The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1857-08-12
5 No: 81
eral view Of what transpres in the south on

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heard form senators Slidell and Benjamin.
They can both speak and write--yet they re-
main silent both with voice and pen. Do they
endorse the Buchanan W alker- Kansas policy?
This is a question their constituents would like
to have answered. We doubt not senator Sill
dell will sustain the president, and think 1t quite
probable senator Benjamin will do the same
thing. Numerous candidates for congress IN
various southern States are boldly and man
fully denouncing the Buchanan Walker con-
duct, vet not one word is heard from Messrs-
Villere, Taylor, Davidson or Sandidge, demo
cratic candidates from the, first, second, third
and fourth congressional districts! This looks
ominous The people want to know whether
they are for the administration OF for the south,
and will know before next November. or keep
them at home. Crescent.
SP1RITuAL1sM DRooPING.-We have thought
proper to furnish our readers such an account
of the proceedings of the mediums and the com
mttee as were engaged in the last test case In
Boston, as we could CLEAN from the journals of
that city treating on the sub ject. We were
glad that an investigation of this kind was to
take place. We had, in consideration Of the
consequences attendant on the spread of spiritu
alism, felt the necessity of such movement
1t took place in Boston during the past week,
under the following circumstances: The edt-
tor of the Boston Courier offered $500 to any
mediums or spiritual performers who would
perform feats that could not be explained by
well known agencies; the challenge was accep-
ted by some Of the most prominent spiritual
lists; a jury was appointed, consisting of the fol-
lowing gentlemen; Prof Agassiz, Prof B.
Peirce, Prof Gould of the Observatory, and
Prof Horseford.
The spiritualists mustered in great force, num-
bering in THEN midst some of the most noted
mediums of the country After several days
investigation, the number OF mediums becom-
ing less with the opening of each sitting, they
finally gave in and retired from the contest
The report of the committee we append as fol-
lows:
The committee award, that Dr.. Gardner,
having failed to produce before them an agent
or medium who communicated a word impart-
ed to the spirits in an adjoining room, "who
read word in English written inside book or
folded sheet of paper" who answered any ques-
ton (Which the superior inteIgences must be
able to answer" s.who tilted a piano without
touching it, or caused chair to move foot;'
and having failed to exhibit to the commit
tee any phenomenon which under the widest
latitude Of Interpretation could be regarded as
equivalent to either of these proposed tests, or
any phenomenon which required, forits pro-
duction, or in any manner indicated force which
could technically be denominated spiritual; or
which was hitherto unknown to science,
phenomenon of which the cause was not pal
pable to the committee, is therefore, not entitled
to claim from the Boston Courier the proposed
premium of five hundred dollars.
1t is the opinion of the committee, derived
from observation, that any connection with
spiritualistic circles, so-called, corrupts the
morals and dcgrades the intellect. They, there
fore, deem it their solemn duty to warn the com
munity against this communicating influence,
which surely tends to lessen the truth of man
and the purity of woman.
The committee will publish report oftheir
proceedings together with the results of addl-
tional Investigations and other evidence inde-
pendent of the special cases submitted to them,
but bearing upon the subject of this stupendous
delusion. Signed ed-Benjamin Pierce chairman,
L. S. Agassiz B. A. Gould, Jr., E. N Hosford
Cambridge, June go, 1857.
Now, in regard to spirjtualism, we have new
er hesitated to express our belief, plainly and
candidly, that it had no foundation or shadow
of foundation, in the manner by which it sought
to entrap the public confidence, and that it was
unworthy the acceptance humankind, from the
! fact that it ridiculous in lis pretentions, and
most preposterous in the unre assemble demands
it made upon those who did IN sincerity adopt
it. We are fully aware of the fact that there
were hundreds, thousands, who were firm be-
levers in the transmission of communications
from departed spirits to the living, and we be
lieved they were honest in regard to it; but al
the same time we need no stronger proof of
f their delusion, than to witness their credulity
in endorsing the belief that spirits manifested
their presence and desires by rapping on floors,
table lifting, chair moving, &c. On the other
hand, we believe that two-thirds of what were
termed spiritual manifestations were produced
by fraud, and the other third depended on the
delusion of the senses of those who witnessed
them.
Aside from the fundamental principles oI
our earth, controlling it miraculously, yet har-
; monously, bearing their evidences open to every
sense with which mankind is endowed we know
of no stronger test by which we can be govern
' ed than that embodied in the simple rule "tha
whatever is not reason is not entitled TO credi-
bility," and we are willing to be so guided
:: By it we may Judge ofthe falacy of Millerism
knock cometary fancies into pieces, and trave
on unmolested by the thousand and one newly
: hatched theories that are ever palmed of upor
8 those who are ceaselessly in search of the won
i derful. We are aware that the defenders OF
such vagarles are ever rcady.to quote that the
same persecution has attended the discovery o
every new science; but we beg to remember
that amid the millions Of theories Of the kind
that have been sprung upon mankind, the few
that have been perpetuated have depended on
e reason and undenable calculation, and have
t given proofs Of their existence that appealed
l to the senses of mankind alike.
In regard to the Boston test case, we suppose
it will be said that this was a solitary case
We are willing to grant it; but it should be re
membered that the committee appointed were
: gentlemen of the highest order Of talent, occupy
ing most prominent positions in the public eye
and those, too, who, had there been the slight
est foundation for the theory advanced, would,
in their devotion to science, have hailed it as
a new path in the study to which they have