New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-01
THE pRopHSTs AND THE NEW YEAR

The mantle Of the late Lieutenant Morrison, of
the British Navy, who for many years prOphesied
with more or less success In tho pages of "Old
Moore's Almanac seems to have descended upon a
crowd of lesser seers. First there Is the gentleman
who has taken the place which Mr.. Morrison
Gated. This seer, like the majority of his rivals
propheses good of the year. he world
is to be troubled with storms and wars and rumors
of wars. with conspiTacies rebellions and assassna
tiOns. Crowned heads to fall low, political
upheavals are to take place. and terrible tempests
are TO cause great destruction Of life and property
including serious damage to crops Next on the
list comes the confident Canadian prophet, who
predicts that during the earlier months of 1883 we
are to experience O succession of atmospheric con-
WILSON'S so frightful that they will exceed anything
remembered by the Oldest inhabitant. Then there
Is Mr.. James NJ. SwOrmstedt. OF Cincinnati who
tells us that in the of the present year we
shall all be ruined by the results of financial pam
ic and that those who survive will experience the
teTrors of communistc war, and of an unexampled
whirlwind the particulars of which we're described
two thousand years ago by the prophet Joel We
do not, however, place much faith in Mr.. SWORN
sedts predictions, for ne on to talk IN an &C.
centric way the appearance of seven great comets
and he betrays his ingenious patriotism by affirm
ing that the millennium will begin IN the United
says that those who wish to avoid the coming trou.
bles may do 30 by going 10 Egypt and camping out
under tue shadow of the Pyramid of Cheops-an
assertion which looks as If II might have been
prompted by some unconscentious emissary Of one
of the great tourist agencies.
Mr.. Swonnstedt lifted up his voice on December
49, and the fact that Cincinnati possessed so bold
seer naturally awoke the rivalry OF New-York. The
result that five days later Mr.. William III.
Drake. OF the Empire City, also joined the ranks of
the prophets Mr. Drake claims 10 be psychome-
ter, and To have received numerous Impressions and
warnings from spirit guides. who have very coDsid
erately informed him that during 1883 not only
this country but every other viii feel the horrors
of war. famine and pestilence, earthquakes. floods
and terrible commissions of nature. They have also
told HIM of the near approach of the millennium.
A second and more venturesome New-York prophet
lo,k up his parable on Christmas Day. This year,
according to this seer. the Western States of the
Union will seCede from those of the East, and will
elect their own President. There will be brief
but Ineffective campaign, and peace having been
reesabished, the country will be further troubled
by the disafecton of the Southern, aud OF soue oil
tho Now Eng and States which will hnally unite
to con federation under the supreme direction of
sovereign with limited cOnsti uioaal powers. Other
prophets predict the occurrence of social revO-
luton and the establishment OFT republic In Eng
land, the assumption by Mr. Gambetta OF impe-
rial sway ia France tho assassination OF the Car
muuny OF the native troops in India, and the death
OF the Emperor William.
In fact there is scarcely an evil which one seer or
another does not say Will aiot our unhappy planet
IN 1888. We can best rcassure ourselves by there
Elections that during the last thousand years OF 50
prophets have not, upon the whole, been very sue
cessiul. and that the prophets OF the present day
are not likely to be much more cear-sighIed than
their predecessors OF Michael Nostradamus's half
million predictions, less than nali dozen were ever
fulfilled aud of the numerous prophecies ascri6ed
To Mother Shpton all those which modern reader
seem to have any reason in them were, II Is now
well known, forged only few years ago by an
impudent scoundrel named lindey. Nineteenth
century prophets diner by n good deal from the
oracles both sacred and proiane, OF older times.
Our Seers are now, as n rule, either woak-mindcd
or knayish and the wise man will do well III these
degenerate days to disregard MI predictions save
those of the Signal Service