Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-11-20
Mormnnism In the United St...y

We know that Americans generally have tn+ n9s1.
the military spirit of England is dead because 'oo
of English volunteers have not already upon tho; %
hook, started for India to punish the butchnr;""
Meerut Delhi and Cawnpore and these persons have also
referredto the American system of volunteering which
few years ago, almost exclusively supported the Mexico
war, and eventually led to the annexation of the yanaI
province OF California The comparison, however is alto
gether futile. We do not believe that the Amerco,
people would volunteer ndsse for service in Chi
Japan or any other distant region They are infnnnc
by the notion that the entire North American continn
must some day other fall under their dominion onJ
hence their aggressive policy, which sympathsed with M
malcontents of Canada, and which was successful IN
Texas and Mexico The American people, altbonnb
they may be Disguised with the organized centouSre.
of the Mormon impOsturc, not likely to 60 rife in
hand, to reinforce Gen. Harvey. The last rumor which
has reached San Francisco from Utah. appears to show
that detachment of the United States army had mono
ged to reach the Great Salt Lake CITY, and that tIo
officer in command has arrested Brigham Young On ~
charge of high treason and that he has already Sar
with his prisoner for Washington This news of courCo
cQlS confirmation: and, should it turn out to he cor
rect, we may congratulate the United States Govern
mcnt upon having adopted Il which must strike
blow at the very foundations of that spurious creed which
is a scandal and disgrace to the Christianity and ntA
gcncc of the nineteenth century. We admit that in
country which recognizes the most absolute freedom or
religious belief it may be difficult to interfere with th
superstions and the denominations of Mormansm In
CON
stany at work and that through their agency MANY TO-
norant and foolish people, chiefly from Wales, are in
duccd to emgratc to Utah. So long however as thco
individuals violate no law, the British Government has
no authority to interfere with their proceedings The
United States Government justly open to the charge
of having appointed Brigham Young to the office Of
Governor of the Territory, and Brigham Young, by
means of his position and by the distribution of United
States money has succeeded in rearing political and
ecclesiastical system OF administration which is para
mount to the Federal Government. We do not pretend
to say that the accusations which have been made against
the Mennonite community of gross mpurity and fire.
quen murder to the full extent true; but it known
as matter of fact, that the authority of the United
States judges is wholly dsregarded within the Territory
and that the nominees of Brigham Young administer
what they pleased to call justice solely in accordance
with the commands of that arch impOstOr The law Of
the United States recognizes polygamy than
sanctions any form of government not based upon re-
publican institutions. The condition of affairs in Utah
affords confirmation the old adage that extremes meet
Utah is nomnaly republican, but the eliminating point
of its freedom is Brigham Young, who is practically
greater auOcrat than the Emperor Of all the RussaS-
If the Federal Government, apart from religious and
moral considerations to hesitate in restoring the
supremacy Of its laws in this instance, every State
In defiance of the principles of the Constitution might
at its own pleasure introduce forms of government inf
ntey more despotic than the tyranny Of the sovereign
mob 1t is curious Also to notice that a Republic
which ignores all connection between Church and State
should have permitted the gradual development of an
organization in which the ecclesiastical element is even
more dominant than in that the Church of Rome From
another we hear that the MOrmOns are not likely
to submit without struggle to the interference Of the
United States authorities and that they are forymg
portions Of their territory, with thententiOn Of contest
ing the progress of the United States troops now on
the way to Utah. We believe that many of the unol-
tunate dupcs who have sought homes in the Far West
will hail with delight any agency which may libeac
them from system of grinding tyranny, and from in
situations which but the most bidnous and wick
ed have the conscience to defend. According to
the Mormon code, bgamy is virtue whilst the United
States law considers it crime Again, how is the eg-
macy Of children with respect to property to be deter
mined Is the seventh of a twenty-seventh wifi,
born in Brigham Youngs harem to be treated as Iegti
mate in the Courts of Washington Massachusetts, on
New York? But, apart from the consideration of thes
minor conflicts of legal systems there stands towering
above all OdiOus and abomnabe heresy, appealing to
the brute passions of mankind and setting itself in III
rect antagonsm to the authority of the United States
Government. Persecution, we know, has hitherto sr7
tanned this ignorant and foul imposture 1heprostmtcd
name of Liberty may again be invoked by "thc Saints
but if the arms of the United States Government be
now powerless to crush this mixed political and religion.
rebellion, MOrmonism afraid, will continue, to
expand and flourish carrying corruption throughout the
vast regions where it has sought resting place