American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1857-04-25
THE UTAH DIFFICULTY.

spectacle of moral deprayity and soci-
Ral degradation,p to which the annals Of
civilized man furnishes mo parallel,
and which is a. foul reproach to the
Government Of this country. Nor
monism is the most wonderful and afro
cious phenomenon lin modern history.
1t positively contradicts every theory,
of the moral and religious development
of mankind, and it is o. marked excep,
tion to Mr.. Jefferson's famous Apo
thegm, that error may be tolerated
when reason is left free to combat it..
The hideous offspring of the heat-op-
pressed BRAIN Of AN ignorant andlcra-
~ fanatic, the most glaring and palpa-
bic imposture ever conceived, appeal
ing solely TO the vilest passions and
pandering to the most brutal appetites
and instincts Of the human breast, it
sprung up in the very midst Of ciyili-
zation and enlightenment, has contin-
ued to grow with marvellous rapidity
and swelled into such malignant fun
gus upon the body polite, as to de-
mand the instant application Of the
severest remedies. The accounts we
publish in another column, reveal o
monstrous scene of iniquity and vice,
from contemplation of which, human
ity sickens and recoils. In open re-
bellion against the Federal Government,
Brigham Young and his saints have
succeeded in establishing despotism,
more absolute than that of Russia and
upholding o system Of crime which
shocks the moral sense Of the world.
The self,anointed Prophet is the su-
preme arbiter in both civil and ,religi-
Gus matters; his will is the law, from
which there is no appeal--in his nod
or beck, repose the lives, liberties and
property OF his subjects. Besides be.
ing an infamous despotism, the terrific.
ry is the scene of constant outrages
upon decency and morality, which
would disgrace the cannibals of New
Zealand and Central Africa. 9n aa#d
1t is high time the United States
Government was directing its serious
attention to the condition of Utah.
Already it has shown a reprehensible
indifference to the affairs of the Terri
tory, and been guilty d, gross dcrelic-
tion of duty, in not having obedience
to the laws enforced at the point of the
bayonet. Had this vile crew Of out
laws and rcprobates been subjected to
rigorous prosecution years ago, before
they had become SO formidable in
strength and numbers as to defy the
Government, we should not now be
under the necessity of resorting to
extreme measures. Mr.. Fillmore s
failure to appoint a Governor of Utah,
was an objectionable non-feasance in
Office. The appointment at that time
of a man of determination and frmness,
who would have executed the laws at
all hazards, and not hesitated to call
the military to aid the civil arm, would
have crushed this iniquity, and spared
US the impending troubles. Mr.. Pierce,
too, deserves censure for not endcay,
oring to suppress these enormities.
True, he made an abortive attempt in
commissioning Col. Steptoe Governor,
with instructions to see that the laws
we're duly enforced. But Brigham
would not brook any interference with
his internal regime, set the laws at de-
fiance, threatened personal violence, and
the Governor, finding it impossible to
secure the cooperation of the military,
left the modcrn Sodom to its fate
Since then, Brigham has ruled with
omnipotent sway, and treated Judge
sDrummond's authority with scornful
derision and contempt. bong impuni.
ty has rendered him iDsufferably inso-
lent, and the imbccile policy of the
Government served to produce the i'm,
preston that it is powerless to crush
the monster. HE
What Mr.. Buchanan intends to do,
remain to be seen. 1t is rumored that
he is determined to execute the laws,
and to suppress the shameful licentious.
ness of Mormonism. We hope this is
true. For our part, We think it is the
boundeD duty Of the Government to
extirpate this loathsome pest, and
believe that the outraged moral senti-
ment of mankind calls for extreme
remedies. 1t is idle cant to talk about
liberty of conscience and religious free
dom. There is a wide difference be-
tween hercsies in religious opinion and
acknowledged crimes that arrogate the
sanctions of religion. AS we'll respect
the murderous creed of the Alani,
whose God was naked sword, and
whose religion was constant festival
of blood, as to connive at the saturnali,
an orgies Of Mormonism--a horrid
crime arainst nature. an outraoe nnon