The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1865-06-17
Communicated


Another Specimen of John Bull. Fairness.
Il is well known that the Brothers Davenport are
now, or have been lately exhibiting their spiritual
magic, or manifestations, in England. and after over
two hundred seances, by which they have realized a
handsome sum and apparently converted many Of
the diguitaries and scientific men Of that country
TO the philosophy of spirituralism, alarm was taken,
supposed to proceed from a still greater humbug,
the English Church, (spriukled with a little cop
perhead hatred Of the Union,) and an attempt was
made TO expel them from the country. English
law wisely protects all %humbugs and non-humbugs
alike; so. in order to get rid of the Brothers, it was
necessary to resort to mob-law, which has come TO
be a permanent institution in that Law abiding
country, whereat all peculiarly embarrassing ques-
tions are solved. Riots were accordingly formulated
according to the secret ritual, and headed by two
notorious DULLES, HUXLEY and Cummins, succeeded
in breaking up the seances at Liverpool, Hudders-
field and Leeds.
After the riot at the latter city, the DavenpOrts
appealed to the British people for protection against
like outrages for the future. The appeal contains a
lengthy detailed account Of their operations since
their arrival in England. (much too long TO copy,)
wherein all the good and bad treatment they have
received there is candidly told. After refutlng the
charges of ali the journals in the interest Of the
mob against the spirits for not - Misunderstanding
at those places and on the occasions in question, but
that they themselves reI9Sed 10 suuInil " II az"
treatment offered them by the ruflan ringleaders
of the mob, close their appeal as follows"
"The Leeds Mercury. reporting the violent pro-
! ceedings against us at Huddersheld, says
Mr.. walker, not considering that his hands could pull the
rope tight enough, used his knee to assist him, and the Brother
he was operating on again protested. = = Several persons
had at that time gone to the cabinet and Davenport showed his
wrist to some of them. 1t had a hvldi marx iringet W WIN reJ'
about the breadth Of an a hnser, ana m n n",o" " IN ""'A
esY Yet some have been found to insist ON inficting
this brutal torture upon US, with bowling mobs to
back them, as il we were malefactors or wild beasts.
1t may be doubted if such an amount OF Violence
wrong and outrage has been inflicted on any un'
offending man in England since Clarkson was
mobbed by the slave-traders of Liverpool and
Priestly by the mad bigots of Birmingham, and for
what reason /? What evil have we done: VI What
wrong can apy man accuse us Have we offended
the public or any individual? If there was any
thing unlawful or immoral in our exhibition, we
could understand the feeling which has prompted 50
much lawless violence, which has been so largely
excused by the press and tolerated by the police
authorities. We are called humbugs, but II every
humbug in England is 10 be mobbed, 1t may be well
for both the Government and people to consider the
possible consequences But we solemniy anu earn
estly deny that we have ever deceived any man In
this matter, or made any false representation, ana
we can appeal to many thousands OF intelligent per-
sons, on both sides of the Atlantic, who will testify
to the reality of those manifestations. 1t was SAID
to us at Liverpool, admit that you practice aeceP-
ton and we have nothing to say ag tlnst you. no"
could we admit what is not true For eleven years
we have constantly asserted that the physical facts
exhibited in our presence are not produced actl'ety
or consciously by ourselves, nor by confederateS'
nor by any trick or deception whatever; and we
have submitted to hundreds of tests and are ready
to submit to hundreds more, to satisfy any reason
able mind of the truth of this declaration.
cit is utterly false that we have refused 10 ot
tied with a particular knot. We have SIMPLY anC
only refused to be tortured. We have been covered
all over with the most complicated fastenings tina
could be devised; we have been held hand anl
foot by persons above all suspicion of fraud, anC
J. +aa,nd in ayery conceivable Way. without auectlDt
the manifestations which occur III our presence Ii
eleven years we have never been fastened 30 ina
the force attending US. whatever 1t may De ca'ie'
p or considered, has not released US. we 90 nc
believe we can be, unless placed in such pam as |
destroy the conditions under which this force /
e able to act. With or without fastenings this powe
f attends US; single or together, awake or asieeI
bound or held. and in whatever way our passiVity
procured, the manifestations alike in kind II not l
L degree, attend US. There is no fraud, no trick.
e "Were we mere ~jugglers, we should meet with u
g violence, or we should find protection. Could "
@ declare that these things done IN our presence Wef
receptions of the senses, we should, no douot, reap
d plentiful harvest of money and applause. AS trich
r they would transcend. according TO the testimony
experienced observers, any ever exhibited in occlder
or orient. The wonders Of the cabinet, or stlii mol
of the dark seance, surpass all pretenslons OF col
e Jurors. We could safely defy the world TO equ
h them, and be honored for our dexterity. But we a
not jugglers, and ~truthfully declare we ere not, al
we are mobbed from town to town, our property q
stroyed and our lives imperiled. What Is the poss
BILE motive for these outrages, which some OF the
lightened organs Of public opinion nave lhclt'
and excused Breaking no law, we claim the pr
r lection of the law, which, we repeat, even were '
criminals, would save US from illegal outrage.
we. asserting physical facts, interesting to every ms
. of science, and doing our best to demonstrate tne
re verify and satisfy a laudable curiosity respecui
lie them, are to be treated as We have been TINS pa
fortnight in four large English towns, who can
safe from similar outrages We have Ventured
III appeal to Her Majesty's Secretary for the Home u
~ partment, and we appeal also to every member OF t
r British Parliament, as We do to the whole briu
"a people, TO give our case q proper investigator.
in spite Of our solemn declarations OF entire go
faith, and all our efforts to demonstrate the reailty
m the phenomens which attend us, we are disoeileVt
or every man in England has the right to absent hi
90 self from our exhibitions. We do not ask the
tendance of any person who Is not ready 10 give
X fair examination to the tests 10 which we submit d
ty the facts presented. There is no reason Tor excl
tie uent, and no excuse for violsnce. There Is IS mu
call for a riot against electricity, or q mob to F
down oxygen. We have not even an opinion to gu
L. port or a creed TO promulgate, only certain curio'
and it may be important, facts to exhibit.
"Shal we be allowed to do this? This is
- question to be decided. The, riots at Llverpo
Huddersfeld and Leeds have excited and alarmed
England. In scores of places where we have enga
~ ments, involving many thousands oil POUNDS
~ agents, or those interested, have become lrlghten
aud their and our interests are placed IN Jeopar
= Shall they be sacrificed 1t is for the people,
press, and the Government OF England to determl
1T is our intention to 90 on in the work In Wh
we are, in perfect sincerity, engaged. We are re'
a to give in every town of the United hlngdom
proof that we have given in London of the realitI
the phenomena We exhibit, and with which the ty
of ropes, on which so much stress is laid, has SO IL
to do, that they might be entirely dispensed '"
substituting many other tests OF an equaIy oT IL
satisfactory character. We are ready, IN good Ia
to fulfill every engagement; but we DEMAND as
think we have a right to demand, the protector
the laws under which we have voluntarily pia