Mississippi Democrat. (Carrollton, Miss.) 1844-18??, 1845-02-05
MORNING, FEBRUARY ., 1915.

gard to the planets; and watching them
closely we may also ascertain the time in
which they reyolve, and their position on
their axis. And this has already been
done in regard to the planet Mars, and it
has been ascertained that its diurna revolu.
ton is exactly the same as the earth, or
at least within a minute or two. In Mars
therefore, we find that the same expedi.
ents have been resorled to, and for the
same purpose. We find that the planets
Venus and Mercury are surrounded with
an atmosphere, the clouds can be dis.
tinctly observed upon the surface, the
same provision exists with reference to
Mars. There is peculiarly connected
with Venus and Mercury worthy of our
attention here they have the same variety
of phases with which we are familiar in
our moon. They wax and wane, some
times appearing as thin crescent; at 9TH
ers half full, and full circle. Both of these
planets are densely covered with clouds,
SO dense that we have never yet been able
to see the surface of the planets. For a
long period this was great impediment
to science in The pursuit OF investigation
relative TO the character of these planetsj
for they offered nothing to the eye but
dense mass of clouds, and il is the sun
shining on these clouds which makes the
planet Venus so resplendant an object
With this obstacle in the way, you will We
ry naturally inquire, how did we discover
their durnal motion2 Ii IS very inter-
esting circumstance, and was discovered
by the most extraordinary accident. Trac-
tor, German philosopher, had for sever.
al years been engaged in particular ex-
animation of the planet Venus during her
crescent state, and one evening, while d.
recting his observations 10 her cuspis or
horns, as the points Of the crescent are
denominated, he was much surprised to
perceive that one of them gradually be-
came blunt, which 1luntness continued to
increase until ii seemed as if the point of
the crescent was broken of. AT first he
thought he must have made some mistake,
or that there was some imperlection in the
instrument. After some time, however,
he found that this bluntness again began
10 disappear until the point Of the crescent
recovered its usual appearance. This was
remarkable phenomenon, one that he
could not explain.
On the next evening he observed the
same planet again and again at the same
time the same phenomenon REQUIRED. And
so long as the atmosphere Of Venus was
Sufficiently clear, did he continue to OBJ
serve the same occurrence. But how to
account for IL This was for some time
q difficulty. At length it was ascertained
that at the particular time at which the
bluntness OF the horn of the crescent oc-
CURED, it was involved in the shadow Of
high mountain upon the surface of the
planet, and which was in fact the sole
cause of the phenomenon. Thus then it
was explained. Now we know that shad-
ows are always long, in the morning or
the evening, when the sun is either rising
or setting, hence it was clearly nferrible
that at the point of the crescent involved
in the mountain shadow, it was either
morning or evening. But this was not all.
How came tho mountain there2 And why
was it not always there2 Simply because
the planet Venus revoved on its own axis,
and carried the mountain with it. Thus
then II was ascerained beyond doubt tina t
the planet had revolution of lis own
But this was not ALL The mountain
told another tale. 1t came at particular
time. and always with the same effect, and
by nice philosophical observation il was
thus ascertaned that the planet Venus had
dlurnal revolution almost exactly the
same as the earth and the planet Mars
This discovery led TO observations with
the same view 10 the planet Mercury, and
as mountain had revealed these interest
ing facts in relation 10 Venus il was tho't
that probably another mountain in Mercu-
ry might present the same facilities. And
singular as the fact is, it was but a short
time, before the same phenomenon was OBJ
served in the planet Mercury, and from
the same cause. The horn was eclipsed
at periodical intervals, and it was thus as.
certained that the planet Mercury also re-
volved on its own axis, and at intervals al
most the same as those of Mars, Venus
and the Earth.
Here then we find The same prominent
characteristics in each of the planets we
have named. Can the inquiring mind ask
more of the astronomer than this7 We
see that the divine author has adopted sim
liar expedents in each, and can we doubt
but that they are for the same qualities in
every respect, peculiar 10 none but com
mon to all, and we feel that il is the work
Of Him who has made all things in bene-
6cence and love.
There are few things more alarming TO
the friends of the Union Of these States,
than the split Of the Methodist Church into
northern and southern divisions. II men
/ L.