Washington telegraph., 1854-09-13
SDirituaIisnl.

called forth from a disciple of the new
faith the following reply:
WASHINGTON, Sept. 6, 1854.
Mr.. EDITOR In your paper Of this
morning, | notice the following article edi-
torial: "The papers record many recent
cases of insanity occasioned by the spiritual
rapping excitement, and so it will continue
to be. 1t requires visionary mind, and
an excitable temperament to become interest
ed and absorbed in such things at the start.
An ardent prosecution of spiritual enquiries
and an overwhelming confidence in these
moonshine vagaries, will soon do the work
and produce a raving maniac. 1t will be
time enough to see and talk with spirits,
when we get to their land. Until then We
can have no relish whatever for their COM
pany." Now Mr. Editor, if this bold and
sweeping assertion, is true one, the writer
of this is in startling, fearful and deplora-
bic situation. One to be deeply commiser-
ated by the philanthropic soul, for after o
long, careful, if not impartial investigation
of the claims Of "Spiritualism," he most
implicitly, with all the sincerity of his i'm
mortal soul, believes them just and true
he believes spiritual intercourse to BE a
God blessed reality, and he would remark
en- passant, if he errs in this belief, he
errs with plenty Of good company-with
some of the brightest stars that fash out in
the galaxy Of science
He errs with Nathaniel p Tallmadge
the orator and statesman-he errs with
John Worth Edmonds Of the New York
Supreme Court. "who," savant has said
"unites the wisdom of BACON with the in
tuition of a MANSFIELD" he errs with Rob-
ert Owen, the world renowned philosopher,
who, like Thomas, ever doubts until be sees
and hears, and feels; and he orrs with one
million of human beings besides.
Now MI. Editor: l can honestly assure
you, that spiritualism has attained too large
a size, and wears too commanding, respect
able and imposing appearance, ever to be
crushed by mere defamation and assertion:
or laughed out Of countenance by cachin-
ating, grimacing ridicule
1t must be put down by the strong force
of argument and 2ojliioso,1hy, if put down
at ALL It's believers think they have
great and puissant reasons for the faith
that Is within them" and yet they are ever
open to convict;on--th are disposed to re-
gard that man, who convinces them of their
error, as their best friend, but as they are
rational, and reasonable beings, they regard
apSe d'TitS, as puerile and worthless, unless
accompanied by why and a wherefore.
1t splritualism as "moonSlt5ne vagary,' y
and will inevitably "proIuce raring
maniac, those who have the power within
them to throw off the beautiful mask, which
wells its hideousness should be "Ana;hema
Maranatha,' were they not to exercise, yea,
speedily exercise that power.
In conclusion. we will say if we are in
dolusion, and that delusion involves such
awful consequences as you say it does. in
the name of Almighty God and his child
humanity, we pray you, to attempt to dispel
that delusion from our midst Immediately.
Hoping to hear farther from you on this
subject. | remain still unshaken in the
new faith,'' FREE THINKER.
In the paragraph quoted by tie writer
we did not intend to say that every visiona-
ry mind and excitablc temperament was
equally subject to insanity from spiritual in
vestigations. Some minds are better ricged
and carry more ballast than others. and these
can take aboard a greater amount of spirit
ualism without being capsized Mr.. TALL
MADGE, Mr.. EDMoNDs, and the writer him
SELF we presume, are Of this class. But
there are minds of lighter draught and less
ballast, who are easily capsized and plunged
into the vortex of insanity, by the continued
contemplation of spiritualsm, and to these
our remarks referred. The writer is in no
danger Of becoming insane unless he be.
longs to this class
The writer appears highly consoled by
the idea that if he errs, he errs with such
distinguished men as TALLmApGE, and Ed
MoNDs and OWEN Error we should think.
retains its nature, whether in the peasant or
the prince, and if we had to err, we think
it would be rather safest to err with the
peasant
The writer, with much dignifed empha-
SIS, assures us that "spiritualism has attained
too large size, and wears too commanding,
imposing, and respectable an appearance ev-
er to be crushed by mere defamation and
assertion, or laughed out of countenance by
cachinating, grimacing ridicule" We can
only Judge of spiritualism as we DO the
wind: by its effects We cannot see either
but as the effects Of the wind are sometimes
seen in uprooted trees and unroofed houses
the effects of spirtualism may be seen in the
Lunatic Asylums at the North.
Like the writer we are fond of f1cts.