Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1875-12-24
lamocratic and CONSERVATIVE TiOket.
rxps OF TIE BLACK GARNET.

The Nashville American of Thursday
is rather sarcastic, if not severe, on the
big crowd that was so badly sold by the
fraud and thimble-rigger Livingston at
the Memphis Theater last Sunday night.
Well, they deserve ii richly. Here is an
extract from the Americans long edito-
rial on the subject:
But even the LEDGER swallows the
cheeky assertion Of the Snowman that he
was an "ex-member of the Massachu-
sets bar" and all the local papers seem
10 think il necessary they should accom-
pany their unfavorable criticisms with
some cautiously chosen apologize
phrases thrown in for the spiritually in
clined portion Of the company. If there
really can be such a thing as a sane con-
vert to the hallucination o. spiritual
ism" in Memphis, the visit Of such per
son to the public performances Of this
class Of iugglers, to draw spiritual inspi-
ration and sustain their faith, would be
sufficient justification for q lunatieo in
duirendo. The skeptical could not more
effectively threaten the citadel OF even
true believers than to fairly identity
them with this sort Of charlatanry. We
might respect q mans belief in "spiritu,
alism"-but not in the legerdemain OF
the Davenport, Eddy and Livingston
order.
Those of a scientific turn 70. investi-
gation. who essay to expose these stage
illusionists at their own exhibitions, do
not occupy quite so strong a position as
the stole who never, under any complica-
ton Of circumstances, permits himself
ito bet against another man trick, and
they render themselves not less absured
than those who, with religious Trevor, de-
fend, and perhaps innocently abet the
footlight phenomenon" in his fraud.
The weak brethren and sisteren who
take it all in at a swallow, need not be
regarded as responsible agencies 10 the
premises. But when such staid Mem
phians as Colonel Duncan McRae under
takes, as the Appeal represents him, to
recall the audience to the higher and
nobler purpose Of investigation, we can
almost see the repressed smile of deri-
sion from the manacled imp Of the dark
cabinet, or an involuntary inward
chuekle from the illiterate ass who runs
the intellectual department as chief in
terpreter on the stage, and probably looks
after the supernatural baggage on the
tour. The most successful spirItlsm
practised BY such worthies is that where
Ia the dollar notes Of an unsophisticated
public are spirited out Of their pockets
into that of the "mejGm," whose con
trol" can DO most anything for him but
materislize his hash, hominy and hair-oil.
People who choose to give dollar to
be sold worse than April fools have a
legal right to do so, but after all the ex'
posures of these impostors in the last
twelve months it seems strange that
Memphis should contribute twelve hun
dred dollars TO sustain one Of the lowest
of the class. The LEDGER swallows
ne such and minces no words on the
subject. Livingston claims to have been
a member Of the bar, but that is a mat
ter of indifference. His present prae
tice pays we'll. He had twelve hundred
clients last Sunday night. DR.. Watson
says they we're not spiritualists; that hC
is not a public guardian" etc. w
thought he had set up as a public teacher
many years ago, aud that if be knew
Livingston to be an arrant impostor b.
might have warned the public as we'll a
orthodox spirituSlists who attend thi
Assembly Hall, eVen the good shep
herd sounds the alarm wheu a wolf ap
proaches the Cock. 1t seems, however
that this ia none Of his business, andths
the duty is RENTED to the reporters o
the daily newspapers-B duty which the.
never decline. We have only TO r~eiterat
that we do moi recollect Of a cOmplet
exposure being made by a confrmeI
spiritualist. the Katie King case not ez
eepted. Their journals and leaders
however, are prompt in following up el
posures made by outsiders. II is to the
interest to do 80. And here they dra'
a line, visible only to themselves, b,
tween genuine and bogus ~spiritnalist
The distinction is SO nice that the skel
&ieal people never know when the lin
IS crossed, and really wouldn't give
copper for choice Of sides.