"Mrs. Packard is very adroit in concealing her insanity."
This report originated from the same source, and I will answer it in the
words of the same writer, as found in his printed reply: "You say, 'Mrs.
Packard is very adroit in concealing her insanity.' She has indeed been
most adroit in this concealment, when her family physician of seven year's
acquaintance, and all her friends and neighbors, with whom she visited
daily, and her children, and the domestics, and lastly, the court and jury
had not, and could not, discover any traces of insanity; and the only
persons who say they find her insane, were Dr. McFarland, your pious
friend Rev. Packard, his sister, and her husband, one deacon of the
church, and a fascinating young convert--all members of his church--and a
doctor. These witnesses each and every one swore upon the stand, "That it
was evidence of insanity in Mrs. Packard, because she wished to leave the
Presbyterian church, and join the Methodist." I quote the reasons given by
these "Lambs of the Church," that you may know what weight their opinions
are entitled to. The physician, upon whose certificate you say you held
Mrs. Packard, swore upon the trial, that three-fourths of the religious
community were just as insane as Mrs. Packard."