Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1868-02-15

David, we are told that ''he stripped him.
self of the robe that was on him, and
gave it to David and his garments" So,
too, We read that David danced before
the Lord with all his might, and girded
with linen ephod;" and we all know
what happened TO Miss Michal, the daugh-
ter of Saul, for laughing at him. ..i
The trial of McEwen, which has been
for some days pending in Newark, has
developed degree of morbid depravity
which demonstrates that human nature
is in all ages the same We spare our
readers and ourselves repetition of the
details, which are both ridiculous and
shocking. 1t is sufficient to say that
lMcEwen, having arrived as he believed st
a prlmeyal state of innocency,, not only
discarded his own clothes, but persuaded
a couple of foolish women to dothe same,
We have never, IN our life, read anything
more painful than the testimony OF Miss
Althea Reeves, who is described by the
reporter as possessing a calm and mod
est demeanor." She participated in the
frighttul ceremony, and she gave the par
ticulars fit in Court as if it had beenan
ordinary occurrence. 'Nothiug improp.
er," she urged, "was said" Neither p
she continued, did we make any immod-
est gestures" Nothing" she testiies,
''was done from wantonness. Alive did
was to strip ourselves, and do not,,n she
continued, remember seeing an indecent
act" This is followed by confession
that she, with her mother, frequently
shared Reeves bed, and once without
the presence other mother. She declares
that she felt he shame, and that all was
pure and proper" j. s. ~ -..r,7z
Asking pardon of the reader for the
repetition of these unpleasant details, we
hasten to inquire how far these poor pee
pie were mad, and how far they were re-
sponsible for their madness. The testi-
mony of Miss McEweu that nothing ''im-
proper" was done or said appears to us
to be precisely the very worst fearure of
the case; for it seems to take the horri-
bic folly out of the category of ordinary
human error, and to put it positively in
to that ofdemoniac possession. OF course,
if we trace this disease of the mind close
y up to its origin, we. shall find that it
begins with an indulgence Of morbid pas
sions and an unbridled imagination. Tn
der the abnormal influence of these, the
mind soon reaches that point at which it
prefers theoretical to practical crime,
aud takes a singular pleasure in proving
itself pure by acts of unquestionable i'm
purity. Had there been no appetitcs
which society has agreed to restrain for
the common good, the unfortunate per-
sons who desire to make au ostentatious
exhibition of their peculiar superiority 20
those appetites would never have thought
of such an unnecessary demonstration
In spite Of all their professions of inspired
and heaven-defended purity, we may be
sure that there is an unnatural fever "a
ging in the cerebellum of any man or
woman who thus defes the modesty of
nature and the universally accepted Gus
toms of mankind There is ali iGcontin-
ency of the imagination which is suf-
ticiently satisfactory sometimes to. those
who cultivate 1t, and are content to rake
religiouslv while they make their faith
responsible for their folly. Yet it will be
evident to all that in its effects upon
character,this abstract indulgence must be
far more noxious than avowed and prac-
tical prohigacy. To this, with the young,
it must inevitably lead, while with the
old it will find an expression in acts which
we all agree to consider as shocking and
uncomfortable. -.. .-r -.r ..-
We do not fancy that Judge Edmonds
will be particularly pleased to frd the
counsel for the defence inthis painful case
appealing to his authority, and asserting
that he believes that by communion with
the spirits he can attain the original puri-
ty of Adam and Eve whiletkey still walk
in state of perfection before their Crea-
tor" We venture to assert that the Judge
believes nothing Of the kind, and that be
does not anticipate stark-naked mile
mum in his dreams, either by day or by
night. At any rate, if he were holding
a court, and this McEwen We're brought
before him charged with indccency, he
would be obliged, upon proof Of the COM
mission OF the offense, TO send this in
spircd gentleman to the penitentiary OF
to the Lunatic Asylum. To this last
named retreat, Mrs. Reeves, the mother
ABOVE referred to, has already been cor
signed. We confess that there is one
part of the doctrine of Spiritu:,lism which
we feel a strong inclination to accept. 1t
is that which declares the continual pres
enee of evil-disposed spirits in the world,
and their constant and malign Influence
upon human actions. This is branch
of the faith which any observer Of the
Newark trial will experience strong III
clination to embrace. 0..ar. I'd.
THE LARGEST CRY IN THE WORLD
a very erroneous idea is indulged in by
many people, in relation to the largest
city in the world. Many confidently as
sert that London is far superior, both in
size and the number roflnhabitauts. But
such is not the case. Jeddo, the capital
of Japan, is, without exception, the lar
gest and most populous city in the world.
1t contains the vast number OF 3 100000.
dwellings, and 100000 human souls.
Many Of the streets are 40 Japaneserles
in length, which is equivalent to %. En-
glish miles. The commerce Of Jeddo