Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1857-12-17


obey his will; and that an enlightened pub
lie opinion there would soon presrrate instr
tutlons at war with the laws of Gud and
man. tie has therefore for several years, In
order TO maintain his independence, been
/ industriously employed in collecting and fab
rlcatlng arms and munitions of war, and In
discipling the Mormons for military service.
As superintendent Of Indian affairs he has
had an opportunity Of tampering with the
Indian tribes, aud exciting their hostile feel
ings against the United States. This, ac-
cording TO our Information, he has accom-
plIshed IN regard 10 some of those tribes
while others have remained true 10 their
allegiance, and have communicated his in
trigues TO our Indiaa agents. He has laid
IN store of provisions for three vars,
which In case of necessity, as he informed
Major Van Nliet, he will conceal, - and
then take TO the mountains, and bid defiance
TO all the powers of the government"
A great part of this may be idle boasting.
but yet no wise government viii lightly es-
timate the efforts which may be inspired by
such phrensied fanaticism as exists among
the Mormons i'll Utah. This is the first re-
beliiDn which has existed in our Territories.
and humanity itself requires that we should
put Ii down III such q manner that it shall
be the last. To triie with it would be 70
encourage II and TO render it formidable
We ought 10 20 there with such an imposing
force as 10 convince these deiuded pa0ple
that resistance would be va In. and thus spare
the effusion of blood We can in this man
ner best convince them that We are their
friends, not their enemies. In order To ac-
c0mplish this object it will be necessary.
according TO the estimate of the War Depart
ment, to raise four additional regiments
and this | earnestly recommend TO Congress.
At the present moment of depression in the
revenues OF the country | am sorry 70 be
obliged to recommend such a measure but
feel confident of the support of Congress,
cost what it may, in surpressing the insur-
rection and in restoring and maintaining the
sovereignty of the constitution and laws
over the Territory of Utah.
| recommend to Congress the establish
nent Of territorial government over ArizO-
ma, Incorporating with it such portions Of
New Mexico as they may deem expedient.-
need scarcely adduce arguments in support
of this reeomme ndation. We are bound to
protect the lives and property IF our citi-
zens inhabIting Arizona, and these are now
without any efficient protection. Their
present number is already considerable, and
Is rapidly Increasing, notwithstanding the
Besides. the proposed Territory is believed
to be rich in mineral aud agricultural re-
sources, especially in silver and copper
The mails of the United States to California
are Dow carried over il throughout It's whole
extent. and this route is known to be the
nearest, and belieTed 70 be the best TO the
Pacific.
Long experience has deeply convinced me
that strict construction of the powers
granted 10 Congress is the only true, as well
as the only safe, theory Of the Constitution.
Whilst this principle shall guide my public
conduct. | consider il clear that under the
war making power, Congress may appropri-
ate money for the construction Of a military
road through the Territories of the United
States, when this IS absolutely ecessary for
the defence Of any Of the States against
foreign invasion. The Constitution has con-
ierred upon Congress power To - declare
war, :" TO raise and support armies, to
provide ami maintain \ navy" and IL cali
forth the militia 10 repel inyasions."
These high foreign powers necessarily in-
yOlve important and responsible public du-
ties, and among them there Is none so sacred
and so Imperative as tha; of preserving our
soil from the invasion Of foreign enemy
The constitution has therefore left nothing
on this punt to construction, but expressly
requires that " the United States shall pro-
tect each of them the States against irra-
sion" Now, if a military road over our cwn
erritories be indispensably necessary TO
enable US - meet and repei the invader, it
follows as necessary consequence not oniy
that we possess power. but II Is our Impera-
tiye duty 10 construct such road II would
be an absurdIty to invest government with
the unlimited power to make and conduct
war, and at tue same time deny 10 it the
only means of reaching and defeating the
enemy at the fronticr. Without such read
il is quite evident we cannot protect
California aud our Pacific possessions against
invasion. We cannot by any other means
transport men and munitions of war from
the Atlantic States in sufficient time success
fully 10 defend those remote and distant
portions of the republic.
Experience has proved that the routes g.
cross the IsthmQs OF Central America are at
best but very uncert,in and unreliable
mote of communication. Bat even If this
were not the case, they would al once be
closed against us in the event Of war with a
naval power SO much stronger than our own
as to enable It, 10 blockade the ports at
either end Of these routes. After all, there
fore, we can only rely upon military road
through our own territories, and ever since
the origin Of the government Congress has
been in the practice of appropriating money
from the public treasury for the construction
Of such roads.
The difficulties and the expense of con-
staucting military railroad to connect our
Atlantic and Pacific States, have been great
ly exaggerated. The distance on the Arizo-
ma route near the 32d parallel of north lati
tude. between the western boundry of Texas
on the Rio Grande and the eastern boundry
of California on the Colorado, from the
best explorations now within our knowl-
edge, does not exceed four hundred and
seventy miles, and the tace of the country is
in the main, favorable. For obvious reasons
the government ought not to undertake the
work itself by means Of its own agents.
This onght to be committed to other agen-