The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1886-11-24
THE EARTHQUAKE.
A SCIENTIFIC THEORY OF ITS CAUSE.

Every one feels and knows his individu-
atty We would do well never to speak or
write until We shall have thoroughly con-
sidered and examined the strength Of the
ground on which We propose to stand and
collect our thoughts, for the purpose OF
erecting an argument.
While the premises may stand hrm, it IS
impossible to shape the conclusion.
No one on this earth can tell how long
our present artificial earthq quake will last, as
none can know how much work the two
great forces of nature may have to do. We
believe no impossibility on even the best OF
evidence. Our answer always is, that 1t is
delusion. Though We may think none the
less of the witness, vet we may regard him
as having been deceived by appearances.
One may have heard or seen something,
which may have led him to give publicity
to what We are obliged to put down as i'm
possible. We are not required by polite
ness to treat impossibllities seriously, mere
ly that we may seem to agree with those
who may be too credulous.
When portion of any one of the strata OF
this earth is removed to the top stratum,
there is an immediate effort on the part of
natures laws to heal the wounds thus made,
by putting just as much positive and mega
tive power there, as the removed portion OF
stratum contained. Why reverse nature so
suddenly and to the extent Of our ability to
Go SO? What other result can we reasona-
bly, look for, than confusion accompanied
with artificial commissions, when we call to
mind the great extent Of this field of work?
This earth can never be destroyed by natur-
al causes as her forces can only preserve
her equilibrium. If any one were to pub
Esh to the world that our earth would be
destroyed by any process Of nature, we
would put it down by the side of material
ism, evolution, and all such scientific I'M
possibilities. The great God alone can deS-
troy his own works. We take it, that the
centre of the earth at the equator is mega
tive, as the temperature of water shows such
a condition there. We know that snow,
sleet, hail, and rain, Gndependent of better
evidence at our conlmand) prove that there
is a powerful negative above us
The two poles of the earth. its centre, and
the negative force in the temperate zones,
are the negative focuses of this earth. The
positive focuses of the earth are its surface
at the equator and what positive there may
be in the temperate zones Each force at
tracts what is unlike to it, and repels that
which is similar The air and earth are
thus kept purified by forces attracting and
repelling each other. The pine forests and
divers large and small water outlets which
have been destroyed, assisted somewhat IN
preserving the negative force on this side
Of the equator line. When the sun crosses
this equator line, sometimes when on the
other side Of said line) he may from unnat-
ural causes, bring about cyclones, tidal
waves, and earthquakes, even IN countries
not at all subject to such convulslons.
When nature calls upon the sun for extra
work, she also makes the same demand up
on the great negative whose residence is
space. We believe that the positive focuses
Of this earth rule the flood tide, and that
its negative focuses govern the ebb tide.
But the great tidal focuses, are the centre
and surface of the earth at the equator. Ar
tiiclal earthquakes $50 also natural ones)
may have their origin under the water, or
in the air. They may even originate IN
places where the disturbance Of matter
would attract strong negative that an un-
due amount of positive may be neutralized.
There can be no positive current (Which
is really the character Of our earthquake)
beyond the central of the great negative
force in nature. Il occurs to US that food
tide is the result of a positive current, which
is neutralized and driven back by q mega
tive current that gives Us ebb tide. When
we have tidal wave uature makes de-
mand upon the sun that we may have the
wave, aud then upon the great negative that
it may be neutralized. The tides are too
uncertain and tickle in their character to be
turned over to the care and keeping Of the
moon, whose phases are SO regular and per-
feet. We cannot think that it comports with
reason and correct thought to admit that
there is positive surface and q positive
centre at the equator If men would be
more economical in their demands upon
the earth, nature would not call SO frequent
ly upon her two great forces to preserve her
equipoise. When we contemplate the vast
extent of vitreous matter upon our top
stratum that also which is several strata be-
low US. the great ocean and our broad NV
ers, we can but see the wisdom Of the great
good and mercifui God, in providing against
the mistakes of thoughtless men. From our
standpoint of thought, we would say that
Charleston will stand,
when wrapt in fire the realms of ether
glow,
And Heavens last thunders, shake the
world below"
J. L. EAsTEgLSG.
Blue Ridge, Clarendon County, S. c.,
Nov II 1856