Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1852-1859, 1853-06-01
Ex-senator rallmadge and spiritualism.

ern and Southern papers are publishing the fol-
lowing, letter of the Hon. N. p. TAILMADGE, for
rnerlyla u. s.. Senator. Weipublish it as matter
ofcuriosity, perceiving nothing in it, however,
more astounding than the statements heretofore
made by the disciples Of 1.-THE Spiritual Rappings.
Baltimore, Tuesday, April12, 1853.
DEAR MADAM seize few leisure moments,
while detained here short time on business, to
give you more extended account of the .Physi-
cal manifestations to which you alluded in for
mer letter. lnsthis accounts shall conine 1nly-,s
self to those which purport to come from the spirit
Of j. O.. Calhoun. i
have received numerous communications from
him. from the commencement of my Investigation
on the subject down TO the present time. These
communications have been received through rap
ping mediums. writing mediums, and speaking
mediums. They are of the most extraordinary
character. In style and sentiments they would
do honor to him in his best days on earth.
After the arrival of the Misses Fox in Washingz.
ton city, IN February last called on them by APP
pontment, and al once, received communica-
ton from Calhoun. =.
then wrote down and propounded mentally
the following question:
Can you do anything (meaning physical mani
festat.ons) to confirm in the truth ofthese
Citations, and TO remove from my mind the last
shadow of unbelief?' &
To which received the following answer:
Il will give you communica ton on Monday, at
II o'clock. Do not fail TO be here. will then
give you explanations. JIG. CALHOUN
1t is proper here TO remark, that all communi-
cations referred to in this letter, were made by
Calhoun after call for the alphabet, and were
raped cut, letter by letter, and taken down by
me in the usual way. They were made in the
presence of the Misses Fox, and their mother.
called on Monday at the hour appointed, and
received the following communications.
My friend, the question is often put to you,
what good can result from these manifestetons?'
will answer it:
at is to draw mankind together in harmony, and
convince skeptics the Immortality of the Soul,
rs f- JOHN @. calhoun
This reminds me that in 1850, in Bridgeport, in
the presence of other MEDIUMS among many ques-
tons put and answers received, were the following
the answer purporting TO come from w. E.
Claiming. @
Q.-What do Spirits propose to accomplish by
these new manifestations.
A.-To unite mankind, and to convince skepti-
cal minds of the Immortality of the soul.'
The coincidence in sentiment of the answer of
]. @. Calhoun and of w. L. Claiming in regard
to the object of these manifestations is remarkable
and worthy of particular notice. The concurrence
of two great minds, whether in or out Of the body,
on subject SO engrossing, cannot fail to command
the attention of every adnirer oil exalted intellect
and moral purity.
During the above communication of Calhoun,
the table moved occasionally, perhaps foot, first
one way and then the other. After the communi-
cation 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 position
it occupied, some three or four feet-rested few
moments-and then moved back TO its original
position. Then it again moved as far the other
way, and returned to the place it started frOm.-
One side OF the table was then raised and stood for
lew moments at an angle OF about thirty-fve
degrees, and then again rested on the floor as
usual.
The table was large, heavy, round table, at
which ten or dozen persons might be seated at
dinner. During all these movements no person
atta tokNIk
seeing it raised in the manner above mentioned,
had the curiosity to test its weight by raising it my
SELF accordingly took my seat by it-placed my
hands under the leaf, and exerted as mu h force
as Twas capable OF in that sitting posture and
could not raise it a particle from the floor. then
stood up, in the best possible position to exert the
greatest force-took- hold of the leaf, and still
could not 1ais it with all the strength could np-
ply. then requested the three ladies to take hold
around the table and Try altogether to lift il. We
lifted upon it until the leaf and top began crack,
and did not raise it particle. Wethen dessted,
fearing we should break the table. l then asked,
"Will the spirits permit me TO raise the tablet"
took hold alone AMI raised it without difficulty.
| After this the following conversation ensued:
Q.-Can you raise the table entirely from the
floor. A. Yes.
OWN 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. Itwas 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 ant,
arms resting upon it. This, of course, added 10
the weight 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 tile
i floor and then the other two legs were raised to
level of tie first that the t1hole table snas sus-
pended in the air, about sir inches from the floor
While thus seated on it, / could feel gentle, vi
bratory motion, as if floating in the atmosphere.
After being thus suspended in the air for q few
mi mt he TAI Ia trac anti 1at1
the floor.
Some pretended to say, these physical manifes-
tations are made by electricity. 1 should like to
4 know by what laws of electricity known to us, a
table is at one time rivited it were, to the floor
against all the force that could be exered to raise
II; and at another Time, raised entirely from the
floor with more than two hundred pounds Of
weight upon ii. =
TO bring three bells and guitar; I brought them
accordingly. The three bells were of different
slzes-the largest like small sized dinner Uell.-
He directed a drawer to be put under the square
table. put under bureau drawer, bottom side
up. He directed the bells to be placed on the
drawer. The three ladies and myself we've seated
at the table, with hands and resting on it.
The bells commenced ringing sort of chime
Numerous raps were made, as if beating time TO a
march. The bells continued to ring and to chime
in with the beating of time. The time ofthe
march was slow and solemn. 1t was beautiful
and perfect. The most fastidious ear could not
detect any discrepancy in it. =
The raps then ceased and the bells rang violent
| ly for several minutes. bell then pressed on nv
foot, my ankle and my knee. This was at different
times repeated. KNOCKS were made most pehe-
mentty against the underside of the table-so that
a large tin candlestick was, by every blow, raised
completely from the table by the concussion :
1aflefward examined the underside of the table,
(Which it will be recollected, was OF cherry and
found fluctuations in the wood, made by the end
of the bell, which was tipped with BRASS, Could
handle of thebell, causing lamentations and rais-
ing the candestick from The table at every blow?
oriwas it done by the same invisible power that
riveted the tableto the floor, and again raised it
with all the weight upon il, entirely above the
floor? - q . ss75s5a s-. ~
Here the ringing Of the bells ceased, and then
felt sensibly and distinctly the impression of a
hand on my foot, ankle and knee. These mani