The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-05-03

is not vet known whether he will accent or not
Should he definitely decline the peace of the
country and the very existence of the Salt Lake
settlement will impose on the President the duty
of appointing man Of equal nerve, courage and
sagscity 10 the old Texan Ranger. For, of
all the questions which embsrrass the statesmen
of the country at the present time, o1e of the
most embarrassing is without doubt the question
of Utah, and the Mormons Whichever way II
be examined, it bristles with difficulties.
Regarded politically, the Mormons are obvi-
ous,y entitled under the constitution. to adopt
the form of religion and the social usages which
suit them best. No authority to interfere with
their religious institutions has been committed to
the Executive, or to Congress or to any other per-
son, persons, or assembly: they alone bear the
responsibility of them. And according to the
popular and usual reading Of the constitution.
wheresoever the Mormons shall have gathered
population sufficient, and framed constitution
republican In its leading doctrines, the Congress
of the United States is bound to vote for their
admission to the Union a. sovereign State
Objection may be taken to their polygamy; bui, &C
cording to the doctrine of the Nebraska law which
is the only true and cafe doctrine for the co,ntry
at large, such an objection as this would be i'm
pertinent and Congress would have no right to
press it. The subject of matrimony is one of
these domestic questions which the Nebraska law
clearly places beyond the pale of Congressional
interference. According to the political princi-
pies which form the present basis of the policy of
the United States government, we are, in strict
ness, bound to admit Utah, with adequate popu-
latioa and republican government, without
making the least inquiry about her religious in
stitutiona
Again, most Of the assailants Of the Mormons
treat them as pagans and beathens, and call
upon the American people to interfere "as Chris
tians' to put them down. But the men who
talk this way do not, as ii might seem, enjoy
monopoly Of Christianity. The Mormons can
quote the Bible with any d. ID. Of these parts.
The only difference between their study and their
differences from the Inspired Record arises from
their selecting, their favoriIe portions of Scrip
tnreyAbe Old, while our parsons prefer the New
Testament. But all the Christian churches ad-
mi that both are of equal authenticity and equal
authority. Wherefore ii follows that, when the
Mormons show us that Abraham, Isaac, Jacob,
and the other patriarchs Solomon, the wisest of
men, and David, the man after Ged's own heart,
we're inveterate pOlygamists and kept hsrems
to the extent of their means, our Christian
reasooers are necessarily silenced. They are
Ahown. b unanswerable evidence, that the vice
which Is seproached 70 tbs Normens Was prac-
tised By 0ods peculiar people, and, seemingly,
With particular JUNCTION BY the very men among
this people who were the most frequent reci-
pientz Of the divine bounty. Solar, therefore, as
the Holy Bible is concerned, the Mormons are,
according to strict logic, much better qualified
to persuade Us to take four wives, than we are to
induce them to stick 10 one.
Politically and rellsiously then, the Ksrmnaa-
have the whiphand of us, and know il They
know that the safety of the Union will not per-
NIT Us to establish such Q precedent az interfe-
renee by Congress with the religious institutions
of Territory or State; and they are aware of
the vantage ground which their adversaries give
them BY appealing to Heaven and the Scriptures
we to do. Shall we confess ourselves incapable
Of keeping these polygsmists out of the Unions
We think not
In the irst place. though long usage seems 10
have given to may" the force of must In the
section Of the constitution referring TO the I'D
mission of new States, il does not appear at all
certain that such a construction of the sentence
is warranted May" Is not the same as must
Congress may well have been endowed with
power, without being charged with q duty. II
"may" admit Utah II the interest of the Union
would be extended thereby; but II '.must" meet
at regular intervals to take council on the affairs
Of the nation We suggest to the administration
and to the scattered members Of Congress TO give
this point proper thought.
If the apprehension OF the South--that the
Northern men will vote against the admission of
every new slave Siate-renders Congress obdu-
rate on this head. the only remaining resource Of
the administration will be TO act upon The evil
dences Of rebellion now before the world II Il
notorious that the United States Court has been
despoiled, and the records stolen; for this Il IL
competent for the government TO demand and
exact satisfaction. Our cotemponry the Rich
mond Enquirer wishes to zee the fair "aelds of
Utah laid waste, and the Mormons hung by hun
dreds." We are not 40 comprehensive in our
project Of nbjugation- A sensible, judicious
Governor with soldiers enough to constitute him
q body guard, would very possibly achieve the
same end by the more pacific agencies Of exam-
pie, precept, and private management. A split
among the Saints would demolish them ell; and
If Mr. Buchansn's Governor be wise-be he who
he maybe will infallibly produce this split,
then undertake wars, and 70 win glory and profit
TgE PRINTING or CoSGRyss-TaS CouP
DEAR or MAJOR HEss.-Major Heis, Of the
new democratic organ nj Wasbinotoo-a77x