The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1858-12-19
Decline and Exposure Of the Spiritual Hum
hug.

There Is a remarkable similarity in the histo-
that every dog must have bis day, they run
shorter or longer course, in proportion TO the
cleyerness of their originstors, and then are
heard OF 40 more. IL wcgo back to the days of
Joanna Soutbcote. Tightening crowds OF British
Doors, or the magnificent Law stock gambling
with duchesscs and cardinals in the Rue ouin-
campcix, to the Count Cagiostro with his colos-
sal swindlcs, or 10 a more modern humbug. Mes
mcr, we shall find that the crop Of fools always
wi'hered az rapidly "a il had been raised. 50,
too. with the decisions Of to-day. Ten years ago
the speedy ending Of the material world was pre-
dicted by one Miller, and thousands of thrifty
houscwivcsin Yankee Land prepared their ascen-
sion robes for an immediate journey t. heaven.
Mormonisrn came likewise; and although, through
the opposition which its practices naturally
excited, Its existence has been somewhat more
prot.acted than il would have been had the Saints
been let alone severely, yet il may be safely
alleged that the palmy days OF Brigham Young
ana his coadjutors are over.
But the most gigantic delusion Of recent
date has been that Of Spiritualism- In q
little more than year after the Foxes
commenced their operations at Rochester
spirits Of oil sorts and al all prices were rapping
Kicking, writing, tipping and knocking furniture
about all over the land. The Srpants were bother
ed; grave college professors Investigated the
phenomena, and, with owllikc sagacty, came to
the conclusion that they knew nothing about it.
Judges and Senators gave In their adhesion 10
the new doctrines, and consulted the spirits on
knotty points in law or politics Every second
young woman was q medium, and was longing
or thirsting' for some impossible thing as IL APP
peared. When the medium found an affinity"
Of the opposite sex the spirits would frequently
interfere in the marital relations Of the parties
and In the most impertinent way order them to
the arms Of some other medium or alfili.y and
thus arose the Free Love excitement. The philo-
sophers Of the Tribune, who had used up all the
other aboitionism, Fourierism, socialism
agrarianism, and 70 on--cagerly seized upon the
new Gclusion, and advocated IL in miles OF turgid
common places. Itincrant mediums wandered
over the country, gathering money from the
i1NNlhnlNf, tlG WEAK lut IAGhuiVur- Oht
might really have imagined that, 70 far az public
enlightenment was concerned, we were in the
ninth century instead Of the nineteenth.
But Spiritualism has had its day. Not even
strong admixture of sensualism could keepit up
Some q its more distinguished advocates have
quietly abandoned the faith Others, like the
strong-mindcd Mrs. Cove Nichols, and the young
cst Of Ne Foxcs-Miss Margaretta have made
open recantation and sought for pardon from the
Roman Catholic Church Judge Edmonds, II il
said, wavcrs in his belief The Tribune philo-
sopbcrs like all other rats, were early in desert
ing the sinking ship, and there Is every indication
that the spirits will rap without customers before
many moons have waned.
Under these circun stances Che public mird is