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fish— -on which the Crocketts, father aud
sou, sumptuously regaled
“O. David Crockett' Dav.u Cw»ek*w!”
siiou «■-! ilia hjfstaiiilers—“Duyou think we
are going u> believe that .'
“Certainly,” said Datrid—“lt is every
won) true—-ask my sou, a it is uut; he
wjutd not tell a ho foi the wotlti I”
A tew days afterwards, wlule travelling
through a wild tract o‘ country, the detach
•Vnent came to a small si ream, some or
ten feet wide, slid from gi tto twelve inch
es deep; in which appealed to he plenty ot
fish. “Where is Crockett I” tvus tile ciy,
“bring him to the irout.”
When David .11 t ie nis ippe nrdtice, he *vas
req.iested'to prepa.e to drink the si ream dry
—and his hungry contrad-s would siaml by
when he tv is re. l ly. nliitr.w out the lisu ‘
Bn* Crockett declared hint he coul I only
driuk when he was tuns y, and that he was
not in the least thirsty at in; time ! Con
sequently the stream roiled onward—aud
the fish escaped for a wi.i.e longer.
One morning, ss the detachment was en
camped on the banks of astnn'i yet deep
river, the opposite bank being covered with
stumps and trees, a hostile Indian warrior
was discovered among the sumps—recon
uoitering their position. As soon as he tv.,s
conscious that ne had been seen, lie tried
to escape, by practising the wiles ennmou
in Indian watiate. lie would throw htm
selt ll it on the ground, behind a stump, so
that no pait 'of his body could be seen,
wliere lie wool 1 lie fur a few minutes, ibcu
lie would glide almost as iastas the lightning
flash, behind another—and in tins way he
w.ts in a fair way ol reaching the covert of
some bushes near at hand, notwithstanding
several muskets had beeu discharged at him
’>y the soldiers—when Crockett, who had
been gazing on ihe scene, smilling aj (lie
ill success of the marksmen, said, “.1 -ee 1
shall Rave to pink that lellow—now look,
and I will show you how and is done.”
lie caught up tiis rille, and directed it
'not towards the stamp behind which the
India 1 was secreted- —bat towards the one,
where he supposed the savage would next
seek 1 shelter. Iu a moment afterwards, the
Indian dashed for his biding place—the
sharp crack ofCtockett's rille was heard—
aud the Indian sprung several feet from the
ground—-uttered a loud yell and expired—
being shot through the heart !
“There,” soil David Crockett, with a
hearty laugh, “that's what 1 call pinking an
Indian!"
From Ihe New York Sun.
Messrs. Editors:—As the season is fast
approaching when the most tormenting of
all complaints (the II teuinatisin) is likely
tobecom- prevalent, I Iran toil .von the re
cipe of. < huimant for us cure, which would
no doubt prove very acceptable to some of
your readers, if'you think proper to give it a
place in your paper. The recipe is as foi
lows:—Take ®f the oil of tutpentiue 4 oun
ces, camphor (broken in small pieces)*’
ounces; mix them an I stand aside for a lew
days until dissolved; then take of o'd rye
whiskey 2 quarts, of hops 2 pounds, of the
fresii leaves aud lops of wormwood 2 pounds,
place Uiem in a well covered earthen put up
on the fire, and let them remain until boiled
down one half, then strain off the liquor
through a line linen cloth, aud add 2 ounce -
of powdered opium, place it again on the
fire for IS minutes, and strain off as be.ore,
then add the first mixture, shake them well
together, aud put iu a close corked bottle
for use.
Previous to using this preparation, I had
been afflicted with this cnmp'iaiut lor sever
al winters, and had tried many remedies
with bur temporary effect. Early in tlie
month ol October last w bile traveling through
the State ol Missouri, I *'ad the most severe
attack I ever experienc'd, which became so
violent as to render it impossible to proceed
on my journey. In this situation l stopped
at the farm house of an old Germans settler,
by whose kindness aud the use of this pre
par t ion I was enabled to continue mv jour
ney in five days, and though I traveled m ar
ly the whole winter on horseback, aud was
much exposed to the inclemecy of the weath
er, 1 have never had hut one slight attack
since,-w hich was promptly removed* by the
application of this remedy.
[BY RKtJUKST.]
From the Columbus Enc'uiie r .
Gentlemen.—ln an article on “Method
ism,” adopted by you in your paper of No
vember 6, from tlie National Gazette, as
“more comprehensive and instructive than
any which you could have framed merely
from memory” upon that subject you have
been led. amongst others of less importance,
into one very gross error, which you will no
doubt be willing to have corrected.
You say, “Thomas Coke, LLD. of Jesus
College, Oxford, was on/idn Bishop, and en
tered upon his dimes iu 1784,” and that "in
the same year Francis Asbury was ordained
tothesameqffi.ee." Now it is a notorious
fact that ueittier of these gentlemen were ev
er ordained a Bishop and nothing cat; I emore
surprising than the making of the asser
tion in view of the evidence of the case.
The Testimonial giveu bv Mr* Wesley
<0 Dr. Coke, “under liis hand a.id seal,” is
as follows : —“1 have this day set apart as a
superintendant, by the imposition of un
hands and prayers, (being assisted by other
ordained ministers,) Thomas Coke, Doctor
of Civil Law, a presbyter of the C torch of
England, anil a man whom 1 judge to he
weli qualified for that great work—aud I no
hereby recommend him to all whom it may
concern, a« a fit person to presiue over the
flock of Christ.”
That Dr. Coke was not made a Eisliop
by this act, or even intended to be, is alike evi
dent from the teuns of the testimonial, and
from Mr. Wesley's expression of opinion
when the title of Bishop was assumed by Dr.
Coke and Mr. As'oury his associate, in tlicir
address to “rite father of bis country.”—
Toe testimonial recommends him as a so
perinlenaant only. Mr. Wesley writes to
Mr. Asbury ;i6 fellows*—“ln otic point, my
dear brother, I am a little afraid both the
Doctor anti you differ from me ] study to
bo little, you study to be great. 1 creep,
you strut along, i four.l a eltoul,*you a
Cos lege. N.iy, and c ill i> after your ow :r
names! O, beware! Do not seek to be
something! L*-i tlie be nothing, and Christ
bs ait in ail. One instantc u: this your
greatness, has given me great concern. How
cto yon. how /are you Suffer yourself to be
tolled aHi shop ? tsi mi tie , I start at the
very thought, -l/i-’i nia / rati ie akn tee or a
foal, a rascal, a sr.uua 'rel, and l am content;
hut they s .all never by my consertt, cad me a
Biohop ! For my sake for God's saac, Jor
Christ's sake, put a full tn l lo l/tis ! tat
the. Presbyterians do wh-tl they please,but let
the .Vfetho lists know their cat ling better .”■?
Mr. Wesley, being only a Presoyter of
t'i«* C lurch of England, eoi/hl not even if he
had wiamed it, hare made a Bishop, and that
be did nut’wish or intend it. inu-i be fully
evident irfim his expressions in toe orego
■ing quoialums of Ids letter to Mr. Asbury.
To say, therefore, that-“ Thomas Coke” or
“Francis Asbury” were either jt»f them er
duined Bishop," is a manifest error. *
A* E. D..
ANIMAL MAGNETISM.
it has been a long while since our columns
contained any notice of tins new tangled
theory. As public Journalists, it is our du
ty to note the progress of the arts and
sciences, as well as the phase- ol jroliltcal
opinion. Animal Magnetism, like- PlirOuul
ugy Ua* its proselytes and professors among
tile most learned and scientific men of the
day and they are urging its pr tensions as
1 science with no ordiu .ry ability. Wheth
er it is a humbug, or based <>n correct prin
ciples, from the noise it is making, aud has
made in the world, it deserves serious at
tention, and when an authentic account of
its movements and phenotnina reaches us,
we should at least give it that regard which
its importance, (provided it should be true)
demands. The following account, written
by one of the conductors of Chamber's
Edinburgh Journal, is the most authentic
that we have seen, of the wonderful per
formances of the Magnetizing Doctors.
VISITS TO DR. ELLIOTSOX'S.
Oue day lately, while residing a short
time to London. I dined at the house of a
gentleman iu ike neighbourhood of Port
iinu square, wireie I happened to meet and
form ’he acquaintance of the celebrated
Dr. Elliotsou. 1 had heard of Gus gentle
m,in only by vague report, and knew little
further regarding him than tint! he had been
zealous iu the pursuit aud practice of ani
mal magnestism, for which he ha i incur
red not a little obloquy and professional
animosity. Much as this subject lias re
cently been discussed, 1 had never paid any
attention to it, aud probably in v< r should,
but for the accident of meeting this eminent
inagnetist, and being gradually drawn into
conversation with him. The good humour
of the professor, the vivacity of his manner,
and the truthful force of his obs rvations
when they bore upon philosophical subjects,
gave ir.e reason to imagine that deceit formed
no part of his character; but at the same
time f put myself on tny guard, and was
resolved to be carried away by “no sort of
nonsense.” On my b inging the conversa
tion round to the subject with which his
name was so intimately connected, 1 found
that he had formed no distinct code of laws
or precise theory regarding mesmerism, as
he called it. lie said that the experiments
lie had been able to make, were, in his
opinion, highly interesting, as developing
physical ansi mental phenomena of no or
d: ,ary kind: that he felt assured there ex
isred in nature an unseen agent or agency,
an nflttence, or whatever it might be
called, which flowed from one living ani
al 10 another like a stream of electri
city, although at the time.the animals were
•<ot i contact with each other; and that in
highly irritable conditions of the bodily
frame, that agency produced certain phe
nomena of a most remarkable kiud ; that lie
did not pretend to account for or to under
stand the nature of the agency ; all he in
sisted upon was, that such an agency exis
tiM, that it could he excited into activity,
and was therefore, as a truth in nature,
worthy of being examined, and to have its
phenomena duly recorded. “1 do not wish
to lead you one way or another,” he con
tinued; “but if you feel any inclination to
pursue the enquiry, call at my house, end 1
w ill perform some experiments in your pres
ence or. two patients, and you can think for
yourself."
Thesecxplanat.ons were so candid and
fair, that l at once agreed to go and see
the experiments. Tuesday next at four
o’clock was appointed for tny visit, and at
that time 1 pr ceeded to the doctor's house
an e'egant tn .nsinn in Cond' it street, taking
with me two gentlem not tny acquaintance,
one of them a medical man. who had never
seen any experiments in mesmerism and
who 1 hoped would have all his eyes about
him to make sure that there was no trickery
or collusion.
We were shown into a splendid suite of
rooms, and ti e doctor, his assistant, and his
two p tit is. immt diately imtde their ap
| • ranee. 'l'he two patients, as he men
tinned to me were sisters. Elizabeth and
Jane Obey, the former eighteen, and the
latter sixteen years of age. In appearance,
however, they were, much younger, being
small in figure ; and 1 soon perceived, that
their bchavioui was marked by an extreme
still ness or infantile imbecility. They
laughed, giggled, spoke broken nonsensical
: the room like two
children t ; lay . TANARUS! t y could, howevi r, un
derstand who’ v. as said to them, and do as
they u ■ •liden. their imbecility not being
that of . -olute idiots. Tilt-' doctor ex
plained to us that they had at one time been
atthi ted with epileptic tits, for which they
I:ad been placed ;. der medical treatment
in one of the London hospital ; that he
had cured them of that malady by r mesmer
ism, but that they were left iu the infantile
condition in which w- now saw them; that
this condition was a mode of existence quite
peculiar; they had no recollection of any
tliiug, not_ even of who they were ;
and they had every thing to learu
afresh. He also mentioned that their sus
ceptibility of mesmeric treatment was now
excessive ; that a single wave of the hand
could stupjfy them, or send them to sleep;
ami that they were further susceptible of
h' mg thrown into a state ot perfect aomnam
bulisiii, or Hoiking slap, in which they were
in a condition of existence different from the
preceding. If 1 understood him rightly,
they are susceptible of three conditions:
ft sr, the condition of silliness in which I
saw them; second, the condition of som
nambulism; and. third, that of rationality,
in which all their old recollections revive
and they remember nothing of what has
passed while in their other conditions.
To these susceptibilities, however, there are
occasional and very remarkable exceptions,
and at all times their respective states of ex
citability are different. Both are sometimes
so slightly irritable—or the force of the
agency is so ineffective—that they cannot
' e operated upon in the usual manner; but
a mode has been discovered of rendering
them excitable. r I his is done by the touch
ot gold or silver, the contact being made on
the palm of the hand.
The first experiment performed was some
thing leally startling. I had asked for a drink
of water, which the doctor ordered Jane to
hi ti'; into the room. She had just set
.down the water bottle and glass on a side
ta' I •, when Dr. EUiotson, at the distance of
■•bout twenty fcftg, and unseen by her, by a
wave of his open hand transfixed her in the
attitude in w hich she happened to be at the
moment. She seemed frozen to the spot,
a id thus stood for a minute or two, with
the rigidity of a statue In half a minute
she recovered with a sort of shudder, and
enrne running back, whining as if affronted,
and sat down op a chair. The series of
experiments performed on her while she
was looking at us, was equally striking,
though some ot them might certainly have
been the result of previous rehearsal.. A
wave of a single finger, of two fingers, and
pt the whole hand, had each a peculiar el-
feet in setting her asleep. The whole hand
being passed through the air 111 lru*'i ol her,
made her, as 1 have said, still aud mutiou
less; tier hands were clencued so firmly,
that I coul't out with ail my strength open
them. From this rigid Male, and with her
eyes >fiut, she wa« recovered by the doctor
hohling ihe point ol his Itai.ds pile two
p tints pressed together) directed to her
hand, a process widen seemed to relax the
inuscies as tl someliimg had passed out of
his into Iter hands, (hough at the distance
of one or *wo inches. A little breath blown
by the mouth also ap|ieared to transfix her,
and tue same 'lung seemingly recovered
her, the breath simply causing an alteration
of condition in eitner way.
The touch ol gold, silver, or nickel, or
friction with any object, proouces a similar
effect iu setting her asleep. Gold, if held
previously in the hand of the operator, has
a particularly powerful effect ; and a streak
of water with a mall brush, if the water 1
has been previously blown upon, and hail
the fingers of person in it, has the most
powerlul effect of all ; so much so as to be
iu some measure dangerous to the patient.
'The touch of iron, always loosens the ri
gidity, and awakens the patient.
One experiment appears to me wo thy of
particular description. 'Hie assistant pro
cured a thick pasteboard, which he held to
the neck, and round the face of the girl, so
that she could not see any thing before Iter.
We sat down iu front of her. The doctor
rubbed the palm of one 01 her hands wilt
a piece of lead the size of a pencil. He
repeated ’he experiment several times, but
no effect was visible. At length he rubbed
the lead on a sovereign which he held in his
hand, and toen applied the lead to the girl’s
palm ; instantly the hand was t c!enched into
rigidity. The doctor now took me to the
door, and said, “Tell me how many times l
shall icpeat the rubbing with the lead alone,
and at what time 1 shall touch the gold.”
I answered. “Touch the gold in your hum!
at tlie fifth time.” We returned to our
seats and tlie experiment being repeated,
lie rubbed four times without effect; when,
at the filth time, having, as 1 perceived,
touched the lead with the gold, her hand
became clenched like a vice. While these
experiments were performing, her lace was
so enveloped with the pasteboard, that she
saw nothing of the operations; neither,!
feel assured, could she hear any sound from
the rubbing of the lead on the gold; if the
operator or his assistant made any secret
signal to clench her hand, nothing of the
kind was apparent.
These, and most of the other experiments,
were peiformed on Jane, the younger sister,
Elizabeth, the elder of the two, a beautiful
girl, of a dark complexion, with finely moul
ded features, and who had been amusing
herself meanwi ile in running over the keys
ol a ptai o, was now experimented upon.
She possesses a degree of mesmeric sus
ceptibility which permits the performance of
an experiment very elegant in its nature
By certain passes of the hands, and other
mi ans.-.lie was thrown by Dr. Elliotsou in
to the somnambulic condition. In this she
stood fixed in the most graceful attitude for
several minutes, her eyes open, but looking
vaguely forwird while an innocent smile
played upon her countenance. The doctor
spoke softly to her as she thus stood gazing
in a statue-like attitude (harsh speaking
being, as he said, hurtful and displeasing to
her while iu the somnambulic state); he as
ked how long she would remain in the way
she was, and she replied, '“ten minutes.”
At about tlie eleventh minute, as I reckoned
by my watch, she passed out of the som
nambulic condition, ly falling back in a
kind of swoon or sleep, and was immediately
recovered by being flown upon by the
breath; she awoke to her condition of in
(rutile playfulness. While this experiment
was performed on Elizabeth, my companions
were chatting with Jane, and as 1 afterwards
learned, experimenting upon her. My
medical friend, by a pass ot his h ind when
lif r bark was turned towards him, threw her
at once into a sleep, and she would have
dropped but lor-tlie timely support which
was given. This extraordinary susceptibili
ty. and to all appearance the entire absence
of deception, astonished my friends not a
little.
Tite experiments were altogether so cu
rious, and so unexplainable by any known
laws, tint Ihit my mind bewildered. I tohl
Dr. EUiotson that I had now seen what
seemed very cxtiaordinary, and almost mag
ical : still that I was not convinced, and
should like to see soineting more ; how
ever, that could scarcely lie, as 1 intended
to leave London next uay. Dr. EUiotson
now mentioned Unit he was to have a public
exhibition next day at three o clock, and
that he should be gla 1 if ! would remain in
town one day longer, and make o .e of the
company. I agreed to this polite proposal
and returned next day accordingly.
I found on this occasion horn thirty to
forty ladies mul gentlemen its file room,along
with Dr. Elliolson, his assistant, and the
two palien s, as before. The company being
all lift, a series ot experiments commen
ced, similar to those which I had already
witnessed, with a few others that 1 had not
seen. Not to be tiresome. I shall briefly
describe those that were new to me. Jape
was placed in a chair, beside which stood
on the ground three iron weights tied to
gether, making eighty-six pounds, which
she was tol l to lift by the ring of the prin
cipal weight. At first she could not per
form this feat; but. her hand being placed
on the ting. Dr. EUiotson drew his hands
upwards several times, as if drawing some
thing out of her hand, and. after a certain
number of these upward passes, her hand
actually lilted ilie eightv-six pounds off the
fiooi and swung the weights round. Being
relieved, she rose up, and 1, among others
advanced to try our powers of lifting; but
not one of those who attempted it could
raise the weights in the sitting position.
Several gentlemen lifted them stun hug.
The circumstance of a feeble girl of six
teen, with one hand, liltuig or swaying off
the ground a weight of eighty-six pounds,
ami at the same time sit ing in the worst
possible attitude for performing such j feat,
is of itself a most extraordi ary fact, and
the cause of it altogether baffles rny Com
prehension.
Tne next thing done was the recovering
ot tile same girl, Jane, from her condition
of imbecility to that of sound reason. Tjis
was a disagreeable experiment. The dot
tor closely pressed her face with his hanilX
while his assistant similarly pressed the
back cl tier head, 'i lie mode of applying
the hands was peculiar. Tbev were placed
across the lace and across the back of the
head. We were told that if they were
placed up and down the face and head, the
desire and effect could not be produced. The
point ot the patient’s nose was only visible,
an I left at liberty for breal ,-iitig. A wave of
the hand downwards first se"t her to sleep,
and the process of pressure, as I have de
scribed it, proceeded. Once or twice she
s eiricil to be recovering but by an instan
taneous application of the hand lon <jtu
dinally, the sleep was continued, it being
important that she should not recover too
soon,for theu her irrational condition would
not be dissipated. After some minutes were
spent in this manner, the doctor said he be
lieved she would now certainly recover to
couseiousness. IShe heaved suttdrv deep
sighs, tlie operators took off their" bands.'
and slie awoke to all appearance anew crea
ture. She seemed astonished to see such
a clowd of persons, stood up and courlested
to the ladies, an spoke with modest difli
der.ee on being addressed. Site had no
remembrance ol any thing that had taken
place while in imr former condition ; she
did not kuow w'.o 1 was, although she had
known an,d named me previously. from hav
ing seen me the day before; she knew her
sister, however, from early recollections in
her rational condition, but her sister did not
know her. Alter a little time, she wis al
lowed to go out of the apartment. At a
subsequent part of the proceedings, she was
recalled, and, by a pressure of the doctor's
thumbs on her palms, sent back into her in
fantile condition, when she immediately be
gan to speak acd act nonsense.
he reader will here naturally ask a ques
tion which occurred to my own tnind. and
which I put to Or. Elliotsou—if the patient
can tints be restored to reason at the will of
the operator, why not allow her to remaiu
in tha t condition, aud so restore her to so
ciety ! The doctor, in answer, explained
that the infantile condition would seem to
be a state of mind most suitable for the
progressive strengthening ol the physical
frame, and so permitting a cure, of that
nervous irritability w hich in the first instance
produced epileptic fits—that while in the
infantile condition slit* was gaming health
and strength--that, in point of fact, both
girls had greatly improved in intelligence
since they came into 1 1 is charge—and that
ultimately the nervous irritability would
possibly be so much alluved. that a final
and complete restoration to reason might be
ventured on with safety. This, as far as I
can recoiled, was the substance of Dr.
EHiotso.i’s explanations, and I gathered his
meaning so far as to comprehend that it was
in reality an act of humanity to allow the
two girls to remain in tlie mean time in the
half-idiot condition in which I saw them.
I further learned that the doctor had cured
olher patients of epilepsy by tnesmtrie
treatment, and that all persons were less or
more liable to be acted upon, though in
many cases a month’s treatment (that is.
waving the hand towards them for a few
minutes once a day for a month) would be
required before they could be rendered so
susceptible as to be thrown into the mag
netic sleep.
Dr. Kiliotson now proceeded to show
another experiment, that of drawing th>*
girl, Elizabeth, after Dim by action of his
hands, although at a considerable distance
from tier. Having placed her in an easy
chair, and set her to sleep, he retreated
s'owly from her backwards, his eyes look
ing steadily at her, and his hands held to
gether anti pointed towards her. As he re
treated. he repeatedly drew in his hands
towards him, as if Mi a* itig in the air dong
with him. lie thus retreated the breadth of
tlie room and across a lobby into another
apartment, a distance of perhaps fifty or
sixty feet. As he retreated, the girl at in
tervals appeared convulsed, and endeavour
ed to raise herself, or to bend forward, as if
desirous of following the operator, but al
ways fell back into her position of repose.
The experiment being performed, the gitl
was recovered.
This experiment did not make a deep im
pression on the company, for the phenome
na it exhibited could be too easily accoun
ted lor by supposing tiuit the girl stimula
ted. The next, which was the touching
the palms of Ehzibetli with unaurified and
afterwards with ativifieil lead, was more stri
king and unaccountable. Determined to pre
vent collusion betwixt tlie operator ant! pa
tient, if such existed, 1 solicited the office
of performer, and the doctor being quite
willing, I forthwith began. AH was expec
tation. Fancy the girl reclining in an easy
chair with a thick pasteboard hdd sloping
upwards close round her neck, so that she
could see nothing but the root; I sitting in
a chair in front of her; the crowd of spec
tators behind me on seats; and the doctor,
by my request, placed out of sight Hoar the
door. In the right hand I held the stalk of
lead, in the other a sovereign. I to'd the
eirl to open her hand, and 1 then tubbed it
with the lead—perhaps twenty or thirty rub
bings on the palm. I told he to close her
her hand; she did so. I told her again to
open her hand : and she did so. I thus nib
bed her ird\mthri.re, as I at each time caused
her to close and then open her hand. It
was evident to all that the lead had no effect.
I now rubbed the lead 011 the sovereign, and
rubbed her palm as before. I then asked her
to shut her hand, and she did so. Now
< ame the trying moment. I asked Iter to o
pen her hand, but she could not; it was
stift’and clenched. A murmur of surprise
hurst from all around. It appeared as ifthe
contact of the gold with the lead had caused
this remarkable phenomenon ; and it was e
qtially apparent that thete was no collusion.
I feel satisfied that the girl did not see wirtt
1 wa.s doing. How the nitrified lead should
have had the effect it appeared to have (gran
ting there was tie deception *n the case) is
beyond tny p wer to explain.
I next proceeded to perform the experi
ment of streaking the fingers of ilie patient
with water. Two wine glasses were half fil -
led with common water from a jug, and into
each was put a camel-hair pi noil, into the
wafer in one giass the doctor’s assistant put
two of his fingers, and also breathed several
times, a« if to affect it with some kind of in
flueuce. To the wafer in the other glass
nothing was done. The girl sat on the chair
in a deep magnetic sleep, with her face shiel
ded by the pastboard. Using the common
water, I now streaked the hack o' the first
and third finger of her left ban !. which was
conveniently on her knee, ami then streaked
the second and fourth with the mesmer
ised water. I repeated the streakings three
orfourtimes. After an inteival of a min
ute, and while all anxiously looked on, the
fingers touched with mesmerised water
moved and pointed outwards, but the other
fiug-rs continued fixed as they happened to
tie. On touching both thumbs with the
mesmerised water, they shortly moved in
the same manner. The patient was recov
ered by the usual means, though with some
difficulty, as the mesmerise 1 water has, as
1 said, a very powerful effect.
Both belore and after this experiment f
had unperceived by Jane, waved my hand
behind her. and it uniformly and constantly
fixed l or into rigidity. Ollier gentlemen
present took similiar opportunities, of mag
netising her by a pass of the hand, always
with the same result, for the power seems
to reside in mv one. I need hardly say
that fills by play caused extreme astonish
ment to every one who saw it pratised, and
all confessed itiat they could imt previously
have tiie smallest conception ol its effects.
Towards the co elusion of tlve proceedings,
a cockatoo was brought into the room, and
when the girl rubbed it with her hand, the
same kind ol stupor was produced iu her
pei sou; the lower amiuals, as well as man
kind, being agents, as I was told, of this
uijsterious power.
Before my departure, I took out my watch
and held it tow ards her, as a person holds
a w atch before a child s fact* loeng ige its at
tention. 1 askeit hvi to kn-s the watch, aud
doing su, she was iustauliy lixed in a stupor
iu a bending attitude ; the gold, as was ex
plained, fiad produced this effect. She re
covered b_y my blowing iu her face. Again
she became fixed by taking hold of the
chain ; but mi afterwards kissing the glass
ol tlie wa cli, she was not in any way affect
ed. 1 touched the back of her neck with
the gold side of toe watch, and, it stupified
her; on touching her wi;h tlie glass, no ef
fect, as before, was produced.
1 now finish the account of this very
strauge exhibition ; it will be perhaps a>ked
by the reader, what is nty opinion on the
subject; Put I profess my inability to give
one. My feelings are (hose of astonish
ment. I cannot believe that any deception
was practised, although I possess no proof
that there was not. Dr. Elliotson pledged
his honour that there was no collusion ;
and as he is a man of education and fortune,
above being acted upon by sor lid or mean
motives, 1 cannot imagine tiiat the phen
omena which 1 have described occurred
from any trek on his part. I, however,
leave the reader to think for himself, and
simply content myself with having given an
account ol certainly oue of the most curious
‘•sights” of London.— Chambers's Edin
burgh Journal.
wall street
BY 81. M. NOAH.
In spite of the o’erwffe.tiling difficulties
which surround us—the tornado that
sweeps over the whole county—in spite of
every thing tending In make us sail, it is
amusing lo p iss an hour in wall street,
about the time tlie Honorable Board of
Brokers so called ex gratia is about dis
solving its sittiug. The whole world dis
gorges itself into that street about change
hours. Men who seek relief, aim men
who see'- news— speculators in co.n, aud
purchasers of safety lumi m tt*s—jobbers
who are seeking comfort aud merchants
seeking aid—all is bustle confusion and
anxiety. Men hurry here and there; a.d
the diversity of opinions on die policy and
impolicy of rite banks suspending or con
tinuing to pay specie, is discussed at every
corner. Here and there arc small groups—
some talking loudly, others in a whisper—
some swearing bitterly, others offering tlie
most consoling reasons for 'lie state of
things—politicians appealing to the Whigs
to turn out and vote, and Lorofocoe.s chuck
ling over the ruin they have produced.—
We *ook our stand against ihe iron-railings
of the Bank of v tnerica, first making our
bow to tlie marble pillars, and —soring die
gen leinen within not to be afraid, that we
did not want to borrow any thing. The
first who addressed us w is a buyer and sel
le'r of Bills of Exchangs. “Wd.y do you
want the Banks to suspend ?” “I want no
such thing; i want them to go on if they
can go 011 with safety to the mercantile
community, anti sustain themselves beyond
all question ; but i do not hesitate sayirfg,
that if merchants a*e to be sacrificed, banks
are no longer of any use.” “Don’t you
perceive that things are gradually assuming
a better aspect---that money is rather more
phmiii .l—tii it the sound condition of our
banks, and those at the East are giving
great stability to our credit—that our State
Securities will command a ready sale in
market, while all other bonds are a mere
drug. Is it not highly honorable for New-
York to ustaiu specie payments while
other commercial cities fail. Our merchants
have seen darker days, and we shall go
through the firery ordeal unscathed. Don't
discourage us therefore—keep up our
spirits-—carry ns through the storm, ami
those who now suffer will have cause to re
mice hereafter. New York credit and
New York honour will be the theme of
every tongue at home and abroad. Ifspecic
is to be sent any where, here it must come,
bectuse here vve can be trusted with it.---
Banks should pay tileir notes as well as
citizens; t ey have exclusive privileges
conferred upon them by the laws, which
should compel them, more than others, to
redeem their issues in coin. There is no
more reason in saying that because banks
fail in other States our Banks sliotild fail
likewise, than there would be in declai m *
that because one speculative merchant -tops,
an >' her prudent oue should stop likewise
Credit f ol!ows credit. If vve in this State
and city can continue .0 pay spec e while
other cities fail, we shall trmsact all he
business, collect all tile coin, and make this
city what it really is and should he, "The
Commercial Emporium of America.” By
this ti ne vve had a snug little crowd around
ns; and a fierce little gentleman, remark
able for volubility, of speech, cried out,
“will you iet me answer that'aregentleman,
Mr. Editor?” “Certainly, if you don't
speak more than three minutes; vve can't
afford to lose more time in these hard times.''
‘ Well, only threemin ttes:’* Now, mister
—-I haven't the pleasure of knowing your
name—hut you talk like a sensible gentle
man on the wrong side of a question. 1
must talk fast, as 1 am limited to time;
now then—
“Ought the Ranks in the city of New-
York, under existing circumstances, to pay
specie? Are there not more than one
hundred millions of dollars due to the city
of Xew-York from other parts of the United
States ? Will it not cost 10 per cent, more
to collect this stint if out* banks pay specie,
than it will if they suspend ? Will not
this loss fall u;>o i men who nearly lost their
all in the troubles of 1836 aud ’37, and who
must sink under it ? Must not a large pro
portion of our merchants fail/ Will not
trade from the South and West go to
Philadelphia instead of coming to New-
A ork ? Is it not easier to get 10 percent,
more for goods than to collect 3 per cent
exchange ? Is not the reason, that in ex
change one can see nn actual loss, where,
in the price of most kinds of merchandize
the loss cannot b° known to exist? Will
not merchants who owe New-York take
their f«nds, which belong to us, and buy
goods where their funds will pay tor them?
Will not all kinds of produce from the
South and West go to tlie best market, or
rather to the highest market? Is not the
■ eason that the shipper of produce from the
WTst can sell his drafts on Philadelphia
to the merchant who wants Eastern funds,
at a less rate ofdiscouut than the dire-t ex
change between the two places ? When
oar trade has gone to Philadelphia, can we
at our eall bring it back ? Are our banks
morrlly hound to pi y specie if the communi
ty to whom they owe their specie prefer
that they would postpone present payment ?
Is it honorable for them to persist in paying
specie, if. by so doing, they must destroy
those whom thev were created to sustain ?
Do the advocates of specie payment, uiffler
existing circumstances, claim that we shall
gain any tiling besides The honor of having
paid specie ? Will not their course be
pronounced honorable or dishonorable iu
regard to the ill or good effects which
will result fiom it? is it necessary that
the banks should pay specie at this time,
in urdei to retain the confidence of the
public in their ability to nnet their engage,
■•mins * Shall the merchants ol New- l ol j,
be sac> diced so long as theie is help witLn,
their reach !”
“Slop, stop, Mr. Chally - the three
minutes are up.” By this tune ’he group
wa' dispersed —shot off'm several diiecuotis*
on perceiving the Linkers, with books u u ’
der their arms. con.mg out ol their cham
ber. “Well, how is Uuittd States?”
“Down again to 7(i." * Delaware and Hud
son,” “Harlem,” “Exchange on Phiiadel.
phia ?” “Eli—how—what’s the aspect 1"
Queiies on queries followed each other
in rapid succession.
“Wi 1 you buy a certificate check on
Ohio for SIOOO ?” “Yes, for 25 p er Cpllt
discount.” “Mercy on us—where is this
to end.
A bustling 7>>co Foco came out of the
Batik with a little bag of gold, chuckling
with great delight. “Aiut I doing the clean
thing for the Fag Barons,” said lie. “llow ?”
“Why, yan see, Snigger, the broker loaned
me a $l!K)0 note o 1 one of our Batiks— l’||
trouble you, sir: says 1 to the Teilei to
give me the better currency for this ere
note of yours; so lie shelled out the gold
and 1 sold i' to Snigger for a small profit.—
So he givet nre a SIOOO note on another
Bank, and l did the same thing; and would
vou believe it, with that tie $ 1000 note
changed some twelve times, 1 sucked iu
every Bank for a •$ 1000 in gold, and sold
it fora profit, and to tight I’ll tell the whole
story at our meeting of the Butt-Enders in
the old Eighth.”
This is only one of the able aits now
practiced to drain the coin from our batiks.
“Will you sign tiffs petition ?” “What’s
it for?” “To compel the banks to receive
all Hie Safety Fund Notes at their coun
ter.” “Can they do it with safety?”
“Certainly t.hey can —they hold their char
ters under one law there is one fund
out of which t tie it delinquencies me to be
paid—they are a kind of joint partueis
their Banks are in as good pn-ition as our
city Banks—why make the people pay five
per cent to tedeeai the notes ol specie pay
ing' Banks ? Let tlie city Banks receive
the country notes at par, and discount
iip «n them liberally, and pay then? out.”
In this way there are a thousand opinions,
a thousand plans, a thousand mat.cnivies
to explain and overcome the dificuttus of
the times in Wall street daily. It is con
tended that the money market is easier.---
It tnav lie so, but the great difficulty seetns
to be in the collection ol debts due to this
city from other States—an impossibility,
considering the condition of tlm exchanges,
without ruinous sacrifices. No merchant
can afford to lose 323,0,10, i 1 the collection
of SIOO,OOO due him - the nett proceeds
vv ill not enable him to meet his engagements
here, and it is vain to conceal thesedikicnl
tios from ours iv s, that if such is to be
the issue ol tlie collections din* to New- York,
very few merchants ami jobbers «,|| be
able to st tnd tire pressure.
From the Georgia Arens.
BANK INFLUENCE.
I'or. several years back we l,; ve beard a
great deal about bank influence*. Almost
every newspaper paragraph, and every po
litical speech, whether it be made in 1 lie
legislative hall or at a political me ting, ts
full of it; yet while it i-, every where spol.m
against as a great evii it seems to have oc
curred to nobody to examine into tit - t au-e
of it. Why is it that » c hear no c-omplai as
of the mercantile influence ? ol the t anting
influence? or of the mechanic influence?
That those who cotiiroi bunks c-xeictsc an
influence to wnicli they are not cntitfi-d,
there is no doubt’; and that the jaivvei they
possess is oitcn unworthily exerted for lire
purpose of pro luciug this influence, is tin ■;
but the evil is not attributable to banking.
Banking is as legitimate a business as mer
chandising, planting or any thing eise, ant!
as useful to the country, nor is there in it
any tiling that is tie. cs-utnly evil ; tDo l ow
er that toe banks have to infl ct injury upon
the community, arises, not from the privil
ege they enjoy of passing their ptomissciy
note as money, but from the exclusion es
others front the exercise of the same previl
ege. Give a hull a dozen or hall < hundred
men in each ol the large trading towns of
the United States, the exclusive privilege
of merchandising, or to the same number
of men in each county in the Cotton Si ares,
file exclusive privilege of raisin, cotton,
and you would create a power, compared
with which tlie power and influence ol the
banks are as the helplessness o! infancy lo
the gi. Hit’s strength. You might requirt
tb merchants to sell their goods at a fair
price, and they might do so, but they wo it Id
choose their own cn .1 outers ; you might
regnlnte the price ot their good*., but they
woii!d t rc..*.ulate the price o 1 very thing else ;
:! tic- power is applied to making cotton in
sfead 01 merchandising, tlie power would be
still greater; they would soon own all the
good land-, and would regulate and contiol
ail the labor of the country. Men who
ywttcd good lands would sol* them to the
c ompany a* half price, and pay high rout
lor the previlege of making cot.on in
Hie uame ol the company. Give to one
man the exclusive privilege of supplying
Columbus evei. with fire-wood or with beef,
aud vou make him at once an important and
powerful man. Vou give him the power of
levying a tritm.e upon every man who should
bring a drove of beef or a load of wood in
to the city, he would either buy it at bis
own price or compel them to pay him for
the privilege of selling it in his name.
it is this system before which the most
of the governments ol the world have fallen,
and under the blighting influence of-which
some of tlie fairest portions of the globe
have been depopulated and laid wa te —-
Compared with it, “war pcsti ence. and
1”mil e” ere but light and transitory curses ;
they may desolate for a season, but the
coimtiy whose soil yields a rich return for
the labor of man, will soon be filled up
again if you "leave men free to regulate
their own pursuits of industry and happi
ness.” it is rot from foreign foes that a
country lias most to fear ; if a country offer
inducements to the invader, a more hardy
ora more intelligent people may drive out
or exterminate tiie inhabitants; but if the
conquerors be free, the country w.ll flourish
in their possession. The Indians have been
driven out and exterminated by the whites,
but the country lias not been desolated.---
It is the enemy at home, the oppression that
invades the fireside, that does ilie work of
uistrucr on. Shut up against the mass ol
the people the avenues by which industry
and interprise many win their w iy to wealth
ami distinction-—confine by law all the
profitable employments to a favored few,
and you may build up here and there a
g >rgeous palace and call it wealth and
-splendor, hut you will soon have an idle, an
ignorant, a profligate and a beggared peo
ple.
But to return to the subject of banking*
We have never been able to set any reason
in confining this branch of business to a few
individuals, but it has often been to us n :t
--ter eff great surprise, thai a people,prif 4s