"The Mysterious RappingーPublic Meetings for Investigation."

By the kindness of a friend, I have been furnished with the North Star of November 23d, and find an article in it over the initials "J. D.;" which although using my name pretty freely, the publisher had not the courtesy or frankness to send me. (1) This may serve for an apology for the late appearance of this contradiction of some of the most barefaced misrepresentations contained in that article. In doing so I will endeavor to be brief, and convey as plainly as possible my meaning, by coming directly to the point. I would accuse "J. D." of no intentional wrong, as a man is considered innocent until he is proved guilty, although, in this case, the presumption will be strongly against him, in the minds of all who were present at Corinthian Hall, and have read his article. One of the first errors, or false insinuations, I will notice, is this.ー"Mr. Capron, of Auburn, late editor of the Auburn branch of the National Reformer, appeared on the platform, accompanied by the two young women, through whom "the spirit," or whatever else it may be, makes itself manifest." (2.) I by no means object to the company here assigned to me, but I do object to any false statement in regard to facts which may be worthy of the attention of even the prejudiced mind of "J. D.," at some future time if not the present. When "the two young women" "appeared" on the platform, "Mr. Capron" had not yet arrived, and they were accompanied by six or eight ladies and gentlemen of Rochester, who were well known there, and whom "J. D." had every opportunity to know, were on the platform, but perhaps he did not see them.

As to the "not very satisfactory origin for what is claimed to be the opening up of a new worldーthe discovery of a new science," I have only to say that the Jews were at one time as illy satisfied with the "origin" of what was really "claimed" to be the opening up of a new worldーthe discovery of a new science," as "J. D.," and others of his peculiar calibre, are with this. Besides, no such claims were set up in those lectures, for these "mysterious sounds." The facts were stated, and an investigation called for, and others called upon to decide what it was, and what it was not, if they were capable of doing so. Again "J. D." says that "Mr. Capron stated that.....the spirit, or whatever it was, followed him home to Auburn, and rapped to him in his own house" (3.)ーThere never was any such statement made by me in Corinthian Hall, or any other place.ーIt is an entire misrepresentation of my language. If "the spirit, or whatever it was followed" me home, that spirit, or "it," could not have been at Rochester at the same time. It is a language I never use. Neither is it the language of any one pretending to any degree of knowledge or intelligence on this subject. It sounds more like the language of persons who, with all the stubbornness of mules, would not, or could not, from the nature of their organizations, candidly and fairly investigate the matter, and who stand ready to abuse their best friends for hearing or seeing something they will not, or cannot. Previous to making the statement, you doubtless allude to, all in the hall had heard me state that these sounds were not only heard in Rochester, but in many other placesーnot only in presence of "the two young women," but many other persons who have no knowledge of these "young women."

"J. D." next attempts to play the critic and show an inconsistency in my saying in one lecture the words "You had better go there," and in the next, "You had better do that," and evidently wishes to give it a coloring against the truthfulness of the lecturer.ーIt would be a sufficient answer for him to say, "Physician heal thyself;" but for the readers of the Star, I will say that, brief as the sentence is, I quoted from memory, and very possibly might have left out some word in both statements. I intended to state the substance, and if "J. D." will show the "discrepancy" in that, I will give him farther "explanation" if he requires it.

Again. "The sounds are supposed to be made by two young women." Supposed by whom? By the fifteen citizens of Rochester, who spent three days in the investigation?ーBy those who have embraced every opportunity for investigation for the last two yeras, or by those who have never given the matter a moment's candid thought? Are the sounds in the other families in Rochester, in the towns adjoining, in Hydesville, in Auburn, in Sennett, and in various other places, all at the same time, "supposed to be made by two young women"? If so they must be "supposed" to be very nearly omnipresent.

In regard to his failing to get correct answers, I have only to say that I have known others equally unfortunate, and that none of his friends who know most of the matter, deny this. But I know, and he knows (unless he is willing to brand some of his best friends as fools or liars,) that there have been questions of the most absolutely definite character answered correctly, and that has evinced an intelligence, not a "meaner, but a far higher intelligence than man's" (4.) Persons whom "J. D." would believe on any other subject but this ー and who were, at one time, as skeptical as himself, are looked upon as telling that which is false, or at least treated in that way by many who know them to be incapable of falsehood. Passing over his attempt to ridicule, a weapon very cheap, and within the reach of those who stand in very mirey places. I wish to correct another error in his article. I am sorry to have the bench of that county, or any county, disgraced by calling Mister Josiah Bissel, the leader of the rowdies at Corinthian Hall, a Judge! He is evidently a judge of a few things which decent men generally are not, but the sense in which "J. D." mentioned it, he has no claim to, nor never will, unless anarchy prevails, and rowdies and ruffians bear sway. Mister Bissell is undoubtedly a good judge of torpedoes or he would not have taken the responsibility of making a purchase and distributing to the audience at Corinthian Hall on the night alluded to.

In concluding, I will say, that I can conceive of no one who is better prepared to judge of the spirit of an "old Bachelor" than "J. D.," having, for some years occupied that "whimsical fidgetty" position himself.

E. W. C.