| 476 owing to extraordinary unfavorable weather, which, since its discovery, seems to have prevaded [pervaded] not only Great Britain but even Europe, the observations of it are so few. Since the 30th November, he has seen it but once; and in Ireland neither Earl of Rose nor Dr. Robinson obtained even a glimpse of it.
Dreadful Coal-pit explosion.-A terrible coal-pit explosion, accompanied by fearful loss of human life, occurred in the vicinity of Whitehaven, between the hours of five and six on Thursday evening week. The dreadful event took place at a colliery called Duke's Pitt, at the time it was in full operation, and arose, it was supposed, from the fire-damp becoming ignited and exploding in the lowermost gallery in the pit, where no fewer than sixteen miners were at work, and eleven horses, all of whom were instantly hurled into eternity. Most of the unfortunate sufferers, we regret to say, are married men, and have left large families, totally unprovided for, to lament their dreadful fate. Up to ten o'clock on Friday morning only eight of the sixteen bodies had been recovered.-Liverpool (Eng.) Albion.
From the Quincy (Ill.) Herald.
Mr. Editor:-
Sir:-As I was perusing the Whig of the 28th of February last, my eye caught some remarks made by the editor of that paper, justifying himself for publishing an article from the New York Tribune, reflecting severely upon the Mormon leaders. I read the article alluded to, after which I made the following observations:
"I have heard it observed by medical gentlemen, that if a person wish to commit suicide by taking poison, he will fail to accomplish his object if he take a very extravagant dose, for it being too strong for the stomach to retain, it meets with an immediate resistance, and is thrown off before time will allow it to be conveyed to the blood. So with the article in the Whig. It is so strongly tinctured with the bane of falsehood, slander and reproach, that it can do the Mormons no harm; for every person who has been to Nauvoo and witnessed there the fruits of industry and untiring perseverance which exhibit themselves both in the city and on the wide-spread prairie, must confess that the statements in the above named article are false; and how the editor should be ignorant of the fruits, I am at a loss to determine, for they have not grown in a corner!!
He says of the Mormons, "we are sorry we cannot please them," but he need not be. We are not sorry, and why? Because Christ has said, "if ye were of the world, the world would love you; but as ye are not of the world, I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hates you."
I was very glad he had modesty enough to qualify the terms, "Mormon friends" with, "or rather acquaintances;" for conscious as he must have been, that he had forfeited all claim to our friendship by giving publicity to an article which we verily believe he knew to be false, his conscience smote him with guilt when he called us friends, and therefore modestly altered it to 'acquaintances.' We would inform the editor of the Whig, that considering the way in which not only the Mormons, but several other worthy citizens have to feel the lash of his abusive tongue, we shall not be very jealous if he leave out all those endearing words, expressive of friendship and good will when he talks about us, neither shall we feel ourselves very highly complimented if he put them in. If we are wrong, his course will never reclaim us: but if we are right, the flood of abuse and scandal against us, which he endorses for truth, must sooner or later recoil upon his own head, and associate him and give him a place with those "who love and make a lie."
He is very jealous of religious and political power being united. But I would ask, does not every wise legislative body invoke the aid of a religious power to order their deliberations in wisdom, and direct their political course with prudence? If not, why all these chaplains, in our legislative halls, in the army and in the navy? But probably the editor of the Whig would say: "It is true, in all christian governments, there are men selected of acknowledged worth and piety to ask wisdom upon the State and National councils, and also blessings upon the army and navy: yet says he, it is all a sham and mock ceremony; for if God were to give a revelation of wisdom and knowledge by the Holy Ghost, or by an Angel to any of these chaplains, and they should declare it in the national councils, it would not be regarded at all, only as the height of extravagance, presumption and folly. So you see it is all a sham." Yes Mr. Editor, your views are, no doubt, correct. They are too self evident for me to contradict. But Joseph Smith, more sincere and consistent than they all, prays to God for wisdom, receives it by revelation, and then as a test of his implicit confidence therein, acts upon it.
Would the editor have us to understand that there is one department in heaven to guide the
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