Letter of Hon. Richard M. Young to Elias Higbee.

Washington City, April 9, 1840.

Judge Elias Higbee:

Dear Sir:—Having a private opportunity, by Judge Snow, of Quincy, I have sent you two receipts, one for $50, and the other for $90, making together $140, to Mr. E. I. Philips, cashier of the branch of the State Bank of Illinois, at Quincy. When it is convenient for you to make payment, will you have the goodness to send the money to Mr. Philips, who is instructed to receive it, and apply it towards the payment of a note of mine in that bank.

I received a letter from Mr. Rigdon a few days ago. It was mailed in Philadelphia, but was dated on the inside in New Jersey. His health is gradually but slowly improving, and he thinks he will set out for home some time in May. He wished a small sum of money, $40, deposited in one of the banks here, for a gentleman in Buffalo, New York, which I have attended to according to his direction and request. I also informed him, if he stood in need of more, to call on me and it would give me pleasure to accommodate him; so you need not be uneasy on that score.

Nothing new has transpired since you left us, with the exception of the death of one of the Connecticut Senators, Mr. Thadeus Betts, who died yesterday. His funeral took place today, hence no business was transacted in the Senate. We have also lost the Cumberland Road Bill by a final vote in the Senate, 20 voting for and 22 against it; one single vote from the majority would have saved it, by making a tie. The Vice-President was exceedingly anxious for the opportunity of getting the casting vote in its favor. Mr. Clay, of Kentucky, made a speech against and voted throughout against it. Grundy, of Tennessee, Wright of New York, and Buchanan of Pennsylvania, three of the leading Democrats in the Senate voted for it. There were but seven Whigs who voted for it, and thirteen Democrats. I think we will adjourn about the first or second Monday in June.

I received from Mr. Rigdon the Petition and papers in relation to a change of postmaster at Commerce, with an affidavit from Doctor Galland, all of which have been laid before the proper department. As soon as I get an answer, it shall be communicated to you. Don't forget to have the Times and Seasons sent to me. Give my respects to Rev. Joseph Smith, and accept for yourself my best wishes for your happiness.

Yours, etc.,

Richard M. Young.

The News.

In the Times and Seasons of this month is a prospectus for publishing at Nauvoo, a weekly paper, to be called The News.[[1]]

Orson Hyde's Credentials as a Missionary to Palestine.

To all people unto whom these presents shall come, Greeting—

Be it known that we, the constituted authorities of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, assembled in Conference at Nauvoo, Hancock county, and state of Illinois, on the sixth day of April, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight hundred and forty, considering an important event at hand, an event involving the interest and fate of the Gentile nations throughout the world—from the signs of the times and from declarations contained in the oracles of God, we are forced to come to this conclusion. The Jewish nations have been scattered abroad among the Gentiles for a long period; and in our estimation, the time of the commencement of their return to the Holy Land has already arrived. As this scattered and persecuted people are set among the Gentiles as a sign unto them of the second coming of the Messiah, and also of the overthrow of the present kingdoms and governments of the earth, by the potency of His Almighty arm in scattering famine and pestilence like the frosts and snows of winter, and sending the sword with nation against nation to bathe it in each other's blood; it is highly important, in our opinion, that the present views and movements of the Jewish people be sought after and laid before the American people, for their consideration, their profit and their learning.

And feeling it to be our duty to employ the most efficient means in our power to save the children of men from "the abomination that maketh desolate," we have, by the counsel of the Holy Spirit, appointed Elder Orson Hyde, the bearer of these presents, a faithful and worthy minister of Jesus Christ, to be our Agent and Representative in foreign lands, to visit the cities of London, Amsterdam, Constantinople, and Jerusalem; and also other places that he may deem expedient; and converse with the priests, rulers, and elders of the Jews, and obtain from them all the information possible, and communicate the same to some principal paper for publication, that it may have a general circulation throughout the United States.

As Mr. Hyde has willingly and cheerfully accepted the appointment to become our servant and the servant of the public in distant and foreign countries, for Christ's sake, we do confidently recommend him to all religious and Christian people, and to gentlemen and ladies making no profession, as a worthy member of society, possessing much zeal to promote the happiness of mankind, fully believing that they will be forward to render him all the pecuniary aid he needs to accomplish this laborious and hazardous mission for the general good of the human family.

Ministers of every denomination upon whom Mr. Hyde shall call, are requested to hold up his hands, and aid him by their influence, with an assurance that such as do this shall have the prayers and blessings of a poor and afflicted people, whose blood has flowed to test the depths of their sincerity and to crimson the face of freedom's soil with martyr's blood.

Mr. Hyde is instructed by this Conference to transmit to this country nothing but simple facts for publication, entirely disconnected with any peculiar views of theology, leaving each class to make their own comments and draw their own inferences.

Given under our hands at the time and place before mentioned.

Joseph Smith, Jun., Chairman.

Robert B. Thompson, Clerk.

Sunday, 12.—Several of the Twelve bore their public testimony to the Gospel in the Cock Pit, Preston.

The High Council of Nauvoo met at my house, when I proposed that Brother Hyrum Smith go east with Oliver Granger to settle some business transactions of the Church which the Council sanctioned; and voted, "that President Joseph Smith, Jun., make the necessary credentials for Oliver Granger and Hyrum Smith."

Earthquakes.

Monday, 13.—From the second of October, 1839, to this date, there have been one hundred and forty-five shocks of earthquake in Scotland, reported by Mr. Milne to the Royal Society of Edinburgh. Some of these shocks were sufficient to alter the natural levels of the ground more than two degrees, and some witnesses thought four degrees, and caused houses to rock like boats on the sea.

Ordination of Willard Richards to the Apostleship.

Tuesday, 14.—A council of the Twelve, namely, Brigham Young, Heber C. Kimball, Parley P. Pratt, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, George A. Smith and John Taylor, was held at the house of Elder Willard Richards, in Preston, England, when the latter was ordained to the Apostleship,—agreeably to the revelation,—by President Young, under the hands of the quorum present. Other business was transacted, as also on the following days, all of which may be seen by reference to President Young's letter of the 17th instant.