The New York herald., 1866-08-24
The Spirituniisss' Couvr>'tion at Providence-
A Test Performances DenansIed

the Spirttuutists' COuvrAttlOn uf Providence
A Test Performances Dcmanded.
In spite Of the legal difficulties of Colchester
and Colonel, Goodwin. and his proLVe, the Miss
Van Vie, who claimed to be '.the child Of God. y
but whose Tcutonic cognomen clearly indicated
her descent from some ancient Knickerb0cker
or Berks county family, the spiritualisis con-
tinue to occasionally turn up. Unawed by the
unreasonable prejndices Of the public against
the unreasonable summoning up Of departed
spirits who frequently and under all the cir
cumstances, we think, sensibly refuse to come
when called, and the unaccountable tipping of
the various articles of second hand furniture
with which the seoace chambers OF the spirit
ualiss are invariably furnished, they continue
to thrive and occasionally convene together
for the evident purposes Of hmmbugging Them
selves into the belief that they really are a set
of modern relormers who are amusing the pub
lie with their incomprchensble but doubtless
spirited speeches. A convention OF the brethren
and sisters Is now in session ut Providence, and
a numerous band of long haired male and
short-cropped female advocates Of Four
ricrism AMI modern table tipping have
made raid On the cheap hotels and
private boarding houses Of the little capital
of the little State Of Rhode Island. But rs
yet they have done nothing more; and This will
not satisfy the public. who demand actual per-
iormances before admitting that these are The
true prophets Of spritualism. AZ ye, they
have really done nothing. The convention is
weak in taient--Judge Edmonds, Colchester,
the iuggler, and Colonel Goodwin, with the
miraculous girl being absent. II is exceed
ingly weak, too, in spirit, whiskcy having
been excluded, and only one spirit from The
Vastly deep having as yet answered the call.
The spirit of Andrew Jackson ha- been induced
to rcciie few doggerel lines relative to the
late war; but we are not inclined 10 receive
this as authentic. as we never heard that
Old Hickory was addicted to poetry or knew
anything whatever about any other war than
those with the Greek and Seminole Indians and
the British lion. The only spirited demon
strations IN the convention have been those OF
a bcligeren' Irish gentleman Of Fenian rather
than Fourier propensiics, who appears deter
mined TO involve the American with the Cana
SVNItS w u N1i.JH VIII prove y
death blow TO the whiskey smueglew on The
border and . decided addition 10 The internal
revenue of thc country.
These demonstrations arc as nothing 10 an
incrcdulous public. and we demand from the
convention q test performance, d Ia Fox,
Hume. Colchester Heller or Goodwin, we care
not which. 40 that II he conclusive. Gin and
bittcrs have been excluded rrom The conyen-
ton, doubtless as an excuse for The failure 10
perform: for ID is y notable fact that these new
light reiormers cannot, under the most iavora-
bic circumstances. get the spiri,s mp without
previously pouring considerable quantities Of
spirits down; but II they adjourn without an
effort they must expect 10 be set down BY u
skcp;ical people as impostors. We insist that
the convention shall give MS test performance
at once or go home or 10 the shades from which
they call their congcnial spirits who do not
always come. After they have given a per-
f0rmance we will decide whether or not they
arc genuine prophets and worthy Of rccogni-
tion. II they fail We shall not hesitate 10 pro-
nouncc them impostors; but If they succeed
we shall hail them n true apostles. and they
shall hereafter and forever be entitled 10 raise
and put down any kind Of spirits whicl, they
may prefer.