Washington telegraph., 1853-07-06

/ 10 MN In his best days on earth
After the arrival of the Misses Fox in
Washington City in February last, | called
on them by appointment and at once re-
/ celved communication from Calhoun
! then wrote down and propounded men
| tally the following questions: = --.l
I Can you do anything (meaning physical
manltestatlons) to confirm me in the truth
OF these revelations and to remove from my
mind the least shadow of unbelef -
! To which | received the following an
/ swer:
Il will give you communication ON Mon.
! day, at ID o'clock Do not fail to be
here. | will give you an explanation.
John C.. Colhoun"
/ 1t is proper here to remark, that all the
communications referred to in this letter bv
letter were made by Calhoun after call for
the alphabet, and were raped out, letter bv
letter, and taken down by me in the usual
way They were made in the presence Of
the Misses Fox and their mother.
L called on Monday at the hour appoint
ed, and received the following communica-
ton:
My friend, the question is often put to
I y
ifestation?' | will anwser it:
at is to draw mankind together in har-
mony, ard to convince skeptics of the i'm
mortality of the soul.-Joh7s G. CaLhOun.'
This reminds me that in 1850, at Bridge
port, IN the presence of other mediums,
among the many questions put and answers
received were the following-the answer
purporting TO come from W. Z. Claiming.
Q-W What do spirits propose to accomplish
by these new manifestations
A.-To unite mankind, and to convince
skeptical minds Of the Immortality of ''thc
soul''
The coincidence in sentiment of the an
swer of J. G. Calhoun and of W. f. Chan
ming in regard to the object of these mani
festatlons is remarkable, and worthy of no.
tlce. The concurrence of two such great
minds, whether in or out of the body, on
subject so engrossing, cannot fail to com
mand the attention of every admirer of ex-
a,ted intellect and moral purity
During the above communication Of Cal
houn, the table moved occasionally, perhaps
a foot. first one way and then the other
After the communication closed, we all
moved back from the table from two to four
feet---so that no one touched the table
Suddenly the table moved from the po-
sition it occupied some three or four feet,
rested few moments, and then moved back
to its original position. Then it again NOV
ed as far the other way, and returned to the
place it started from. One side of the ia
bic was then raised, and stood for few mo-
ments at an angle Of about thirty five de-
grees, and then again rested on the floor as
usual.
The table was large, heavy round table,
at which ten or a dozen persons might be
seated at dinner During all these move
ments no person touched the table, nor was
any one near it. After seeing it raised in
the manner above mentioned, had the Gu
riosity to test its weight by raising it my
self | accordingly took my seat by it,
placed my hands under the leaf, and exerted
as much force as | was capable of in that
sitting posture and | could not raise it a
particle from the floor / then stood upin the
best manner to exert the greatest force. took
hold of the leaf, and still could not raise it
with all the strength l could apply. then
requested the three ladies to take hold
around the table, and try altogether to lift
it. We lifted upon it till the leaf and top
began to crack, and did not raise it parti-
Gle We then ceased, fearing we should
break the table, then said, evil the
spirits permit me to raise the table % /
took hold alone, and raised it without diff
Guilty
Q-Can you raise the table entirely from
the floor.
A.-Yes
Q.-Will you raise me with it?
A.-Yes; get me the square table
The square table was of cherry, with four
legs-a large size tea table. 1t was brought
out and substituted for the round one, the
leaves being raised / took my seat on the
centre-the three ladies sat at the sides and
end. their hands and arms resting upon it.
This of course added to the weigh to be
raised-namely, my own weight and the
weight of the table. Two legs of the table
were then raised about six inches from the
floor, and then the other two legs were rails
ed to the level of the first, so that the whole
table was suspended in the air about six
inches above the floor. While thus seated
ON it could feel gentle vibratory motion
as if floating in the atmosphere. After be-
inc thus suspended in the air for few mo-
ments the table was gently let down again
to the floor.
Some pretend to say that these physical
manifestations are made by electricity. [
should like to know by what laws of cleo
! tricity known to us, table is at one time
rivited as it were to the floor against all the
force that could be exerted to raise it; and at
another time raised entirely from the floor
with more than 200 pounds of weight upon
it?
! At subsequent meeting Calhoun direct
ed me to bring three bells and guitar. l
brought them accordingly. The bells were
| &C l;Goront Siuns tho larnast Like small