The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1852-06-19
A PHENOMENON IN CIVILIZED CoxxUNITY-

SPIRITUAL kNOCKihGS we have frequently had
occasion coll the attention Of our readers to the
grossly superstitious ideas 80 prevalent through
this State aud New England, in regard to The
s. ritual philosophy Of the day. We have exposed
it TO the rdcule and contempt it merits, and de-
nounced it and again, yet still the ochss-
ter bnockiugs, communication with The spirits and
predictions Of future events by the mediums, find their
duIes in all classes of the community, rs ready to
pay their dollar for introduction into the charmed
circle, MS the ignorant English rustic with
silver the palm OF old spaewite to have his for
tune told. The apostles and priests of the modern
superstition, however, more particularly to be
execIated, when they recommend their basphemous
doctrines to popular notice and belief through the
columns Of Il newspaper purporting to be conducted
by men of sense, intelligence and philosophy. Few
newspapers, indeed, would become the vehicles of
such insane rawlings as emanate from this school;
but yet they find ready organ in of our cotem-
roraits distinguished for lis adhesion TO socialism,
Fourrierism, abolitonism and intiaelity the Nesc
Tuk Tribune. In its columns of yesterday we fad
the publication OF two letters sent to the exclusive
paper Of the sect, giving an account of some recent
experiments made in psychological science, the
results of which, OF course, offered most mar
yellous v.rifcaton to all the strange stories cir
ctlated on the subject of spirit communications
The recital of these stories is introduced by ed-
oral article, avouchpg The character of the operat-
pg medium, wherein the writer describes his hay
irg recently in this city, witnessed his performances
in similar sly L., when table was moved by the
spirits. lie goes on to say =
Two persons. weighing hundred and one hun
drtd and fifty pounds respectively, rat successfully
the table, Ia very plain common in daily use in a
house whore the ID before beeu)
il first agiated then turned partly round then
ru id the legs side where rem ained fr
minute in PLAN sight of ali. hen raised like
the other two legs aud continued for
time; and finally, with lady weighing hundred or
sitting ill., il rocked back aud forward like
cradle rst Lie legs side rising three inches
from the hooi then those on th- other until at length
all present having ayow,d themselves perfectly satisfied
the motion entirely ceased and The sitting bi oxen up
What must the public think OF journal that puts
forth such insane trash the above all the time
making the greatest pretensiops to be regarded as
pre- eminently disting ished for truth, piety, and
philosophy Is it not astonishing in this advanced
period Of civilization, to find outside the walls
of an asylum to &c berately write and publish such
silly and ridiculous statements? One might almost
be inclined to questio the good sense Of commu-
nifty that toerates and supports journal exhibiting
such basphemy, such folly, and such ignorance as
that which daily issued and sold through the
streets Of this city at two cents copy.
1t is somewhat strange too that almost all Of the
believers in spiritual humbug and fanaticism, in
every shape and form, come from down East, This
indicates the undue mental development, even to
the We, &c of insanity, which has been going for
some few years in that region of the Union. We
generally atter ourselves that the present enlight-
ened age in this country is credit to human nature,
and wonderful improvement of the ages
that have passed. We point to the burning Of
witches at Salem, and TO all the strange reveries
and blasphemies and folly that believed in by
our puritan ancestors century or century add
half ago, and we consider them as disgraceful to
human nature. But if We look at the present day,
we will see that in point Of folly, of igno ance,
perstiton, blasphemy, impety, and fanaticsm of all
kinds, there has been perhaps, no age which could
furnish such vivid and extraordinary examples of
that nature that in which we live. The only diff
ference is that there much good sense and prac
teal intelligence among the rest of the COM
munity. that these fanatics, whether they sit
the bench or lay down arguments at the bar,
or manage newspapers, or speak from the pulpit
are not able to deceive the common understanding
and plain practical good of the community.
They are. therefore, left solitary examples of
what defective physical organization, or mental
cultivation carried to excess, may produce. 1t
would that the New Englanders have been
100 long living to themselves alone, and ntermarry
ing with each othsr which philosophers tell US pro-
duces physical mental arrangement and imbe-
ciliy; ana perhaps the best remedy woul be to in
troduce some fresh Of blood into the stock,
and encourage cosmopolitan ideas in the ''Land
of Steady Habits" This would be good idea to
drive out the spirits and ought to commend itself
to the attention of all philan,hropiss, particularly
TO that white coated philosopher who is himself so
deeply affected by the same disease
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BUENos AYREs AND ITS PRospEcTs.-The politi-
cal and social position Of Buenos Ayres is beginning
to attract much more attention in this country than
it was accustomed to have bestowed upon it previ-
ously to the last revolution, that relieved it from
tyrannical oppressor Since the defeat of Rosas, and
his expulsion from the country the commercial nte-