Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1851-04-21
3a,yI (syy REQUEST : la4 1Gg.
The Quincy Tragedy 55te!

..s.la.;5,I (BYy REQUEST. lss4 M q ?
The Quincy Tragedy UtUl
Hartford, Conn, March l3, 1851.
John lGriepe, Esq, zanesUille, Ohio.
Dear Sir,-I am moved to write to you,
prompted by letter in the "Har,ford Cour.s
ani," puporiing TO be a copy of one writ.
len by you. and sent TO Coroner Bass, OF
Quincy, Mass. The letter judges and con-
demns the writings Of Mr. A. Davis,
and similar ..'hunbug" works by Fowler
& Wells. &c, and proceeds 10 say that
John and Hannah Grieye we're ''captlyaled''':
"deluded,''a and .'murdered,n by such,
'.,rash." I. gives directions sfor7the foil.
owing epitaph TO be inscribed onihe tomb
of those unhappy victims: lea
"To the Memory Of John R. Grieve,
aged % years, and Hannah Banks, his wife
aged Is years. sandE beth of GAINESVILLE.
Ohio. DeludedI by The writings of A. J.
Dayis.gFf gs;fs,.sssf7at isae -gsss{,fg - TI.I;;
have thought that the letter might be
a forgery, q thing got up by some ignorant
persons, with the endeavor 10 cast disrepute
on. that which they know nothing about.
Il has not the tone of Christian sorrow
breaihed from the pure heartefsa bereaved
father. 1t is;harsh and condemnalory. Had
the writer oft ever read Mr. Dayis's works
he might have learned tberefreman spirit
Of religious, gentleness, fcrbiding accusation
teaching charity. And had the unfortunate
victims of their own diseased imaginations
John and Hannah Grieye-had they
ever. read these works understandingly,
they would have been led from the error.
Of their ways, and guided away from their
weak CONCENTRATIONS. They would no;
Observation-Disclosures suicide. because they would
have learned that oil violation Of divine
law is followed by inevitable punishment.
We know that suicides are often commit.
ted by persons under what is called high
religious excitement. Our lunaiic sylums
are filled with such s.deluded9 victims;
and manysa grave.stone covers the mortal
relnainssnf those SO s.tnurdered. But we
do NOT see inscribed upon The etombs,
Deluded by the writings Of Moses, John,
and Paul.
And yet how many diseased minds be.
come maniacal from coniempla,ion OF those
doctrines; but il is only the ignorant who
will say that these things have made them
insane. Their insanity takes that turn, bul
il originates either in some physical de-
Of the system, or Hereditary
disease ofahe mind. Peahaps you yourself
sir, or the mother Of your son, bequeathed
to him the germ Of his deiusion. Ask
yourself what nature gave your child. II
that letter and iepitapt were penned BY you
il is evident that you gave him a mis.cirec-
ted mind. In the twenty-five years Of his
life could you not have tnught him so 10
walk upfightly that he could have continued
in he.away youssheuld have showed iiriul2
Had syeu led him in the path ofgtrufh,
Re would have pursued itsionwardaup'to
God; and you may be sure sir, that Mr.
Davis would never havs led him from ii.
Could he have spoken 10 him, his language
would have been. SO ON, be Just, be true.
be pure, obey the laws of God, and heav.
en- is yours.p Mr.. Davis uses no other
language F1a,8 ,szegq s bs9ssh5Ys ii saf'8t !
sci have oi.ied, | do pity your son. sir.--
His was a much desuded mind. Murder.
er and suieide are harsh epithets, but they
are The worlds words 10 designate what
your child was. l. should call him diseased
and misdirecled.a The lille girl whose
earthly .hfe he tooksaway, has called loud
ly upon the sympatlies of mysLature.
She followed himswith wotnans lovs--
was ready 60 wherever he should lead..as'
Hudhis mind beennghAy Directed. he could
have led hertosths highest heights of vir.
tue here made her brIghtexahpie onihe
earth But he was weak, and so :hey fell
together But, sir, Mr.. Davis never told
your son 70 take that innocent child By The
hand, and lead her forth and slay her, and
lhsni lake ais own life. The writings Of
,Mr. Davis teach not suchthings:ythey teach
perfect md entire aobedience 10 natures
laws Your son violated those iiaws.' But
tits not for US 10 Judge him--I only pity
him. l wish he bad received different
organization with his birth; i wish he had
been better Itirected. Lei his tombstone
proclaim . sHe-its will be consistent with
what has been bis apparent lraining ng--it will
be consistent with ehis unhappysend, the
Termination ofshis earthly life. Ali those
who have read Mr.. Dayis's works who see
that inscription, will Know thap il issa he
and few years. hence all will know thai
!alsehood was inscribed aon the grave Of
the murderer and the suicide, 80 : "a ''''s
When the lunatic in the insane asylum
takes his, knife and plunges il into the
heart Of The victim seated next 70 hinpsand
declares that s.God bade him do il, |" do we
believe that God thus commanded No, we
know lhat fhe diseased imagination Of the
fanatic spoke withyour son, srs
= iskno6 sinees MIR. Davis has written,
that our insane hospitals have been built.
|. is no, only since he has written. that
murders and suicides have been committed
on The earth. Lei instructions which flow
through hisn3be fo6eyed. and these things
shall Cease. Let his, teachings Se righfy
anlerstood and ffollo,osd. and we shall have
no murderers, no suicides-no insane hos
pitals, no prisons--no slanderers. no false
hoods; children shall not be born ahe heirs
Of crime, becauseao Of germs iinpiantedin |
heir natures; they shall inherit yirtue, |
and the good parent shall rejoics in the
pure loyliasss Of his offspring, and Gods !