Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-07

courts had served in the Senate Of New York with him
had been associated with him also rs member OF thu
Court for the Correction of Errors the highest il
the State had known him since that time Justice
the Supreme Court, and recently Judge of thu
Court Of Appeals where he holds deservedly high
distinguished rank amongst his brsthren the able Judge
OF that court Of last resort in the State OF New York
also knew him gentleman OF finished classical educa
ton, and lawyer Of acute mind, and decided
talent for investigation. And above ALL knew him Il
be OF unimpeaehabe integrity. knowing all these
spiritual manifestations, il was at least, a subject
worthy Of investigation.
Accordingly, determined investigate it. as oppor
tunity should present. thought could bring Ia hear
on it pretty good share of common sense and rea-
sonable talent for investigation. And knowing withal
that had not great deal of enthusiasm in my compost
ton, believed could enter upon the investigation with
out much danger Of being carried away by any deusion
In this frame of mind commenced the investigation OF
this subject; being entire unbeliever, but entering
upon It with sincere desire TO ascertain the truth
VIII not trouble you with the facts which developed
IN the progress OF my investigation. Suffice il say,
they were of the most astounding character soon be-
came satisfied of two things FIRST that the medium did
not know from whence the traps proceeded secondly
that she did not know from whence the communications
came Perhaps ! ought in this connexion TO observe
that IN pursuing this investigation, all my questions
were propounded mentally. The medium did and
could not know what they WERE and of course could
tell what answers TO give, what would be appropriate
responses 10 the questions thus mentally propounded
Directors cannot deny that these answers from
an intelligent source but they sometimes say that they
TO be found in the mind of the interrogation. 1t is
true that the interrogation oftenmes knows the
the question mentally propounded by him and it is
equally true that he frequently does not know what the
appropriate should be- but ascertans its truth
afterwards Neither he in any way anticipate many
communications which made without any questions
being asked. have frequently received such commun
cations of elevated character and far above the
pacy Of the medium conclude therefore, they do not
come from the medium, from the mind Of the inter
rogator.
These communications too are perfectly characteristic
OF the individuals from whom they purport to come /
nave had frequent communications purportng TO
from my old friend, JOHN c. CALHOUN which his intimate
friends would pronounce perfectly characteristic of him
and of them both in style and sentiment worthy of
him IN his pamiest days in the Senate of the United
States have had similar purporting to come from
HENRY CLAY and DANIEL WEBSTER of the same elevated
order, and peculiarly characteristic of the individual
can make the same remark of other individuals
have seen Tappng mediums writing mediums, and
speaking mediums, and have received communications
through all OF them have witnessed physical nantes
taons, such as the movement Of tables without any
visible agency. These physical manifestations are more
satisfactory the Of mankind because they appeal
directly 10 the senses am better pleased myself with
the moral if may call Them than the physical mani
festations.
The next question is from whence do these nantes
atops, whether physical moral proceed? Judge Ed
nonds was told that they all according to natural
avs, which would IN due time be fully developed and
ne directed to read Won Rechenbachs Dynamics of
Magnetism and Electricity Ia book he had never heard
y before,) as means Of enabling him understand
hese laws | have read the book myself The writer |
conclusiyely the discovery new element which
calls Cd or the od force He proves that this element
oeryades not only the human system, but the material
world and the whole universe He finds it in the rays of
he sun, moon, and stars Late English writers of high
eputaon consider the existence of the oc force as well
established as that of magnetism and electricity 1t COM
ines many OF the qualities Of the latter and is an
agonisuc TO some OF them 1t may be presumed there
ore that this ewlydscoyered element enters in some
ort into these manifestations 1t is said that this ac
cunts for the Phys manifestations. But no one can
NOW nor TINS force produces them. And even if this
we're proved It still remains account for the ineqence
n the communications which received That intel
yence does not come from tables, chairs or other ma
eria objects. 1t must come from mind or from spi
'tual source This new element may be the medium Of
,onyeymg IT TO US To illustrate let me suppose that
iTlehd IN New lork wishes to communicate with in
lie sends his communication to me through
the electric telegraph The communication is received
ana written down here the same communication is
received ana written down through the rapping medium
ask how is that communication from my friend convey
ed 70 me! The answer IS by the electric fluid. But
does the electric huid make the communication The
answer the 4d Of my friend does that So in the
case OF the rappng medium, the communication comes
from some source Of intelligence. This intelligence as
every knows who has investigated these matters does
not come from the table that moved by invisible
power, nor from the medium, from any one present
II IS therefore TO be inferred that il comes from spiritual
source and especially when communications are
received on subjects exclusively known to those commu-
ncatng.
Some have attempted account for all those things by
claryoyance, and psychology Let it be re-
nembered that twelve or fifteen years ago mesmersm
claryoyance &c. much denounced as spiritual
rappings are now. They called humbugs and Jug
gery then these manifestations this day This
prejudice and denunciaon continued in England till the
publication Of the philosophical treatise Of the Rev Mr.
Townshend which changed the whole current of public
sentiment There have been many able publications on
ese subjects since that time and they consider
ed well established magnetism electricity. Sup
pose these denuncations had deferred philosophical
minds from investigating them, how much light would
have been lost TO science and the worlds Now oil the
magic the mysteries, the witchcraf and necromancy Of
the ancient world from the time Of the Dephic Oracle
explained by these modern investigations; and all
popular deiusons however exaggerated are now shown
have truth for their basis have read MANY of the
abes writer's these subjects but to nv mind not one
Of them has been able TO account for these spiritual
manifestations. Hence the greater importance Of con-
tnuing these Investigations To denounce therefore
those engaged in them is az unwse as il is unphosophi
cal and especially If such denunciaons come from
those who witnessed any Of the facts and nantes
tations which have convinced the judgments Of men
equally intelligent equally honest and as little likely TO
he deluded as themselves
But what is the objection to investigating this matter
Is il feared that there may be some discrepancies be-
tween the religious sentiments communicated and the
tenets Of the different religious denominations amongst
us? Such discrepancies heard every Sunday from
our different pupits throughout the land And still all
denominations Of Christians though differing about par
tcuar tenets maintain the great and leading doctrines
of Christianity. And from the investigation have given
the subject, agree with the Rev Adm Baou who has
written the most candid and satisfactory explanation
have SEEN that chaeUer Of dipne fundamental principk
absolute truth and essential righteoasness there il he B5
IN The poplor religion, and IN The established Churches rt
stdad n cannot Be done dody On he contrarg U be