Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-07-13
$50 may ye hae auld stanes In store,
The very stanes that Adam bore;
50 may ye hae in glad possession.


Aud the Gazette having SO thoroughly inves-
tigated the matter as TO be able TO pronounce
authoritatively on il, we can do no better
than TO give the results reached by those pa
pers up TO this time, divesting them of the
ponderous matter which would not do for
our readers; but which, in the great newspa7
pers. as in natural bodies whose size exceeds
performance, runs TO adipose and offal.
The Gazette Journal of high authority in
all scientific and theological questions, pro-
nounces the Holy-stone an 'unmitigated
hoax" This derives the more weight from
the fact that the Gazette has arrived at this
finality without having seen the Holy-stone.
Only to the ignorant viii this seem unreason-
able. Actual evidence is proverbially as un-
certain as mems minds are diverse. No man
has reached the threshold of true philosophy
until he has learned to doubt his own ex-
istepce. It is only beyond the sphere of
human evidence that any thing becomes so
certain that no difference of opinion can be
permitted.
Hoax and humbug are metaphysical terms,
used by the learned to describe the sphere
beyond the reach of human reason and in
vestigation. Devout philosophers, when they
reach this boundary, subside into the repose
of faith, and ascribe things TO miraculous
power. Profane pundits, like him of the
Gazette, when they reach the limit Of their
own reason, ascribe all beyond to humbug.
The Commercial, having established aHoly-
stone department, could not Of course dis
pose of so momentous newspaper event in
so summary a manner, but has worked up an
elaborate scientific discussion of it. In the
following brief extracts from the learned ar
ticles of that paper, which, as it observed of
the Holy-stone inscriptions, "are all suscep-
tible of being nodded gracefully and gram
matically into one" we have compiled the
results of its investigation up to this time.
Z att appears to me quite possible, and even
probable, that the stone may have been ex-
pressly prepared, inscribed and deposited by
some facetious fellow to furnish sport fol-
himself at public expense" But why
should it have been buried in dug holef'
There is vast room for reasoning on that
point Q t.- rt
For the benefit of unlearned readers We
will remark that by Dug Holes is meant thu
deprebSiOnS dunouB tue niouhuo'
'Tf wandering Masons found their wa,
across the straits from the Asiatic Continen
among the primitive inhabitants of thos
regions, this Holy-stone may have been th
key of a vault, and upon the decay OF tn
sepulcber it fell with the ruins"
As the stone was found alone, IL will b
observed that upon this ingenious theory, tn
arch fell and left the keystone standing.
1T is, possibly, link in Western arche
Ology." -~#
"If it is Masonic, it was either designed b,
an unworthy Mason, or it may turn out
valuable relic" at may turn out an eyre
gious hoax. In that case | shall hav
discharged my duty as journalist" 9TH
grace beauty of the translation is strik
ing, and seems to me corroborative evidenc
of the genuineness of the Holy-stone.
II regard the theories concerning the dc
posit Incredible; but conceive it incredibl
that any practical joker or imposter coul'
have designed and executed deception 81
perfect in all its details" 81 suspect ais
that it may have been scheme to extoI
money from the Free Masons."
These extracts contain the results of yer
searching and elaborate discussion. Th
comments of the learned are usually obscul
to the ignorant. The beauty of this con
mentary is that it makes scientific facts pa
pable to the popular comprehension. Certai
results are demonstrated and with these q
premises for further investigation, the solu
ton of the mystery is only question of tim
and of columns in the Commercial.
Thus it is shown that it is altogether il
credible that the stone could have been d
signed as a deception and joke, but it
possible, and even probable. Also that u
theories concerning the deposit are incred
bic, but it is incredible that il could ha
been deposited for q practical joke. Ais
that if it is Masonic it is either the key OF
vault, or il is scheme to extort money fro
the Free Masons, or it is u valuable relic,
twas designed by an unworthy Mason.
Certainly, human research can hardly
beyond this. There is point beyond whit
it is dangerous to strain the mind profoul
at which reason stands aghast. Only o
part of the subject seems unexhausted; ii
is the Dug Hole. As the saUant mysterious
remarks, There is vast room for reaso
ing on that point" Columns of the mt
,bstruse reasoning might go in at that no
We would suggest, with the modesty d
from those whose ideas are printed on b
two cylinders, when referring to those whi
are multiplied ON four cylinders, that IL
Dug Hole be brought to this city for exhil
rion with the Holy-stone. That Dug HI
seems to be the only orifce through viii
any further light can be reached. Let
special saUa1t of the Conmerciat be
patched for that Dug Hole with some s.
case in which il may be protected from
norant curiosity and from envious pundits
Il will be observed that if finally the thi
ahould "turn out an egregious hoax" th
the writer will have the satisfaction that
has discharged his duty as a journalist
expanding it. So just an appreciation Of
duty Of journalist in that metropolis
concern can not be too much admired.
Hot Canvass. O.
A correspondent of the New York Trib
from Maine says. Washburn is go