Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-04-15
Debating Society.

tary reads-"Which s the truest science, mes
merism or phrenology 7"
"Mr President the question has neither
negative nor Affirmative"
President-"No mattcr-Dr. Jiggs for mes.
merism--Captain Jewkes for phrenoogy."
Mr.. Stunder--"I would ask, MIR. President,
if the question does not entrench itself against
the constitution, We are not to discuss re-
ligion nor politics in this society; now, free
knowledge is a sectarian pint, and if we are a.
gon TO discuss that, shall withdraw from this
society"
Prcsident--"The word has different mean
ing in the question, and has alusion to the
protuberantic Developments of the crannyum."
Stump-"All this is outer order, there aint
no question afore the meetin,."
President-"Dr. Jggs, will you open !"
Dr. Jiggs-"Mr. President have not en-
tered these walls this evening. prepared to
speak on this question; Tur-rah--am ur-rah
in favor of mcsmerism, us | understand it!
Mesmersm is kind of fsomnolence, and is mem
toned by Tycho Brahe, when he said, Blessed
be that man who invented Sleep Under the
magnetic influence of mesmeric sleep, man has
travelled through the abstruse regions of-of---
Dir. President-the chimercal atmosphere Of
the most unbounded metaphysical incongruites;
he has analysed time and space, and scared
into the mysteries of ease and existence, like
ike-like-anything My opponent, will, no
doubt extend his ferocious mouth against my
hut noDti ic hoc
the experiments Of Collyer, and the philosophy
of Oods Sir, | say, sir mesmersm is the
key which oversets the dpnet of time, and dis
closes to human visoogy the intricacies of
miraculous interpositions. But phrenology,
sir, what is it the child of gall end bitterness.
| 1t maps out the human skull like terrestrial
globe and its professors, to keep good the re-
semblance, have whirled their brains on their
axes and equal -knocktialized their exuberances
on the oxptal and pratical bones. reserve
my remaining remarks for the rejoinder."
President-"Cuptain Jewkes."
| Jewkcs-"I aint prepared to say nothin' on
this queston-at least-no--but then senc I
hearn the doctor, would say few words on
the ideas chalked down here on my hat Phre-
nology is the science of the knowledge box,
and knowledge is free: hence phrcnoogy.
But mesmerism is the science of sleep. 1t
says that one man can put another to sleep; so
can opium. 1t deduces man then to the level
ofa pzonous drug. My antagonist has made
use of a great many long words, and his speech
would 90 twice around the world and te.''
Stump-"I call the capt'n to order for per-
sonaities."
Jewkes-"Didn't the doctor call my mouth
ferocious Retaliation is the first law of ma
ture. He needn't say nothing about mouth |!
Jest look at his, Mr.. President; it goes clear
round, and makes the top of his cranny-um, as
he calls it, an island. Mesmerism and its sup
porters are humbugs, sir-yes, sir, HuMBuGs,
sir. They pick out a sleepy-headed fat boy.
who drops asleep of himself and pretend that
they willed it, when they couldn't helped it
if they tried conclude, sir, by moving the
question"
Presdent-"Thosc in favor of mesmersm,
hands up-l4. Phrenolcgy, hands up-A; a
tie. Gentlemen, you have decided that one
science is Just as true as the other. The socie-
ty is 'journed."
If docs not cost m man thinp fo he civil