The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-01-07

suasion or reasoning Ny room was filled with
spectres and animals, and / was in constant
conversation with the former, and fear of the
others l got no sleep, and foated on vast
sea OF phantssms, mockeries, and strange Wis
IONS. Some. day l may write out for this work
history of that strange and dreadful night. l
remember everything that saw and heard, or
thought saw and heard. But there is not
room within the space of this paper to do 80
and having now given the reader an outline
ana idea OF the character and phenomena of
my case, saall, in tracing it to its close, pre-
sent It's most prominent and curious features.
Under the direction of friends, including a
no3se-hearted mother, a journey was planned,
aud was to play the part of pilot. To their
great satisfaction, | offered to accompany them
TO the Asylum at Utica, introduce them to the
superintendent, and partake of dinner there.
VI course they fell in readily with the plan, for,
unknown to me, it exactly conceded with theirs
Full OF this idea, set out from home. At
the railway station l met and conversed with
scores OF real and unreal friends, and gave all
necessary las well as Unnecessary directions as
70 what wac needful to be done in my absence,
fsncying tkat was to meet nv family at
Albany, to attend the funeral of a near and
dear relativs.
That brie$ journey was q strange one indeed.
lts incidents are burned into my memory, and
VIII 1--we thsTe while memory exists. Scarcely
hao the train started, ere a world of phantasies,
eacn OF which l clearly remember, filed my
VISION and my mind. AS the train approached
syracuse, the whole world seemed astir NV
mind was yet full Of the exciting political cam
palgn through which l had Just passed. The
polls were closed, but the campaign was not
yet over tds me. Villages and great fields were
1lled with ;mmense mass meetings of all parties.
Iney lined either side of the road, and pre-
sented TO bae scene of the most exciting and
interesting character. Numerous shadow DO
hucal frieTds informed me that ex Governor
Seymour Was to address a multitude at Syra- |
cuse. L briefly thanked them, and looked for.
ware with intense interest to the gathering. AS
we journeyed or, the fields on either side of the
cars began to fill up with incalculable numbers
OF people, i1archipgin solid columns many miles
in length, end literally sprinkled with military
horse, foot, and dragons" / can never
forget those serried hosts, or my disappoiut-
ment, on reaching Syracuse, at being informed
that it would be impossible to visit the Asylum
at Utica, If we tarried to attend the great mass
meeting. SO made a score of apologies, and,
amid the fsncied tumult of thronging Thousands
and the march Of interminabe professions, the
train Numbered on toward Utica The strange
deiuson kept pace with the swift.g train
On either side of the road the country was
alive with people and professions, either gath.
cred at or moving toward places for mass
meetings of the people. NV focus of vision
was necessarily filled with this political phan.
tssmagoria. In all directions were to be seen
enormous gatherings of human beings, endless
professions OF armies with banners, countless
transparencies and notices, and no end of ex.
cited orators on stumps and rostrums, saving
the air with their arms, and full of dreadful and
dangerous gesticulation. One speaker pointed
proudly, to an immense piece of canvas
stretched from an oak to palmetto, on which
were inscribed the words, South Carolina and
DIR. Kane The Union is safe | " remember
calling my brothers attention to it, and indulg-
ing N some criticism on it, in which he fully
agreed.
Allthe way to Utica, we were beset with pro.
cessions and mas meetings, and on one oc.
caslon was called out upon the platform to
make speech. 1t resulted in the manufacture
of an apology, which was not very graciously
received and my impression was when took
my seat, that had made failure.
At onc time, all the people in the car, except
myself, attempted the rather difficult feat of
standing on their heads l laughed heartily
at this, but was soon attracted in another d.
rection 10Y violent and earnest speech from
my old friend Gen. King, of the Milwaukee Sen.
hnel In favor of the election of Col. Fremont
de stood at one side of the centre of the car,
and noticed that his chin drummed incessant-
y upon the cross rod that formed the under
portion of the light baggage.rack of the coach.
told him that l cared nothing for his ha-
rsngue, bat feared that his lower Jaw was
injured. He replied, that he could "hold his
jas" when he pleased. Myself, brother. and
friend, occupied seats together There was
room, with reversed seat, for another 1t
seemed to me that the space was filled with a
cane and umbrella rack, and that the handles
ana tops OF these articles sprouted out vigor
ously, In all manner of indigenous and exotic
plants and flowers. Oh, they were beautiful
and fragrant And yet could not crowd out
the lurking suspicion that there was something
wrong about the whole matter.
This idea haunted me through the whole DE-
Rod OF my trouble-that even what saw that
was unreal, and that pleased me, was not riqht
MY mind was constantly engaged in a brisk
and earnest argument on a thousand points
that every passing phantasy raised and vet
there was strange and almost overpowering
impression that all cav was real This con
fict seemed to mark the boundary lines that
divided sanity from insanity. To me this strife
was one Of the most unpleasant features of nv
trial. was kept up 10 thousand WAYS. until
l was restored to souudness of mental health.
will pass over the Incidents connected with
my arrival at Utica-although all of them are
clear and distinct in my memory-and pass at
once to the recital of the closing scenes in " nv
case,"
When it flashed upon my mind, as it did at
last, taat L was actually an inmate of the Asy.
lum, ind not guest-tbat my brother and nv
FRIEND were gone-that simple stratagen.
which 1 had unconsciously aided, bad impris.
oned me, my anguish and excitement were
very gteat. l told the story of my griefs to my
fellow patients, whose attention 1 could COM
mand; and when none of these would listen.
there was no lack of imaginary friends and
sympathizers.
Up to this period, the sense of sight was ser.
ousiy ehected. During this afternoon and the
night following, as well as portion of the sue
ceedifg Cay, the sense of hearing became af
fectec. / attributed this, in great degree. to
the N 3ntal excitement caused by a vivid con.
scioufness of the fact that was shut up in the
AsylSn as mailman Thoughts of home
and ef family, and of business, and of friends
and OF dreadful and nameless calamity. filled
my mind; and then heard familiar voices in
the ball, IN other rooms, and out of doors. talk
ing Of my case, wondering that l was in the
AsylAm, and devisiDg means for my release. /
essayed to confer with them, but was repulsed
by the officials of the Asylum, (so thought
and was forced to beat hasty retreat to nv
room. An attendant induced me, at last. to
lie down in my room. l made up my mind that
l must make the best of it, took his advice.
strove 10 get interested in putting my room in
order, unpacking my baggage, and at length
threw myself upon my bed. But, though wea-
ried to the last degree, there was no sleep for
me- My eyes closed and opened invountariy.
1t vas torture, The windov over tho door &c