Daily national Democrat., 1860-02-14
SpirituaIism,
MARYsvILLr Fnh

MARYsvILLE, Feb. 10.
EDITOR oEMocRAT:-ln your paper ofFeb.
18th, appears letter in udvocalion of "S,ir.
itualsm," and signed "Rejoinder."
"Rcjoinder' states that he denies tbot
"there are forty out of the insane now in
Stockton Lunatic Asylum, laboring under
mental delusion or unsoundnessl caused bv
Spirituaism," and he also says-"I shall con.
tinue to deny it until better proof is adduced
than mere newspaper assertions, or the sillv
cackle OF an expert Snowman"
In the first place, 'Rejoinder" will scarce
~ dispute that an enlightened newspaper is
the voice of the people of the city or country
to which it belongs, and he has only to lool,
at the well-selected motto which heads the
DEMOCRAT, and he will find that "the voice
OF the people is the voice of God"
He questions the truth of Enouiror,s no.
sertion and by so doing questions the veroci-
ty OF Enquirer's authorities-the newspapers
of the State of California.
l suggest that some disinterested person
son should write to the Governor of the
stockton Insane Asylum, and enquire if there
are or were, any victims of the baneful hum
bug, Spiritualism, in that establishment
Surely, that would be the fairest method Of
verifying or disproving the fact. Will IRE
joinder" enlighten me as to the origin Of
Spiritualism
Will he prove to me the benefits that If
has conferred upon mankind?
Will he name for me men or women who
have died in its cause
Will he give me Scriptural proofs that our
Creator has committed to mortal, interate
and short-sighted man, the privilege of sum-
momng, and commanding to revisit earth,
the spirits of our departed ancestors, our
Washngtons, Clays, Websters, Irvings and
Brodericks; our actors, our poets, our SOL
diers, our friends l say, "in truth he can
not do it."
lie may show us proofs of clever humbugs
perpetrated upon the weak and snperstitous,
ignorant and wonder.seeking portion of our
citizens.
But still, fancy such man as Collins, the
"test medium" endeavoring to persuade
free and enlightened citizen of the Ameri-
can Republic, that spirits would condescend,
(even if they had the power to stoop and I'M
loose the cords which bound him, and all for
his own personal ACKNOWLEDGEMENT.
Now let us look little further into "Re-
joinder's" epistle. He says:
81 will endeavor to enlighten him as to
the great fact that hundreds of thousands of
cases are constantly occurring all over the
civilized world where devils (evils) are cast
out by the laying on of hands in manner
perfectly analogous to that performed by
Christ and his Apostles consequently are
claimed to be done under the same universal
aud eternal law of ature, which law is be-
ginning to be understood by those who are
not wilfully blind"
Was "Reioinder" not afraid that, while
writing such a vile piece of blasphemy he
mould, like "Ananias" of old, fall dead upon
the spot Is it possible that any truthful
man in his right senses, could believe that his
fellow man could usurp the place of our Gre
ator and Redeemer by laying on of hands
in manner perfectly analogous to that per
formed by Christ and his Apostles2"
Let "Rcjoinder name the men who have so
far endeavored to carry their charlatauism
Let him prove on good authority mot the
of DIR. Scott in the Spiritual
Telegraph that these miracles have been
performed within the last fifteen years, and
he will find that l am not quite Willingly
bind but prepared to combat his false, and
must add, blasphemeous assertions. fear
alas that he cannot do 50, even if he were
to follow the example of various humbugs of
the day. B." going into trance state or
some other species of deception.
In conclusion, l merely say, in American
parlance: 81 want to know, du tell" and un,
til do know, Spiritualism and "Rejoinder"
will never find a believer in
Yours, obediently.
"Vox PoPULT"