The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-09-10


The law Of the land, as now inter
preted, holds spiritualism and jugglery
as synonymous terms. The manifestations
of mediums 1t stigmatizes as humbug, and
all the hidden mysteries Of table rap
ping, tipping, &C., it pronounces trickery.
Mediums are required to possess licenses In
order to practice, under penalty OF fine, and
the spirits of the departed are treated as If
they had no existence save in the Imagination.
To punish q man for the performance Of few
simple tricks which are only productive OF
amusement, to fine him for juggling when few
persons suffer by it, is almost too much. But
is it so harmless everywhere? In the city OF
New York juggling is carried out$on an enor-
nous scale. Millions Of dollars are appro-
priated yearly by the mediums, and still they
are above the reach Of the law, and though
the people clamor against them, and the press
exposes their infamous practices, they are still
permitted to carry on their trickery, and none
dare prevent them. New York has, Of course,
number Of circles, spiritual term, in which
are discussed plans for the advancement OF the
designs of their members, which is called spir-
ittal development, or a greed for gain, trans
latinp the expression colloquially. These cir
cles are each presided over by some leading
spirit, some circles, however, being more
highly developed than others, and conse-
quently being more thought Of The princi-
pal Of these circles, in which this greed for
gain has attained absolute perfection, ID
presided over by c. Godfrey Gunther,
with long tail behind. In this circle the
jugglery is carried out in highly
creditable manner. Seances Of an inter-
estng nature are frequently held, which
are, of course, private, and contracts are being
frequently made, not as some suppose with his
Satanic Majesty, but with Mr.. Brown, or Jones,
or Smith, by which thousands Of dollars find
their way into the pockets Of the mediums
The street cleaning contract, gas contract and,
in fact all contracts made for the city, are ex-
amples of the Juggling Of this circle OF ring"
of politicians. BY the four mediums mentioned
more jugglery, more gross trickery has been
performed than by all their predecessors since
the days of the Witch of Endor. But this is only
one of the circles; the Tammany circle is a fair
rival OF it in venality and malpractices, and the
Boards of Aldermen Councilmen and Super
visors bid fair to dispute the superiority. Many
individuals, too, have. their own circles, where,
on a smaller scale, they practice their thieving
propensity. It is needless 10 particnlarize
these. Few Of the men connected with our
city government are other than believers in
this doctrine, which has for its basis venality,
sinecurism, dishonesty and all the many vices
which take up their abode in the neighbour
hood Of the City Hall The number of the
disciples of this doctrine is rapidly increasing
If modern spiritualism would have us merge
into inidelity, municipal jugglery would make
us city of thieves. Our children grow up
hearing of the gross dishonesty of those city
fathers they should be taught to look up to
with respect, and in too many cases the bad
example of men like those at present in
authority goes great way towards forming
the character of the young. These circles
must be broken up; our safety, our national
honor demand it. Arraign those mediums
before the highest tribunal in the land, and
bring them TO an account for their jngglery OF
the past, and with the breaking up Of this
circle let us hear no more of those acts which
have 40 much dishonored our city.