Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1845-09-30

w
kie the materials to start a new Daily paper.
We learn also that the editorial charge OF
the Sentinel passes into the hands Of Cen.
Wm r. King, formerly ofthe Albany Ad-
ver,iser.
FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS IN
MORMONISM.-SEcoND EDITION OF
TIE PLATES.
Being at the village of Burlington few
days since we heard much talk Of the mat
ter detailed in the statement below. Our
curiosity was sufficiently excited, to induce
US to attempt to make ourself more fully
acquainted with the circumstances and facts.
For this end wevisi,ed the gentleman alIu.
ded to as the seer or prophet. We were
cordially received; the plates were shown
US, and we visited and examined the spot
from which they purport to have been Ia
ken. The prophet appeared TO Us very
intelligent man, devoid of any thing like
enthusiasm; and so far as we could judge,
honest and earnest in all he said. The
men who subscribe the statement, are said
to be among the most hones, and intelligent
ofthe population of that neighborbood; and
take it all together, it is something to stag
er an ord mary credulity. The popular O.
pnion will doubtless call it humbug; SO
should we from The natural impulse of our
mind. but when the testimony appears in
opposition TO such impulse, we are content
TO have no opin Oh about it.
The following statement has been COM
municated to us.
On the thirteenth day OF September le45,
we Aaron Smith, Jirah B. Wheelan, James
M. Van Nostrand and Edward Whitcomb, as
sembled at the call Of James J. S,rang who
is by Us and many others approved as
Prophet and Seer OF God. He proceeded
TO inform us that it had been revealed TO
him in vision that an account of an ancient
people was buried in hill south of White
liver bridge near the east line of Walworth
County, land leading us 10 an oak tree abou,
one foot in diameter, told Us that we would
find it enclosed in case of rude eartben
ware under that tree at the depth of about
three feet; requested US to dig it up, and
charged us to 50 examine the ground that
we should know we were not imposed upon,
and that it had not been buried there since
the tree grew. The tree was surrounded by
sward of deeply rooted grass such as is u
sually found in the openings, and upon the
most critical examination we could moi dis
cover any indication that it had ever been
cut through or disturbed
We then dug up the tree and continued
to dig to the depth Of about three feet, where
we found case of slightly baked clay con.
tanning three plates of brass. On one side
of one is a landscape view of the south end
of Gardeners prairie and the range of hills
where they were dug. On another is man
with crown on his head and sceptre in his
hand, above is an eye, before an upright
line, below the sun and moon surrounded
with twelve stars, at the bottom are twelve
large stars from three OF which pillars arise,
and closely interspersed with them are sew
eniy very small stars. The other four sides
are very closely covered with what appear
TO be alphabeuc characters but in lam
guage of which we have no knowledge.
The case was found imbedded in indura.
ted clay so closely fitting it that it broke in
taking out, and the earth below the soil was
SO hard as TO be dug with difficulty even
with pckaxe. Over the case was found
flat stone about one foot wide each way |
and three inches thick which appeared
TO have undergone the action of fire, and |
fell in pieces after few minutes exposure
10 the air. The digging extended in the
clay about eighteen inches there being two
kinds of earth of different color and appear
ance above il.
We examined as we dug all the way with |
the utmost care, and we say, with the ut
most confidence that no par, of the earth
through which we dug exhibited any sign
or indication that it had been moved or
disturbed at any time previous. The roots
of the tree stuck down ON every side very
closely extending below the case and close
ly interviewer with roots from other trees
None Of them had been broken or cut a.
way. No clay is found in the country like
that Of which the case is made.
In fine, we found an alphabe,ic and pic
torlal record, carefully cased up, buried
deep in the earth, covered with flat stone,
with an oak tree one foot in diameter grow
ing over il, with every evidence that the
senses can give that it has lain there as
long as that tree mas been growing. S,rang
took no part in The digging, but kept en-
iirely away from before the first blow was
struck I'LL after the plates were taken on,
of the case; and the sole inducement to
our digging was our faith ia his statement, as
a Prophet of the Lord, that record would
thus aud there be found.
AARON SMITH,
JlRAIB WIFE Ian.
J. NJ. VAN NOSTRAND,
EDWARD WHITCOMB.
EXTRACT FROM THE TRANSLA.
TION.