The republic., 1851-06-13
Beaver Island Kingdom.

the Detroit Daily .9dperliser giving some ac-
count of the doings of the Beaver Island settle
ment of Mormons, and the arrest of their king,
his majesty JAMES j. STRANG. This settle
ment has been organized under some of the
prevalent ideas Of .'higher law" than the
Constitution of the State of Michigan, or that
OF the United States; and its members have
been for some months carrying out their ''high
er law" notions to the great scandal of the
neighborhood. and TO the great injury of all
good citizens. We understand that the Fede-
raj Authorities have exhibited as little regard
for this new development of the "higher law"
as for its manifestations on other theatres; and
that the most prompt and efficient measures
have been adopted for bringing its disciples to
justice.
Various and grave charges have been alleged
against the inhabitants of Beaver Island of vio-
lating the laws of the United States-such as
that of spoliating the public domain by cutting
timber; counterfeiting the coin of the United
States, and obstructing the United States mail.
In order to arrest the parties accused of these
offences, the revenue cutter Lngham and the
iron steamer Michigan were recently placed at
the disposal Of the United States marshal of
Michigan, in order to enable him to serve pro-
cess in the 'higher law" kingdom. The
marshal succeeded in making the contemplated
arrests; but the Mormons, it seems, have been
guilty Of still further outrages, which have
made il necessary for the Federal authorities
Al 4 nc, IL l.
igan TO aid in the service Of additional war
rants. The following despatch, received last
evening from an official source, gives the latest
advces from the seat Of the pending difficulties:
IBY "BAIs's" TELEGRAPHl
MAcKISAc, (pia Detroit,) June s, 1851.
The captain Of the sloop Planet, who arrived
here this afternoon from Bear1 Island, reports
that the Mormons yesterday morning murdered
THOMAS BrsNErT in his own house, and danger
ously wounded bis brother Samuel. He says the
excitement among the Gentiles (al who not
saints) at this cold blooded murder of peaceable
and industrious citizens is fearfully alarming, and
that nothing short Of general fight and massacre
can allay their rage. At the time he left there,
ten O'Clock, the fishermen and Indians were col
lecting at Mackinleys Point, preparatory to an at
tack on the Mormons, who were also mastering g
their forces in anticipation Of this fight; and while
am writing this communication the work of death
may be going on. The plea set up by the Mormons
in justification Of this sanguinary murder OF un-
offending man within the sanctity Of his domestic
rules is that the BENEFITS offered resistance 10
fifty or sixty Mormons who came to arrest them,
with warrants, on charge of having said the pre-
vious day that they would not recognise Mormon
law.
After they had riddlcd the body with rifle balls.
they broke in the door of his cabin and brutally
dragged the corpse by the hair Of the head to the
Lake sbore, and put both brothers in their own fish
ing boat, one de ad, and the other nearly SO, and
carried them twelve miles, before the Mormon just
ice who issued the warrants.
These are the men whose houses they burned last
winter, and whose lives the king doomed to de.
struction fthey did give their farms the saints
and leave the island.
Those here who have always, right or wrong
abuse of judicial authority and the hattns corpus
are morally responsible for all this blood for, j
Justice was allowed to have its on them for
some of their offences against the peace and pro
perty Of the community, they would respect the
power of the law, and would not repeat these
thngs, at least with impunty; but, as every at
tempt to bring them to legal punishment here hai
proved ineffec tual, the people. unwilling any
longer 10 suffer their annoyances, are determined
TO fall back on first principles and right their owr
wrongs.