The Nevada Democrat. [volume] (Nevada, Calif.) 1854-1863, 1857-07-08
Utah and the DIormons.

The President had not, at last advices from
the east, been able to find a suitable person to
appoint to the Governorship Of Utah, in place
Of Brigham Young A force Of twenty-five
hundred men, however, has been sent to the
Territory, under the command of Gen. Harvey,
and It was expected they would reach Salt Lake
by the first of August. A new Governor has
doubtless been appointed by this time. The
force under Gen. Harvey will be sufficient to
repel any attack that may be made upon them
by the Mormons, should they be disposed to re-
sist the Federal authorities; but we scarcely
think they will have the temerity to attack the
Government troops.
The great mass Of the Mormons are ignorant
and fanatical, and blindly follow the behests OF
their leaders, both in spiritual and temporal af-
fairs, without so much as giving second
thought Of the consequences. A large proper
ton Of them are foreigners, who came direct
from their own country to Utah, and of course
know knothing of our institutions and laws, ex-
cept what they may have learned from the SER
mons of Brigham Young specimens of which
have been frequently published in the Califor-
mia papers, and which seem to be particularly
designed to cast odium upon the government
and people Of the United States If they were
informed by their leaders that their religion
was in danger Of being subverted, they would,
almost to a man, take up arms against the gov
eminent, and the few that might be disposed to
hesitate, would be compelled to follow the ex-
ample of the majority. But many Of the lead
ing men are intelligent, and are far to shrewd
to risk such an encounter, when they have ev-
erything to lose and so little to gain.
By quietly giving up hisofice and apparently
acquiescing in the appointment Of anew Gov
ernor and other officers, not of the Mormon
faith, Brigham Young can still maintain his
sway over the minds and conscences of his fol-
lowers, and to great extent their lives and
fortunes will be at his mercy. The disafiected
may be protected from open violence, and be
enabled to emigrate from the Territory if they
see proper; but the government troops cannot
guard them from the assassin blows of Young's
cmissaries, who regard his word as above all
law, human or divine. Congress may pass laws
against polygamy, and the President appoint
Judges to execute them, but sanity bigamists
will never be convicted by Mormon juries. No
doubt the appointment Of proper and discreet
men to the Federal Offices in the Territory, will
do much good, and to some extent keep the
leaders of the church in check, but they cannot
abolish the perncious and debasing institutions
which the Mormons have established. Brigham
Young will rule the Mormons in Utah with alb
soluts power rs long as he can, and when his
rascalities become too great and notorious to be
longer tolerated on American soil, the cry of
religious prosecution will be raised, and he will
emigrate to Mexico or some other country, Ia
king with him as many of the fanatcal slaves
as still adhere to his cause.
The Mormons have already formed State
Constitution aud applied for admission into the
Union. But Congress has wisely determined
not to admit them as State until they give
some practical evidence of their capacity for
selfgovernment.