The southern press., 1851-09-06
msrmenIsn.

The Mormons ut this moment attracting
very considerable attention. Travellers from
among them give accounts of their manner Of
living, and their treatment of strangers, which
have created no little surprise--the more 80, as
il was generally understood hitherto that they
received with uniform kindne s all those who
were proceeding through their district towards
California.
We learn, however, that they are extremely
jealous of any who may remain among them
without conforming to their religious views I;
and that system of persecution is had recourse
to, in order to drive them away.
Some accounts are now of most unfavorable
nature as regards their moral conduct Polygamy
Is said to be common among them:
The practice Of polygamy among the Nor
mons would seem to be we-established fact,
notwithstanding the faint denals OF the charge
which have been made by the champions of the
sect. The Morrons amidst the Christianity
of the Far West" says the London Quarterly
Review, "are reproducing the polygamism of
the East. Nay worse--far worse-for no man
in tie world surpasses the MussuIman in the
jealousy with which he regards the honor of his
women, but little of such feeling is to be
found among the promiscuous hive of the Nor
monites. Their erhorters, protesting the most
pious adhesion to the doctrines of the Gospel,
claim liberties which justified Luther in giving
to kindred sinners of old their prieslly name of
fathers. Yet the sect is fast increasing; and il
is mortifying to learn that most numerous acces-
sions are daily made to it from this country.
From Liverpool alone, the knorn Mormon emi
grants have amounted to l5,O0O and they have,
on the whole, been superior TO-, and better pro-
vided, than the other class of emgrants."
The case Of STRAKG is still more remarkable,
and shows to what ext mt combination of row.
dyism and fanaticism may 60 in setting the laws
at defiance, and in introducing system of un-
bearabe intolerance within the limits of these
States. These pranks have been played in
Michigan. contemporary relates that
A gang of Mormons had settled on Beaver
Island, and wished to get rid of all other resi-
dents, among whom were two brothers by the
rame Of Bennett. Accordingly, on the 7th of
June last, they surrounded the house of the
Bennets, and commanded them to surrender as
they were determined to take them, dead or
alive. The Bennets shut the door, and told them
they @would not obey Mormon law, King
Strangs law, nor any other law but the LAWS OF
THEIR COUNTRY" Af.er some further parIeying,
the Mormons fired into the window, and finally
broke open the door, and killed one of the
brothers, who received five shots in the body
before he fell. The other brother was wounded
in the hand The latter (Samue) in testifying
before the court, June lGth said, among other
things
Strang threatened our lives frequently. In
consequence of being 30 annoyed, we sent to
Strang, and told him if he would give us what
we paid the government for our farm, he could
have it. If your land" said he, "was not
decided, would rather have it; do not allow
the Saints to buy any land of this despicable
government; besides, for government land there
are no taxes to pay would not pay you any
thing for your land But" said he, "you must
comply roifh the la,os of The rydom -you must
pay me hthes" ave will not, said my brother,
pay anything but what we are required to pay,
according to the laws of our country" "Well,
Bennett" said Strang, if you do not pay me
1.-THE, mark my words, that you will be sorry"
We then left him.
This Strang, be it known, claims to be the
prophet of God, and king of the earth. All
the Mormon witnesses testified that sthey not
only believed but KNEW that Strang was the
prophet of God, gifted as Isaiah and the other
prophets with the power of speaking in unknown
tongues that God holds constant communca-
ton with him that God revealed 10 him (Strang)
that The Beaver Islands belonged 10 him, and thai
The federal government lad M title thereto"
There's higher 'aw for you, with vengeance
law above the Constitution, written in the
hearts and consciences" of 60 Mormons, eleven
of whom, including Strang, were arrested bv
the u. s. authorities on a charge of robbing the
mall counterfeitng coin, and committing i'm
mense depred~t tons upon the public lands.
Now, who is to dr criminate betwe en- the con-
sciences Of these Mormons, and the conscences
of the Abolitionistsl Both profess to be 81 n.
cere in their belief, and perhaps they may be.
But sincerity in opposition 10 the laws is poor
ground of defence against the execution of the
penalties.
Many persons will naturally ask, how a system
Of religion of so loose character could have
found within the United States, and in the 9th
century, 80 many advocates or dupes How it
happens, that in country where the great prin.
ciples of Christian federation have, for the f ST
time among Christian nations, been recognized
and practised, any large number of men could
be found to revive the barbarism Of the old
timel
The Mormon movement seems indeed TO
puzzle exceedingly some Of our contemporaries
We believe that the majority Of its followers
are strangers-mostly emigrants from England
and Wales, and of class, little, IL at all, ac-
quainted with religion. If any native Amer-
cans are to be found among them, we apprehend
that such are prr phefs, and leaders of the clap
trap, who have everything to gain by keeping up
the deluson, and making revelations whenever
they want to obtain some selfish end. To such
men polygamy is no doubt very convenient, and
the whole afau," capital joke.
The simplicity of the dupes, we must confess
is wonderful; and greater the simplicity of those
who have had some sort Of education. W.
have not heard M yet that any niggers have
Joined them, which speaks highly for their intel
ligence, as compared with the white serfs o
England.
But what induces these strangers to take 81