Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1857-12-16
mol.

pressy declared that emo slavery shall exist In the
State OF Kansas, except that the right of property
in slaves now in the Territory shall in no manner
be interfered with; and in that event it is made
his duty tohaye the constitution thus ratified trans
mtted to the Congress of the United States for the
: admission ofthe State into the Union.
At this election every citizen will have opportu
nifty Of expressing his opinion by his vote whether
without slavery" and thus this exciting question,
may be peacefully settled in the very mode requi-
Il red by the organiclaw. The election will be held
under legitimate authority, and ifany portion of
the inhabitants shall refuse to vote fair opportn-
nifty to do so having been presented, this will be
their own voluntary act, and they alone win be res
ponsible for the consequences. -,s ~ -.
= whether Kansas shall be free or slave State
must eventually, under some authority, be decided
by an eectionj and the question never be more
II, ceariyor distinctly presented to the people than t
is at the present moment. Should this opportuni-
ty rejected she may be involved for years In do
mesc discord and possibly in civil war; before she
can again make up the issue now so fortunately
rendered, and again reach the point she has area-
dy attained.
Kansas has for some years occupied too much of
the public attention. It high time this should be
erected to far more important objects. When
once admitted into the Union, whether with or
without sa cry, the excitement beyond her own
limits will speedily pass away, and she will then for
the hrst time left as she ought to have been long
since, to manage her own affairs in her own way.
Ii her constitution on the subject OF slavery, or on
any otner subject, be displeasing to majority Of
the people, no human power can prevent them from
changing it within brief period. Under these
circumstances, 1t may well be questioned whether
the peace and quiet ofthe whole country are not of
i greater importance than the mere temporary tri-
umph OF either OF the political parties in Kansas.
\ Should the constitution without slavery be adop-
TED Dy the votes OF the majority the rights ofprop-
ertv slaves now in the,Territory are reserved
The number of theseis very small; but if it were
orr a rrt1sA l.
reasonable. These slaves were brought into the
TERRITORY under the constitution of the United
States, and are now the property of their masters
This point has at length been finally decided by the
highest judicial tribunal Of the. oountry-and this
| upon the plain principle that when confederacy
OF sovereign States acquire new territory at their
| joint expense, both equality and Justice demand
that the citizens Of one and all of them shall have
the right to take into it whatsoever is recognized
| property by the common constitution. To have
summarily confscated the property in slaves area-
dyi the Territory, would have been act Of
gross injustice, and contrary to the practice ofthe
Older States Of the Union which have abolished
slavery. BIZ itTE3a 9ti Ia5a nioai l.G a -ff
A territorial government was established for Utah
by act OF Congress- approved the 9th of Sept. $780,
and the constitution and laws of the o. States were
thereby extended over it $50 far as the same or
any PROVISIONS thereof, may be applicable" This
act provided for the appointment by the President
by and with the advice and consent o. the Senate,
OF governor, who was to be ex-ohicio superinten-
dent OF Indian affairs secretary, three judges Of
the supreme court, amarsha, and district atttor-
! ney. subsequent acts provided for the appoint
ment OF the officers necessary to- extend our land
ara our Indian system over the territory. Brigham
Young was appointed the first governor on the 20th
September, 1850, and has held the office ever since.
Whist Governor Young has been both governor
and superintendent of Indian affairs throughout
this PERIOD he has been at the same time the head
OF the Church called the Latter Day Saints, and
processes to govern its members and dispose Of their
property by direct inspiration and authority from
the Almighty. His power has been therefore, abb
solute over both Church and State.
The people of Utah, almost exclusively belong to
this church, and believing with fanatical spirit
pontment, they obey his commands as if these were
direct revelations from Heaven. If, therefore, he
chooses that his government shall come into col
nsion with the government of the United States,
the members OF the Mormon church will yield i'm
pliclt obedience to his will. Unfortunately exist
ing facts leave but little doubt that such 4 his de-
feTwlnaon tern M Without entering upon minute his
the officers of the United States, Judicial and ex.
ecutive, with the single exception OF two Indian
agents. have found it necessary for their own per-
sonal safety to withdraw from the Territory, and
there no longer remains any government in Utah
but the despotism of Brigham Young. This being
the condition of affairs in the Territory, could
not mistake the path of duty. AS Chief Executive
magistrate, was bound to restore the supremacy
OF the constitution and laws within its limits. In
order to effect this purpose, l appointed new gov
ernor and other federal officers for Utah. and sent
with them military force for their protection, and
TO AID as posse comitatus in OF need, in the
execution Of the laws. p"
With the religious opinions of the Mormons, as
long as they remained mere opinions however de-
plorabe in themselves and revolving to the moral
and religious sentiments of all Christendom, had
no right to interfere. Actions alone, when in viola
t,on oil the constitution and laws of the United
States, become the legitimate subject for the juris
diction of the civil magistrate My instructions to
Gov Cumming have therefore been framed in
strict accordance with these principles. At their
GATE nope was INDUCED that no necessity might
exist for employing the military in restoring and
tanning the authority ofthe law; but this hope
has now vanished. - e.--a' 80
Gov. Young has, by proclamation, declared his
determination to maintain his power by force, and
has already committed acts of hostility against the
United States. Unless he should retrace his steps
the Territory of Utah will be in a state of open
Dellion. he has committed these acts of hostility
notwithstanding Major Van Vliet, an officer of the
army, sent to Utah by the commanding general to
purchase provisions for the troops, had given him
the strongest assurances of the peaceful intentions
OF the government, and that the troops would only
oe employed as posse con,itatus, when called on
pythe civil authority to aid in the execution of the
laws. rra ~sfos 'e0 tslVQl ~ feaf Rju.-'
There Is reason to believe that Gov, Young has
long contemplated this result. He knows that the
continuance of his despotic power depends upon
the exclusion of all settlers from the Territory ex-
Ccpt tuUet WHO Will dckuOWleuBe us missiou
and implicitly obey his will and that anfnlighten-
ed public opinion there would soon prd late insti-
tutions at war with the laws of both God and man.
He has therefore, for several years, in order to
maintain his independence, been industriousy en-
ployed in collecting and frabricating arms and mu-
nitons of war, and in disciplning the Mormonsfor
military service. As superintendent OF Indian at,
fairs he has had an opportunity Of tampering with
the Indian tribes, and exciting their hostile feelings
against the United States. This according to our
information, he has accomplished in regard to
of the tribes, while others have remained true to
| their allegiance, and have communicated his in
trgues to our Indian agents. He has lain In store
of provisions for three years which, in case of ne
cessity, as he informed Major Van Vliet, he will
conceal, "and then take to the mountains, and bid
defiance to all the powers ofthe government"
great part ofall this may be idle boasting; but
yet no wise government will lightly estimate the
| efforts which may be inspired by such phrensied
| fanaticism as exists among the Mormons in Utah.
This is the first rebellion which has existed in
Territories and humanity itself requires that We
should put it down in such manner that it shall be
the last. To trife with it would be to encourage
! it and to render it formidable. We ought to go
there with such an imposing force as to convince
these deuded people that resistance would be vain,
! and thus spare the etuson OF blood. We can in
| this manner best convince them that We are their
friends, not their enemies. In order to accomplish
this object it will be necessary, according to the es
innate ofthe War Department to raise four addi-
| tional regiments; and this earnestly recommend
| to Congress-. At the present moment of depression
in therevenues of the country am sorry to be OBJ
| liged to recommend such measure but feel
confident of the support OF Congress, cost what it
may, in suppressing the insurrecton and in restor-
ing and maintaining the sovereignty of the consti
tuition and laws over the Territory of Utah. 49,
recommend to Congress the establishment of
territorial government over Arizona, incorpo-
rating with such portions of New Mexico as they
may deem cxpedient. need scarcely adduse ar
guments in support OF this recommendation. We
are bound to protect the lives and the property of
our citizens inhabiting Arizona, and these are
now without any efficient protection. The pres
ent number is already considerable, and is rapid
| Iy increasing, Notwithstanding the disadvantages
under which they labor. Besides. the proposed
Territory is believed to be rich in mineral and ag