Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1870-03-04
]COMMUNICATED,

MESMERISM AN ACCOMpLICE OF CRIME
Some people profess not to believe in so called
"mesmerism" and the power Of the mesmeri.
ser over his victim. But "knowing" is better
even than seeing in this case, and we know
that it is true. DR.. Oliver, the mesmerst,
Ayre, whilst she was under his mesmeric spells,
in Fauquier county, Va, and was shot by the
girls father, was quite equal to anything of
that kind that was possible at all, and could
compel those vino submitted to his practices
TO DO exactly what he told them to DO whilst
they were in the abnormal condition called Co
Ina induced by his anipulaions. We chanced
TO meet the man in England, when he was
respectable practitioner in New castle onTyne,
and we have seen him compel his victims to
believe and to suffer all the agony Of burn
ing-that they were sitting on red hot Goals
when they we're sitting on 4 common chalr-t0
believe that they we're drinking brandy when
they were drinking water, and 20 through all
the antics Of drunken man, and wear all the
scmbianc,s of the same in their faces, eyes and
,!cmcanor We have known young man COM
ucl!cU to come to the mcsmcrlSt at II o'clock
at night, tor Il distance OF eight miles, because
he was told to do 50 when in the mcsmcrIc
state. This happened at Leeds; the poor icl-
ow that clmc the distance was 4 Pudscy
''SIubbcr," and he had 10 walk on the snow all
the way; and what made it all the more cruel
,ras, iiac his vile was confined on that very
ri"ht and was dangerously i'll. We were In
the room OF the mcsmerist at the time, having
been induced to 90 there 10 see private expert
mcnts by way ottcSting the truth OF what was
then "ncw thing in Israel. The mao came
IL cod and weeping aud told his story, bitterly
uphraiding the mcsncrst for his cruelty; and
We were - touched ty his sutterines that we
soI 10 Ia, l,Iu
hnmc Al all spcch, otherwise he would have
had 10 walk back over a bleak and rugged
country:, knee deep in snow in many parts.
We name this fact because We know 1t to
bet The man said he could not heir COM
ing: he Seemed TO be drawn to Leeds and, as
all will readily suppose, very much against his
will
Another case happened 10 Darlington, East
Riding, Yorkshire, and it is IA case in point,
corrohoralvc of the alleged statement nf the
uirl, Miss Ayrc, that she was seduced by Oliver
under mcsmcric influence The mcsmerstin this
Darlington case was the same as IL the one
prcviGusly spoken of, and, laugh who may, he
was black man to the boots, and his name was
Lewis. The lady in this case was very near
relative of the first family in the city, famous
banker, whose credit had wlthStood the shocks
Of every monetary crisis in England. This lady
treatment for the cure OF nervous disease;
and he took advantage OF his power TO make 4
perfect slave of her so that she followed him,
through the force Of his rolition to several
towns where he was displaying his Internal pow
cr, for it was internal in his hands, because he
made vile use of it. At last the lady told her
Iich old relative, and you may be sure he was
,lrcadluy mortified at it, But she declared,
,tcously, that she had 10 power over her own
actions. So the banker hunted up the mes.
mcrlst, and told him that the next time he made
any attempt upon the lady, he would hire 4
gang OF aucn to tar and feather him. and drag
him at cart S tail, to be laShcd and pcIttd by
the mob, TO whom he would proclaim the rca
son OF his punishment. The we'll known char.
actcr Of the banker for "kecping his word had
hc effect desired, and the lady WIS liberated
from her thraidom to this beast in mans shape.
-Erchangc.
The RESPONSIBILITY OF PoIITICAT. LlFE.-
Mr. John Bright. the English Commoner, in n
speech recently delivered at Birmingham, spoke
thus of his public experience: 1t Is very
serious thing, this great political lille. 1t Is
rot = mere Joke nor q field on which smtiti
n,,s men may disport themselves. 1t is some
thing serious and for every step we must give
an account" These are sensible words and We
Mr. Gladstone also in speech lew months
since complained of the heavy responsibilities,
that the administration Of the attiirs OF that
great kingdom imposed on her pubic men.
Surely England istortunatc ln having suchmc
at the head Of her government
But in this country the absence of any deli
nitc ideas concerning political responsibility i:
everywhere apparent Here, entering pub
lie lie is All event which is regarded rather a>
an opportunity Tor gratifying personal amGliot
and promoting private ends than Il mean
fox ccnterrug public benefits or advancing tn
general interests OF the people. Very rarely ds
We hear OF men. high in political lite, who ar
iully ccgnzaut of the vast responsibilities tina
such Il position forces upon them. At preSer
wc can hnt be iorcby struck With the Seirclt
OF such mcn, among those who are hsurin
prominently in the administration of our NJ
tional Government -PtcySburg Courier.