing of Phre noogy.-EG bas.
co.yMuA7carsn
"Thro,c on more Fluid Z.
Mr.. acknowledgements can longer hold up its
head-it is IN exploded humbug, in the bold and con-
yncinp language Of the Wing. All your fine argu.
men,s. logical reasons and eloquent facts are blown
ssky high by the report of the Faculty, in 10 days
Wing" Such is the exnliing language of those who
will not believe their senses-and those who will
not see for fear that they will believe. This Report
then. is the basis on which the skeptics plant them.
selves. and, as such, | shall proceed to dissect it
brefly-and endeavor to show, that It cannot, fairly
be introduced plea in bar against all The argu-
ments and copious facts which have, here and else.
where, been brought to the defence OF Mesmerism.
would premise however, that this Report comes
orettv much the day after the far-so many Of the
good people OF Richmond had made up their minds
for themselves, upon satisfactory evidence, without
Guilty.
In the first place, how many ofthe physicians Of Rich
mond have signed this Report Only fifteen, two hsy
ing signed off," land three Of these sac only one eIpe
ri,nent when it is well known, that there are ~
IN in The city. Why do not see appended the
names of those physicians, certainly as experienced
and talented as the sgners, whom shall enumera,e
alphabetically viz Doctors Bohannan, Burton, Cham.
berlayne, Carmichael, Clarke Cullen, Cunningham, H.
H. Cabell, Marx, Myers, Nelson, Patterson, Watson,
ULora tlIo herr blp nj
Workman and Warner: "nere are '"e o'ne, "o,e anu
intelligent gentlemen ofthe Faculty. Even those who
were present at the examinations were not OF the
same opinion-and this brings up the strong old soy
ino. that .when Doctors disagree, who IS 10 decide
To days Wing publishes only the experiments upon
The GIRL 1Emma'-reserving MIR. Pepper for to.nor
rows dish As this article is the only one shall, pub
l;sb an the whole subject WILL for sake of argument,
adm;, that Pepper exhibition was all failure, and
think can explain uhy it failed 10 the first place,
the weather was exhausting-the energy OF Mr. French
was weakened by great fatigue ana some soctuoe OF
mind A gentleman Of nice feelings, ne had been de-
nounced in one newspaper and on the public streets
us a " iugeler" "impostor,' &c.-hs actions and hIs
motives had been waDtonly mlsrepresented-a ioui
blot had been attempted TO be set upon ms iar es'
cutcheon and is it wonderful that, under oil these
unfavoYable circumstances, lie should have rushed
into the examination rapidly, from an Inpe,uocs Dc.
sire of clearing his skirts Of such ungenerous I'M.
mutations, Is il wonderful, that he should not nave
kept possession of that composure OF mihh anu con-
centration Of thought which are so necessary 10 sue
cess What says Townsbend? Up. l1s)-" Many iai!'
ures which have stamped Mesmerlsm as an imposition,
rthe yery language Of the Whig,] may De ATTRIBUTED
ann convinced, the action OF disturbing causes, or
the absence of those circumstances which are requisite
To ensure success" MIR Townshend puts his own dscI.
MICS on their guard against disappointment -cauuohng
Them against too much assumpton-prepa mtm Tor
failures and showing that success depended ooh upon
the state Of the mesmerzee, and The mesmer'zef lie
aludes particularly 10 the mind of the operator being
ore occupied-as was Mir FreEchs by the harsh treat
ment he had met with from many. Moreover the
sens,bilty Of his subject was much exhausted from
over fatigue repeat all these circumstances were
unfayorube success, and was not surprised 10 hear
that the experiment had not been satisfactory WINE
on this subject let add that have never known
one more unfairly dealt with than Mr.. F. THIS gentle
man. SO reckessy denounced BY the street oungers
..chent stands fair in the eyes OF many OF The best
and abest men in Richmond. In that portion OF The
State here he has lived and is best known, he re-
spected and beloved. Many Of Mr.; F.s deiame's
| would give their eyes 10 be well spoken OF IS
| heard Mr.. French's character drawn, but five
DAYS ago, by one of the first jor'sts IN Virgins,
one of the best judges, and most honorable men,
his counyman, who has known nm, Intma,e!,
for years-And does not this able man bear the fullest
testimony TO the truth OF Mesmersm IN Inc case O'
hf y1H5nEo sSse ana q men-who laughed At
Nesmerism q "humbug'-but WAS mesmersed in
the presence Of or 10 brother lawyers, who were all
4
dence and, for two failures, to pronounce the whole
matter hoax and thousands Of sc nsibe men "duprs"
But 10 the Report, which is to explode the whole
humbug-What does this Report do ? 1t either pro.
nounces the whole subject of MesnIerism as a hoax
and this after oo trials ony-or il .he fail.
ure IN two cases only-and, therefore, amounts 10
nothing DO these fco failures destroy the overwielm
ing effect Of the more than do.en successful per-.
mens performed in the presence of persons, just
spectacle and competent to judge these signing
physicians The exceptions forbid the existence
Of the rule. All persons are not it is 10 be- hoped,
mad-yet we pronounce madness 10 be an affection 10
which any man whatsoever is liable.
| ask the thinking common sense men TO read crit
caly the whole report and 10 say whether their vaun!'
ed failures" are not very remarkable nhefhe her RI.
sponses reported arere not in great degree accurate
and whether any of the signing physicians, placed
in the same situation Us Emma, would have shewn
half the intelligence Of this negro woman. ! ask them
| 10 examine that portion of the Report which states
that DR. Dove Ineamerzed the GIRL and The physicians
would not suffer Dr.. Dove 10 perform the experiments
but forced MIR. French TO perform them. (Th's could
not have been for want Of confidence in Doctor
Dove-one of themselves-5ut it was calculated TO
embnrrass and disappoint Mr.. French At oil events,
cannot see why the oftruth should not be promo
ted well by the Ex perimenis Of DR. ID. The Faculty
were not trying TO find out the imposure Of Mir. tUi
the truth or falsty of Mesmersm) also ask men Oh
common sense 10 particularly that part Of The Re
port where the Physicians refused examine lhe Pre
no-magnetic experinen for the conclusive for
sooth, that Of the Faculty had "no confidence IN
them, and that Emma told the committee that she had
heard Mr.. Cowling speak Of Phrenology. Wonderful
girl she heard speak OF Phrenoloey and at once be.
came an adept in its mysteries. This "hnmbug" te''
all The wonders Of Mesmersn, and is admirably 'rsed
up" by Mr.. Ritter, who snys that Emma /" knows s'
much of Pbrenology he does about the geology le
moon" No! the small fragment Of the Faculty vLo
signed this report have, instead Of giving "Igh',
thrown darkness the matter. The public cannot,
contrary TO their convictions, place any confidence
in the opinion of those, who would not give ,hs mys'
terious subject examination which the CO mmon.st
case Of disease would merit The matter stands as II
did Lkfars The EacLlix Layc MI nra nccd Me.