New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-05-08
FROM BOSTON.
Prous Our own Correspondent.
RnSroS Wa

Pror' Our own corespondsnt.
BosToN, Wednesday, May 6. Is5,
The Spiritualst controversy here Is going On with
undated vigor. Fresh fuel was added 10 the az,
citement on the subject BY the appearance smouy
us last week of Mr.. Hume, the celebrated medium
whose performances at Paris, before the Emperor
Napoleon, have been so much noticed in the news.
papers. He arrived in the country fortnight s,a
having come TO Boston TO get his sister, with whom
he embarks for Europe in to-day's steamer. Hs
returns to Paris at the Emperor's request be ays.
All the statements in the papers about his dolngss
the Tuieres he pronounces fabricat tons, based on
conjecture. His experiments before the Imperial
Court were performed in private, and the penons
present pledged 10 secrecy. He himself declines 10
give any particulars of what occurred.
Mr. Hume is Scotchman, and came 10 this
country while a very young boy. He is twenty-five
years OF age but looks nearly thirty. He is Of mid
die size, sandy haired. with bright shrewd, eoer.
getic face, pleasant expression and very nervous
restless temperament. He is communicative (er
cept about the doings at the Tuleries) and talks
necessarily His manners are good, though OBJ
yiously not those of an educated man.
On Monday evening last Splrituaist session Was
held at private house up town, with Hume and
Willis. the Cambridge student for mediums Some
other gentlemen of the press were present by inv.
tation The whole company numbered fourteen
The room in which the party assembled was lighted
by gas, and every opportunity Was afforded for IN
yestigatOn. The usual feats of moving tables and
pianos were performed in the most successful man.
ner in full gaslight, with sharp-eyed. skepticd
gentleman under the table, and half dozen Others
closely watching the mediums, whose feet also were
held The table moved was heavy extension table,
IAN .af LONE ap1o part of hp M ~ a
the added weight of an editor, whose plump condi-
ton does credit Ia the prosperity of the profession IN
Boston, One Of the leaves of the table was taken out
BY unseen agency and laid upon the others. Acoth
being placed upon the table hand, or what to tho
touch seemed a hand was repeatedly thrust up un.
der il. This wss grasped by some OF the gentlemen
present, in whose grasp it melted away They
state that the form and feel of human fingers was
perfectly palpable. The hands of the mediums and
of all present were at that time on the table In full
sight Mr.. Hume held an accordion in one hand
taking hold Of the bottom OF the instrument while
his other hand was stretched out away from t.
Several tunes were played upon by invisible agency
One of the editors present inspected it closely; hs
saw the bellows part and the keys moving exactly
as if some person were playing upon it while il
hung suspended in the air at only few inches from
his eyes The result, in short, Of the session was
that everybody present was satisfied that the feas
Performed we're not done by tho mediums, and that
any theory Of solution, which ascribes them 10
jugglery, is simply ridiculous.
/ have not gone into the minute details Of this
session, because it was impromptu affair got up
on occasion of the visit Of Hume. A regular and
formal session is to BE- held soon, with Willis for
medAsn, and some WELL known and scientific gen.
tlemen of Boston and Cambridge for spectators-d
which, doubtless, an authenticated record will b
made and of which will send you report
The Republican State Committee have called
State Convention to meet ON the oath Of June, TO
nominate candidates for State officers. They seem
to be in hurry to hold Convention, and deter.
mined 10 take time by the forelock, for reasoa
or other. fear that suspiciOn-an unreasonable
uspiciOn-has more influence upon these movements
for premature Convention, than any other faculty.
They are not demanded by the circumstances OF the
times of the Republican party small section
of the party have got the notion into their heads
that sOme mischief or other s brewing, they hardly
know hat, and that the only way 10 avert it Is to
hold an early Convention. They may be right, ba.
/ for one am quite unable to see or understand
what it is that dsturbs them The Path o.
June is two or three months in advance Of
the usual time Of holding State Conventions,
and fear that interest enough in the matter may
not be felt TO induce the people to attend primary
meetings and choose delegates. However, II
Of no great consequences Republican Con-
yentiOn will be sure to make good NOM
nations, and nominations that will carry the State,
For Governor, Mr.. Banks will doubtless be Sc
lected. If nominated he is sure TO be elected; and
the desire is very strong among the Republicans to
run candidate who cannot be- beaten by any CON-
bination whatever. The defeat Of Mr.. Rockwell in
1855 was so great an evil that no one wishes to nsk
q similar failure.
Gen. Wilson starts to-day for the West. He will
be absent several months, and intends TO Visit