The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1873-09-17


Spiritualists. Two spiritual rconven.
tions have boen recently held, one at
Vineland, N. j. and ono at Silver
Lake Grove, Mass, attended by from
8,oooto r8,o00Ipersons.
This belief is fast gaining votarios.
1t deals in the invisible, treats of
ghosts aud.spirits, and Therefore pos
sesScs awcifd fascination for highly
Imaginative and badly balanced in-
tolleots. The Low, of The marvellous
is second nature, and, once suffered
to escape control, has no limit. The
American people aro prone to seek
cx;itementand novelty, ind eagerly
embrace this religion, which is no ro-
ligion at all. Thus far Spiritualism
has offered no solution to tho problem
OF sociology. 'From the condoot nd
utteranccs Of its champions, it has
apparently tendency to lower tho
standard of morality. 1t is there
fore, at present, an evil, as is any
theory that leads its believers along
blindly, and imposes 10 restraint on
their actions.
One of two't things must be donc.-
If it be true, it sho'ufd"bo purified Of
its danning features; if it be false,
it should be extirpatcd. Whether it
contains the elements of truth or not,
must be discovered by examination.
1t has attained such Importance that
it can no'longcr be smiled down as
thc'idlo 'yagary Of de mcntcd intel.
lects.
1t has developed strength sufficient
to entitleit>to tho rights of belli-
gcrcnt. heretofore thinking men
have either been ashamed or afraid to
inVcstigate It's mysteries. While
Darwin and Huxley and Agassiz and
other philosophers arc wrangling over
the material, they pay no attention to
the spiritual. The discovery wheth-
or Sp'rituallsm be Il reality or a sham,
and If reality, whether j, can be
accounted for Oh sc;cnti C principles
orwhc,hor'it issues from tho realm
of spirits, would confer everlasting
honor on the philosopher. Tho time
is passed when Spiri,ualism can be
ovcrthrown with sneer. 1t is a
study worthy of the greatest intellect.
Conflict of the God Fish --E.ection in
Massachusetts.
Perhaps no'State election has ever
h"f"re nf itsnlfbeen Of equal intorost
with the present gubcrnatorial scram-
Bile III Massachusetts.
AS everybody knows, Ben Butler
wants to be'governor Of NJ Massachusetts,.
lie is lacked by tho administra.
ion in return for his defence of the
Credit Mobilcr and tho back Fay steal.
But he 6ndsstrong opposition at home.
Tho blue hloods of plymouth Rock
hnvc no idea of submitting to the
domihation of low political trlckstcr
aud openly declare that they will
bolt If ho receives the nomination
Their candidate is Governor Wash.
burh. The returns Of the primary
elections arc coming in, and it is yet
uncertain who will gain the day.
But the contest is interesting to the
'South only from the animus display
ed by Influential republicans. The
protecting faction arc scaudalized at
the Interference of the administration
in State elections. The Boston Ad.
ver:iser, a republican, 'crgan speaks as
follows:
"The interference of national
office~ho!d"rs with local politics must
be dealt with summarily. The pco~
plo are unit Oh this question
The offence of the federal ring ia
Massachusetts is iHtulerable. The
resolution of the Democratic platform
on this point is q good one but if Il
moro vigorous aud expressive one can
be written let US have it. No min
cling of fine phrases will suffice. The
people are angercd. and they have
abundant reason to be. The Prcsi.
dents officials in this city, and
Throughout, the State have conducted d
themselves as if they had been hired
out to General Butler for the cam.
paign, and if the public business has
not been neglected, it is plain case
that moro officers are drawing salar,
than there IS work for. The voice o
tho Convention should be 50 fulton
cd and penetrating that is will be
heard in Washington above the chinl
of tho Treasury gold, and at Long
BrauGh above the roar Of the surf