COUNTY OF PERTH HERALD. ae The Pool of Siloam. The Pool of Siloam is a celebrated instance of a 'Reciprocating' spring : that is a spring which exhibits phenomina analagous to the flux and reflux of the tides of the ocean: some at regular intervals during the day and§thers at more distant and uncertain periods. The younger Pliny in a letter ad- dressed to Lucinius deseribes a spring of this kind by the Larian lake--the modern Lake of Como. The celebrity of the flow and ebb of the ] of Siloam is co-extensive with the pre- valence of Christianity itself 'Siloa's brook that flow'd Fast by the oracle of God" The pool of Siloam is a reservoir of artifi cial construction, fifty three feet long by eighteen broad, into which a small stream flows, and is led off to irrigate the gardens of fig and fruit trees, that lie along the slope of the Valley of Jehosaphat. The stream enters the pool through a subterra- nean channel cut in the solid rock, and comes from the fountain of the Virgin, higher up in the valley The irregular flow of the- water is first distinctly mentioned by Jerome in one of his Commentaries, towards the close of the fourth century, who remarks :-- " Siloam is a fountain at the foot of Mount Zion, whose waters do not flow regularly, but on certain days and hours, and issue with a great noise from caverns and hollows in the hardest rock." An earlier record in the same century--that of a still extant Itinerary from Bordeaox to Jerusalen-- magnifies this circumstance into a flowing for six days and six nights, and a resting on the seventh day; an ancient popular legend, which might originate the statement of the the elder Pliny, of there being a river in Judea that dries up on the Sabbath day.-- The popular belief is still firm among the in- habitants of Jerusalem, respecting the flow and ebb of the water ; but most modern tra- yellers seem to haye regarded it as an idle story, till Dr. Robinson was enabled to es- tablish its truth. From him we have the following account :--' Having been, very unexpectedly, witnesses of the phenomenon in question, we are enabled to rescue another ancient historical fact from the long oblivion, or rather diseredit, into which it has fallen for so many centuries. As we were preparing to measure the basin of the upper fountain. and explore the passage leading from it, my companion was standing on the lower step, near the water, with one foot on the step, and the other on a loose stone lying in the basin. All at_ once he perceived the water coming into his shoe, and, supposing the stone had rolled, he withdrew his foot to the step, which, how- ever, was also now covered with water. This instantly excited our curiosity, and we now perceived the water rapidly bubbling up from under the lower step. In less than five minutes it had risen in the basin nearly or quite a foot; and we could hear it gurg- ling off through the interior passage. In ten minutes more it had ceased to flow, and the water in the basin was again reduced to its former level. Thrusting my staff in under the lower step, whence the water ap- peared to come, I found that there was here a large hollow space ; but no further exam- ination could be made without removing the steps. | Meanwhile a woman of Kefr Selwan came to wash at the fountain. She was accustomed to frequent the place every day; and from her we learned that the flow- ing of the water occurs at irregular inter- vals; sometimes two or three times a day, and sometimes, in summer, once in two or three days. She said she had seen the fountain dry, and men and flocks, dependent upon it, gathered around and suffering from thirst, when all at once the water would begin to boil up from under the steps, and, (as she said), from the bottom in the interior part, and flow off in a copious stream. In order to account for this irre- gularity, the common people say, "that a great dragon lies within the fountain ; when he is awake he stops the water; when he sleeps it flows." The far-famed Pool of Siloam is thus to be classed with the ebbing and flowing wells, though it does not appear that any character of periodicity belongs to the phenomenon. Porators.--In the suburbs of New York, especially on Long Island, potatoe growing is pretty nearly reduced to a science, Many of the farmers make this their main crop, and not a few raise two thousand dollars' worth and more, in a season. They plow in horse manure and plowdeep. They select their largest potatoes for seed, quarter and plant the pieces in drills about fifteen inches apart, and prefer to have only four stalks in a place. The product is potatoes of every uniform marketable size, with few or no small ones. They require very little sorting, and the whole crop is turned into money at the market price. These farmers doubtless know what is for their interest, and ridicule the notion of planting small potatoes to realize from.--American Agri- culturist. A Priest Attacking a Boy. The Irish Court of Queen's Bench has been engaged two days in hearing an action against a priest, named Fahy, for an attack on a boy named O'Neill. It appears that O'Neill's fathex occupied a farm on one of Lord Leconfield's estates. Lord Lenconfield had provided schools for the children of his tenantry, but Father Fahy, jealous of the faith of his young flock, set his face against these "dangerous institutions," and insisted upon the Roman Catholic children attending the National School. ONeill, however, sent his son to his landlord's school, and the boy was one day on his way to the place when he was met by Mr Fahy, who was on horseback. It was alleged for the plaintiff that Mr Fahy rode his horse at the boy and knocked him down. This was denied by the rey. gentleman, who, however, admitted that he struck the boy with his whip, and chased him some distance with a view of preventing his getting to Lord Lenconfield's school. In summing up, the Lord Chief Justice said the case was important, because the offence committed was sought to be vin- dicated on a principle that was not only groundless in law, but mischievous and per- nicious in fact--that a person could assert his authority, and carry it out by force and violence, to control the free exercise of the judgment of man in respect to the religion which they might choose for themselves or their children. Such a principle was in di- rect opposition to the palladium of national liberty enjoyed by the people of Great Bri- tain, and which there was no reason it should not be also equally enjoyed by the people of Ireland. There was not only a public but a Jegal question of much importance involved in the case, for no man had the right to do what it was admitted the rever- end defendant did in this case--namely, take the law into his own hands and commit an assault. The only question in the case was the amount of the damages to be given to the plaintiff, and in respect to that the jury should consider whether the assault was accidental or premeditated, and on that point they would remember the evidence that the reverend defendant hunted the plaintiff from place to place after the horse had struck him. The jury could not be too strongly pressed with the fact that in this free country no man, however high his posi- tion may be, had aright to influence by force and violence the free, opinion and judg- ment of his fellow man. If such a right was upheld by law courts, or by juries, so- ciety would be plunged into endless strife. In awarding their damages the jury would vindicate the law, and compensate the plain- tiff for the injury he sustained ; but their damages should not be vindictive or dispro- portionate to the position and means of the reyerend defendant. The jury, after deli- berating for about half an hour, returned a verdict for the plaintiff: Damages £40. The French in Mexico--The effect upon Canada. (From the Prototype.) The ministerial organ in this city, echoing the New York Herald, states that the Em- peror Napoleon has taken advantage of the war in the States to establish a French pro- teetorate in Mexico; and that when this war is over, and the States have recuperated, the Americans will be justified in driving the French out of Mexico. A little consid- eration will convince any one that Napoleon did not take advantage of the war in the States to attack Mexico. The occupation and subjugation of Mexico was determined on by England, Spain, and France, con- jointly, and prosecuted up to a certain time conjointly. The objects of the triple expe- dition were to exact retribution for evils done, to compel the payment of debts due, and to give Mexico a permanent, strong government. The withdrawal of England and Spain left France to prosecute these objects alone. What she has since done has been done without the slightest reference to the war in the States. It cannot then be said that Napoleon has taken advantage of the war in the States to advance his designs on Mexico. If he had acknowledged the Confederacy while pushing his army on Mexico, there might be coloring for this charge. As it is, the charge is only made by those who cordially hate both France and England. The letter of Napoleon to his victorious generals, and his other official acts, lead us the conclusion that, whatever government may be established in Mexico, it will be one which will have the approbation of a majority of the people, and will not be un- acceptable to the European powers. That it will haye the approval of the Washington Government, or of the Ministerial organ of our city, is of course not to be hoped for. There is reason to believe, however, that this new Government will not be looked upon unfavorably either by the Richmond Con- federacy or by the Canadian people. --_In- deed, there are many amongst us who be- lieve that it would be a great blessing if a strong State, with a monarchial or imperial form ,of government, were established in Mexico. The balance of power, as it ex- isted on this continent before the present war, was notoriously unfavorable to Canada. Should the States, at the conclusion of this war, be permanently divided into the Nor- thern and Southern Confederacies, the posi- tion of Canada would still be that of weak- ness and isolation. | With a confederation of all the British North American Pro- vinces, including the Red River and the Pacific colonies, our position would be vastly better. empire in Mexico, we should be secure, and also more on an equality with our neigh- bors. The establishment, then, of an im- perial government in Mexico, cannot be re- 'ded as an unmixed evil--except, of course by those whose ideas are influenced by the anti-British blustering organs of the States. Passing from the consideration of these subjects, let us ask what right the Washing- ton government has to go into war with France, because France interferes with Mexico? At best the North can haye but an equal right with Napoleon to inyade this sacred territory. And as she has chosen to waive this right, why should she go to war about it?--The only justification that the Washington government could have in making war upon France in Mexico, would be that France had usurped some right that belonged exclusively to our neighbors across the line. been done to the Mexicans, no one pretends. One half, and that the larger half of them, seem to be ranged on the side of France. And as the invasion was justified by the flagrant outrages of the deposed minority, where is the injustice of the French army being in Mexico ?--and where is the in- justice of France giving the majority of the Mexican people such a form of government as they desire? Those whose blindness or yenality lead them to favor the modern in- terpredation of the Munroe doctrine, may see the justice of the North and the South, or either of them, attempting to drive the French flag out of Mexico, merely because that flag is there. They may even see the impropriety of the English flag waving in Canada, or in any of our sister Provinces. But the great mass of mankind think that the French flag has as good aright to wave over the capital of the Montezumas, as would have the stars and stripes. It is not too much to say that the chief reason of all threats we hear against Napoleon, is that he has wounded that over-leaping ambition which oftentime, caused Northern politicians to dream of universal empire, from the North Pole to the boundaries of South America, This pleasing illusion has been dispelled by thundering of hostile cannon within earshot of Washington, and the proclamation of the empire of Mexico. In all these things, if we do not feel cause for congratulation, we may at all events see more plainly the way to the ultimate consolidation and security of a young, growing and powerful British na- tionality, extending from the Atlantic to the Pacific --While, then, the professed enemies of Canada and of the mother country are loud in their complaints of British neutral- ity and French power, let us not join in the senseless if not disloyal ery--but look at home, and see to it that we develope our own resources for defence, prosperity and great- That any injustice has as yet And with a strong consolidated | The Immoralities and Crimes of Mormonism. --_ From the Dover (England) Chronicle. We have received the rough manuscript notes of an ex-Mormon, now staying in Dover, narrating, in a sort of " jottings by the way," his visit to the " saints' " strong- hold in the Utah territory, and giving brief notices of the city, of its resources, its in- habitants, &e. We have taken the liberty of omitting certain matters of saintly prac- tice offensive to an Englishman's notions of common decency, but if it seem desirable that the delusion in its gross enormity should be known, we believe our narrator might be induced to give a recital of his "year and three weeks" in the city Deseret. His notes commence witlfthe 'journey across the mountains.' Leaving St. Louis in the month of June, he says :-- " The company with which I trayelled left for Council Bluffs, crossed the Missouri, and soon left for months the settlement of the 'pale faces.' The scenery on the road, the incidents of camp life, the toiling along by day, uncomfortable night watches, mending bad roads, building temporary bridges, &c., gave a chequered appearance to the route. We early met a band of Red Indians from the war path; they were well mounted, daubed in all the glory of war paint, and very formidable-looking individuals. We quietly got rid of their presence by a largess of flour. We camped at Atchison on the fourth day. Our rations were a pound and a quarter of flour, the same weight of bacon, and an ample supply of coffee and sugar. Trayelling onwards, we successively arrived and encamped on the Nemahw Creek, at Fort Kearney, Ash Hollow, Chimney Rock, Fort Laramie, Rock Independence, Sweet Pass, and caught a glimpse for the first time of the valey of the Great Salt Lake. This lake, which is 4000 feet above the level of the sea, is seventy miles long from north to south, and 30 miles broad. It has no ap- parent outlet, although the diminution of the water takes place more rapidly than could be produced by the mere process of evaporation. The saline property of the water (which is also very buoyant) may be judged from the fact of its furnishing dry salt in the ratio of one-fourth of its bulk. Thousands of bushels of coarse crystals are collected on its banks, and retailed at 50c. per cwt. Leaving the lake we approach the city, and find our progress stayed by a mud wall twelve feet high and six feet wide, in front of which there is a ditch. | Admitted through the gate, we are at last in Deseret, the city of the Great Salt Lake, and the goal of our aspirations. | We find the city divided into ten-acre blocks, the streets in- tersecting at right angles, and running due north and south and east and west. The traffic portion of the streets is 130 feet wide. with footpaths on each side 24 feet wide. A little rivulet skirts most of these sidewalks, and the margin of the water is ornamented by a row of cottonwood or other kind of trees. 'The houses are built on the edges of the blocks, leaving cultivated fields and gardens in the centre. Everything around bears the impress of labour ; and when one looks back at the bleak mountains, and for- ward at a yalley without spontaneous vege- tation higher than a willow bush, the con- viction forces itself upon the mind that the fertility of Deseret is the result of very hard work ; ana there are few soils that so richly reward the labour bestowed. The city con- tains about 30,000 inhabitants, and the ter- ritory about 80,000, principally composed of English, Welsh. and Danes. The Americans are mostly office-bearers, and have all the power in their hands. The climate is genial, and without the extreme heat or cold, Most of the houses are built of sun- dried bricks, and the occupants of a few I will proceed to name: "A yery pretty house in a block on the east side was tenanted by (nowSthe late) J. M. Grant and his five wives; Ezra T. Benson and his nine wives occupy the corner house ; westward we have (the lafe) Parley Pratt's house and his 13 wives; and Dr. Richard lived in a long row of rooms with 23 wives ; westward we have Wilford Wood- ruff and his eight wives; and northward H- C. Kimball (the man next in authority to Brigham Young) with 47 wives. A more disgusting man never lived. Brigham Young has two mansions, the one called Lion-Honse being occupied by 17 or 18 of his wives, and the other h@lding his favorite and her family, while nearly 50 more are lo- cated on his property. Brigham Young in person is rather large and portly ; he has an imposing carriage and a very impressive manner. His wives, poor women, are the companions of his passions, not of his life-- panderers to his lusts, not partners of his affections; and yet the Mormon infatuation induces a comparative contentment with the vile degradation. Two of his wives, living isolated on a small farm, had yentured to re- monstrate with Brigham on his course of life. A meeting of the elders followed, and Lawrence and Irene were shortly afterwards murdered. I saw one poor woman taken from her home, stripped, tied to a tree, and flogged till the blood flowed from her wounds to the ground. She was then taken to her husband's residence and laid on the door step. None of the fiend's other wives dared manifest any sympathy, and in the morning she was a corpse. But this is not all. The territory is infested with spies, who commit murder with impunity. The lives of American citizens are not unfrequently sa- crificed by order of the priesthood. Those who speak against elders are robbed, beaten, stabbed, shot, and no evidence can be eli- cited against the perpetrators. " During eleven months of my stay, I lived at Lion-house mansion, and from that circumstance, and several private conversa- tions with him, had ample scope for an opinion of the man; and I conscientiously assert that the world has mistaken the ability and danger of the polygamist ruler of Utah. "The disgusting mystery of the 'Endow- ment,' through which I passed, is unfit for publication in a newspaper. It concludes with an oath to obey the elders in all things, even to commit murder. This is followed by the marriage ceremony. Young selects the partners, and sometimes the wife and children of one man are given to another man. Should a first wife complain of her husband taking a second, she is condemned by the law, sometimes flogged,' sometimes secretely disposed of, and sometimes given over to the Indians. The husband may have as many wives as he can keep, and he takes care to make them work and keep themselves. | How domestic order is main- tained may be judged from the following rules, which are stuck up inevery house :-- "1. 'Any woman in this household telling any secret that occurs in the household, pro vided it compromises the honor of the hus- 'band or any of his wives, or tends to bring polygamy into disrepute, to be confined in tho cellar for one month. "2. Forbids quarrelling among the wives; the one who commences the quarrel to re- ceive punishment, from 6 to 26 lashes. "3, Forbids one woman to strike or other- wise correct the child of another. For this offence six lashes or no dinner. "Marriage at Utah is stripped of every sentiment that makes it holy, innocent, and pure. It is very common for one man to marry two sisters. David Wells married two sisters in one day. George B. Wallace, once the leader of the London Conference, married three sisters. Cartis E. Bolton married a woman and her daughter; Capt. Brown, known in Doyer as Elder Brown, married a woman and her two daughters ; but D. G. Watt excelled them, for he brought out his three half-sisters from Scotland and married them. " Mormon women go to Utah zealous in their religion; they are firmly convinced | that the dogmas they embrace are precious truths from heaven, and that the elders are God's messengers. They swallow the bait, marry, and, if awakening to the temporal miseries of their position, find consolation in their fanaticism and their creed." "Tn conclusion I would say--I was once a Mormon priest ; but the system in England and the system in Utah are vastly different. Here all that is objectionable is denied ; yonder the atrocious enormity stalks forth undisguised. I haye seen it on both sides of the Atlantic. LL Imports oF Eacs To ENGLAND.--A London paper says that the enormous quan- tity of 79,000,000 of eggs were brought in- to England between January 1st and April 30th of the present year--being 12,000,000 more than were imported in the first four months of 1862, and nearly 16,000,000 in excess of the imports of 1861. The con- sumption of foreign eggs in the United Kingdom last year exceeded 235,000,000 ; for the present year it may safely be put down at not less than 250,000,000. The eggs come principally from France and Bel- gium. If you wait for others to advance your interests in this world, you will-have to wait - so long that your interests will not be worth advancing at all.