Washington telegraph., 1853-02-02
An Extraordinary Relation.


We copy the following from the New
York Tribune. The letter of Mrs Sarah
Helen Whitman. as published in that paper,
is very long, and we give only the most re-
markable portion of it. Mrs. Whitman is
lady Of high character and of considerable
literary distinction. Her name may be
found in almost every collection Of Amer-
can poetry. As for Mr.. Simmons late e.
S. Senator from Rhode Island, he is known
throughout the country as man of strong
sense and keen sagacity: Lou Jour.
THE 'SpIEITUAL" PHENoMENA.-Hav-
ing heard, sometime since that certain very
remarkable occurrences in connection with
the alleged spiritual manifestations of our
day had been witnessed by Hon. James f.
Simmons, late y. s. Senator from Rhode
Island and widely known as peculiarly fitted
for keen and clear-sighted observation, we
lately applied to a literary friend in Provi-
dence, who, as we knew, had taken deep
interest from the outset in these 'manifcsta-
tions, ior a true account of Mr.. Simmon's s
experience in the premises. Her answer
which we think will repay a careful reading
is as follows:
Horace GREELEY, ESQ
Deur Sir: | haze had 10 conversation
with Mr.. Simmons on the subject of your
note until to-day | took an early oppor-
tunity OF acquainting him with its contents.
and this morning he called on me to say that
he was perfectly willing to inlpart to you
the particulars of his experience in relation
to the mysterious writing performed under
his very eyes in broad daylight, by an in
visible agent. In the fall Of 1850, several
messages were teegraphed to Mrs. Simmons,
through the electric sounds. purporting to
come from her step-son james d. Simmons,
who died some weeks before in California
The messages were calculated to stimulate
curiosity and lead to an attentive obscrva-
tion of the phenomena Mrs S., having
heard that messages in the handwriting OF
deceased persons were sometimes written
through the same medium, asked if her son
would give her this evidence of his identity
She was informed (through the sounds) that
the attempt should be made, and was direct
ed to place a slip OF paper in certain draw
er at the house of the medium, and to lay
beside it her own pencil, which had been
given her by the deceased. Weeks passed,
and although frequent inquiries were made,
no writing was found on the paper Mrs
Simmons, happening to call at the house one
day, accompanied by her husband, made the
usual inquiry and received the usual answer
The drawer had been opened not two hours
before, and nothing was seen in it but the
pencil lying on the blank paper. At the
suggestion of Mrs. s., however, another in
vestigation, was made, and on the paper was
now found few penciled lines resembling
the handwriting of the deceased, but not 50
closely as to satisfy the mothers doubts
Mrs. Simmons handed the paper to her huS-
band He thought there was slight re-
semblance. but should probably not have re-
marked it, had the writing been casually
presented to him. Had the signature been
given, he could at once have decided on the
resemblance. He proposed if the spirit os
his son were indeed present as al phabet-
lcal communications received through the
sounds affirmed him to be, that he should
then and there afix his signature to the sus-
picious document.
In order to facilitate the operation, Mr.. S.
placed the closed points of pair of scissors
in thoshand of the medium and dropped his
pencil through one OF the rings or bows, the
paper being placed beneath Her hand
presently began to tremble, and it was with
difficulty she could retain her hold Of the
scissors. Mr. Simmons then took them into
his own hand and again dropped his pencil
through the ring It could not readily be
sustained in this position. After few mo-
ments, however, it stood as if firmly poised
and perfectly still. 1t then began slowly to
move. MIR. S. saw the letters traced beneath
his eyes. The word: James D. Simmons
were distinctly and deliberately written, and
the handwriting was facsimile of hts sons
signature But what Mr.. S. regards us the
most astonishing part of this seeming miracle
is yet to be told.
Bending down to scrutiniza the writing
more closely, he observed just as the last
word was finished that the top of the pencil
leaned to the right He thoug ght it was about
70 slip through the ring, but to his infinite