New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-17
u The letter of Mr.. f. w. CAPRoy

on our Seventh Page to-day will attract and re-
ward the attention of those who, from whatever
point of view, have regarded the alleged Spiritual
Manifestations of our day with curiosity or a more
substantial interest. Mr. Capron has from the
first paid much attention to this subject he is a
cool, intelligent and discerning observer; and his
integrity is not only undoubted, but he has
ceivabe motive for perverting the facts. Naturally
skeptica with reghrd to all utra-mundane control
over physical effects occurring before mortal eyes,
his original and obstinate credulty to any super
terrestrial agency in producing these Manifesto
tons was only vanquished by the repeated, long
continued observation Of phenomena for which he
could nationally account no other than the
Spiritual hypothesis whereof. he is accordingly
an adhercnt. We commend, therefore, his state
ments in review of Dr. Richmond's elaborate and
ingenious essay to the dspassonate regard of all
earnest nquirers.
And here shall take occasion to say that
the manner in which this whole subject has been
treated by the conservative rulers Of Popular.
Opinion, and especially by large portion of the
Religious Press has been calculated to affirm the
proposition that most men love their creeds more
than truth, and are more anxious to bring others
to or keep them in their own way of thinking than
to have that way conform to the laws of the uni
verse. From the outset cry of mad dog has
been set up against the 'rappings.' &C., by those
who should have been distinguished for candor and
love of truth and Christian has We'd with Iniidel in
exhibitions of bigotry and predetermnaton to add
Just facts to opinions rather than opinions to facts
Very few journalists have been willing to try first
and hang aftcrward but nearly ali have insisted on
settling the character of the new phenomena BY
their own preconceptions of what their true nature
and origin must be rather than by an impartial
entertainment Of what the facts really are.
dur course Ina, been WIDELY different from this
and. though il Ia. subjected us to much obioqay
and nisa pprchen-on, we cannot doubt its cor
rectness. We have not seen fit t0 assume that
the phenomena in question were necessarily the
result Of fraud and mposturc because they tran
scsnded our knowledge Of Nature or our concep-
t,on "a the relations Of Mind to Matter. We
hive not cli bound To suppress the statements of
the modern Spirltualists because We werc not
,rr,mrcd to adopt all their conclusions. Fully
nwnrc that ninc-tcnths Of our readers would re-
gard them with hostility and AVERSION We have al
loweJ facts as they appear to the adherents II
the new Spntualism to be act forth from time
10 time through columns, giving like charter
IN opponents to review the-c statements and asi-
ducr other facts tending to rcfntc the Spiritual
theory. In 81 doing, VIC have not intended to b.
made party to the controversy nor have We
chD~cn to open the door to intennnable Discus
.ons We have ut no time laid stress on opn soas,
whether our own or others indeed, We cooid
rarely be said with truth to hold opinion ne to
| the main question, beyond this--that it was
highly probable that mature and searching ln'cs-
tgst,pn would develop cause for the obseT'ed
| phenomena this sile Of the world Of departed
/ souls. But our uniform desire has been to elicit
and compare facts, leaving opinons, including our
| own free 10 he formed or modified ~ the fsct',
| whrn fully developed, should prescribe. And We
believe II this course had been generally pursued,
the foll'er, ianstc~,s and repeated cases Of IN
1 sanity VIII, h have been Developed in connection
! With tbs Rappngs' etc. would have been nvo''-
cd az prevented. while q broad and clear light
i wonld have been east Nv these phenoinens-s'
I we THINK s'ich lghf viii vet be- cast, TIA, na-
4 tufe and laws u tho human mind.