| 376 O, mores!! What shall we have next-a Colonel in the Illinois militia, a stickler for patriotism, a lover of equal rights; a commander of military forces, leading forth his gallant band in the honorable employment of assisting nigger drivers to steal white men. And a schoolmaster who has come here for the purpose of 'teaching the, young idea how to shoot,' is setting his pupils a lesson that will not soon be forgotten.
Missouri talk of justice! Missouri that has plundered by wholesale-Missouri that cherishes murderers in her bosom and protects them by law-Missouri that is now living on the spoils of her own citizens, and whose hands are yet reeking with the blood of the innocent. Shall she preach up law, and seek to enforce it by stealing. As well might the Algerine pirate talk of law, or the infernals of the lower regions chide his satanic majesty for iniquity.
We would here remind our readers that thousands of horses, cattle, sheep hogs, were stolen by the Missourians, for which our brethren, as yet have obtained no redress. We should not be surprised if some of our brethren should have seen their own horses, and have taken them; they would be fools if they did not. And yet because Missouri stealing was done by wholesale, and the thieves paid for doing it by the legislature, they must of course be innocent in the eyes of the law; but a poor man who had every thing he had destroyed by those legalized robbers, and his last horse taken, if he was to recapture his stolen property, would according to the law parlance of Missouri, commit a crime worthy to be punished by the judges.-We are only surprised ourselves that the Latter Day Saints, did not arise en-masse and recover their stolen property, or take an equivalent from the robbers, when justice had been denied them by the legally constituted authorities of the land; and we know that nothing but that forebearance [forbearance] which their principles teach, could have caused them to endure silently and patiently what they have endured from the hand of Missouri.
We do not make these remarks because we suppose that Mr. Avery or his son, are guilty of any crime. We know of no such thing, we believe no such thing. We don't think that they have been guilty even of retaking their stolen property, but we do it in order to show to the world the villainy, corruption and abomination that is practized [practiced] by that state, and unless she, as a state revises her ungenerous laws, brings to justice her robbers and murderers, and makes recompense for what she has done, we shall still hold her amenable for all that is practized [practiced] by all her citizens.
TO THE SAINTS.
MESSRS. TAYLOR & WOODRUFF:-
It has been so long since I addressed the saints through the medium of the Times and Seasons, that I feel confident that a few words from my pen, by way of advice, will be well received, as well as a 'way mark' to guide the 'faithful' in the future. I was sorry to learn, by your remarks upon the resolutions of the 'Twelve' concerning your papers, which appeared not long since, that any of the saints abroad were more apt to patronize the current newspapers of the day, than yours: For the important reason, that the church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, has the words of eternal life, and your paper, as it has hitherto done, must continue to publish such portions of them for the benefit of the saints, and the salvation of mankind, as wisdom shall, from time to time, direct.
Freedom is a sweet blessing; men have a right to take and read what papers they please: But do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? It certainly is no more than just to suppose that 'charity begins at home,' and if so, what must such as profess to be saints think, when they patronize the splendor of Babylon, and leave the virtue of Zion to linger for want of bread?
Beside which, if virtue is justified rather than vanity: the best of every thing, calculated to happify man, and dignify society, will, yea, must be in Nauvoo: and as the new commandment, given anciently was, to love one another; even so, the works of the saints, at home and abroad, will bear its own testimony; whether they love the brethren.
In all the world, the Times and Seasons is the only paper that virtually sustains, according to the forms of Scripture and prophecy, 'apostles, prophets, evangelists and revelations-and what shall be said of him that is like the 'Levite' passes on the other side of the way. When we behold men who 'have borne the heat and the burden of the day;' struggled against the popular opinions of a vain world, the burlesque of a giddy throng; the vulgarity of a self-wise multitude, and the falsehoods of what may justly be termed the 'civilized meanness of the age,' and not lend a helping hand? The 25th chapter of Matthew contains the simple answer.
Now let me say once for all, like the psalmist of old: 'How good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity.'
As the precious ointment upon the head, that run down upon Aaron's beard, that went down to the skirts of his garments, as the dew of Hermon, that descended upon the mountains
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