Animal Magnetism

The following propositions in tliis sciencc:as it is cal led, are estnblished by evidence satisfactory to us : 1. Thatthere is a state, in which some persons temporarily remain, which is between sleeping and waking, partaking of the phenomena of both states, and exhibiting mental developements not afforded by the slepping or waking states. - When this state of mind occurs naturally, it is known to medical writers under the name of Somnambuh'sm : when it is induced by the exercise of will. it is, usunlly called the Magnclic state. But the phenomena are in bothfcases cssentially the same. 2. Persons in their ordinary sleep have been known to follow their usual business, ride horscs, work at mechanicnl trades, write verses, and pursue all kinds of mental studies. Aliare believers in facts of this kind. 3. A condition very similar sometimes occurs in the day time. The individual becomes abstracted : is more or less insensible to external impressions : can frequently talk intelligibly and consistenily, but always in reference to the subject present to the mind : will repeat orations or poetry : will often sing in á style far superior to what they could when awake ; &c, &c. AH the faculties of the mind will be susceptible of action, while the person is yet not in a waking siate. 4. This state can be induced, continued, and ended, in certain persons, by an exercise of the will of nnother. We have seenthis tried in so many instances that we cnnnot doubt it. It is proper to say, however, that Mr. Sunderland holds that persons put themselves in this state by an exercise of their own imaginations. He sets up bis cañe when he begins to lecture, and réquests nll who wish to become magnetized to look at it ; and frerjuently 12 or 15 in different parts of ;he audience will in tl. is wny magnetize themselves at once. So say the daily papers in many eastern citios. 5. A part of both sexes are much more easily operated upon by this influence han others. G. The time for which persons can be kept in this st;;te is unknown to us. De Bonneville said it was six days. The longest period we have ever seen it tried was 48 J hourK. In this case the patiënt rapidly lost strength, and in appearance much resembled a corpse. 7. Persons becotne more and more susceptible to this influence lhe oftener they are magnetized ; and it appears to have an unfavorable effect on their boldness, manliness and independenco of character. 8. In this state, the mind can be excited in any desired manner with hope, fear, joy, veneration. or any other feeling, at the will of the operator ; by stimulatingtho phrenological organs,by bringing the hand near them. We daubted this at first : but have seen it proved by numerous experiments. 9. In some cases, tho individuals hole conversation with imnginary beings. 10. In others, they have exhibited an astonishing knowledge of astronomy, ge ography, and languages, of which thev know little or nothing in their waking state. 11. When awaked, the mo.gnetic pa tients have not the slighiest recollectiot of what has transpired in their sleep, un less the magnetizer wills them to remem ber. This proposition, we believe, ex tenus to all cases. 12. Cases of doublé consiousness have occurred in which the patients have for gotten every thing that look place du ring the paroxysm, until the next fit when they remembered every thing tha had taken place during the previous par oxysm. 13. The magnetizer can control the action of the muscles of the patiënt in many case, so as to mak e him move in nny direction, or remain at rest, at the will of the magnetizer. The preceding points we believe are fully substantiated by common observa tion, or by the tesiimony of establishec modical writers. We will now mention some that are believed by many, and which may be true, that are not yet confirmed by evidence satisfactory to us. 1. Itis claimed that some persons in the magneüc state, can travel, as i t we re insympathy with another in the waking state, and describe physical scenery, persons, &c. which they have nover seen, exactly as they are. In some cases, this seemsto be done correctly : in others, there is much confusión. 2. Some Clairvoyants can travel alone to any part of the Universe ;- can see all ihnt haa been done, is doing, and we belicvfc, in mmft mftiure at least, what iato he. Davis of New York, and Mr. Alverson, of ihis village, make claims of ihis kind. Of the corree' ness of these claims we can say nothing, so long as they are predicated on statements whose truth or falsity have no means oí ascertaming. For our own part, we do not impeach the sineerity of Clairvoyants of this class. Webclieve thèy are. in the magnetic state : in this Stnto, the mind is filled with ideas on the subject presented to it ; and these ideas they communicatc, and are published in the form of books. But whether all these ideas are exactly conforrned to truth without any mixture of error, or whether they are even substanüally true, we have no means of Unowing, so long as they relate :o things bevond our comprohension. We have nothing hut the Clairvoyants word to found our belief upon : and that, in the present i-tate of the science, is a basis on which .1 philosopical mind would be unwillmg to rear an important superstructure. 3. They claim, in sorne cases, to foretell a knowledge of future events - the precise time when a fit of sickness will commence on thcmselvcsor oihers - how a medicine will opérale - how many fits a patiënt will have, &c. We have read some striking narratives of this kind. - In testing prophecies of this character there is no better way than that luid down by Moses 4000 years ago - compare the prophecy with the event. 4. They claim an ability to detect crimináis, teil which way they have gone, when they will be arrested, &c. They can also teil where lost or stelen próperty can be found. Some believo in the justice of these claims. They are not established to our mind by any thing we have seen or read. 5. They claim to be ablc to see right into the human body, and thereby detect diseases, and make proper presenptions for theircure. That they may have an insight, in some measure, into the mind and body of the person with whom hey are in connection, may be true : but we doubt whother their skill in curingisinfallible, although in a sense, it may be called supcrnatural. 6. They claim that they can teil the state of health, occupation,. circumst anees, &c. of persons living hundrrds of miles distant. Wo have not seen this erified. We will close by just remarking, that n the investigntion of truth, an unreasonable and obstinate resistance to the evdence of facts, is just as absurd and foolsh asa blind and headlong credulity. - The right way is to examine the alleged ruths till they can be established by full evidence ; and then procecd in a simiar manner, deducing new truths from hose already ascertained, until the science shall be rendored perfect.ttT" We are indebted to Mr. Sawyer of Ohio, for a copy of his speech in Congress on referring the Presídenos Message to the appropriate committeer. Mr. Sawyer is the member so famous for his manner of " sausage-enting ", for a humorous description of which the Reporter of the N. Y. Tribune was last session expelled from the House of Representatives. We rathtr disapproved of the article at that lime, as it seemed to be a caricature ef personal peculiarities involving nothing vicious or criminal. - But if we may judgeof the character oj the man by this speech, his Democracy is no more refined or tasty than his snusage-eating. Mr. S. is a Democrat ol the strongest kind, and of course a zealous supporter of Polk and the War. - The gist of this speech is a reply to remarks of Giddings and Root of Ohio, in which he showed, by extracts from olc federal speeches during the last War that the said Giddings and Root talkec just like the aforesaid federalists. We think ho proved this ; and having done it he sat down, doubtless well satisfied laking occasion, as he concluded, to justi fy the outrageous treatinent of the enian cipated slaves of John Randolph by the citizens of his district. He defended the Black Laws of Ohio, and said it was ou bounden duty to give to Abolition every opposition in our power, unless couplec witli colonization. He seems to be one of the coarsest specimens of Democracy - one for whom it is impossible for u to have much respect. But he will com pare pretty well with Chipman of our own State. (Cf We hear that petitionsare in cir culation for the re-eslablishment of Cap ital Punishment in this State, and that o syslematic effort is making to induce the Legislature to restore Hanging at the present session. Better wait till the present law has been tried long enough to tes its merits. {t?5 Read the striking article on the "One Man Power" from the N. Y. Express, and mark how great is the tendency of this republic towards monarchy. The Americana are very much of a manworshipping people. CC" It is said that Henry Clay expressly declines filling the place of Mr. Morehend in the U. S. Sennte.