The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1857-06-19
The Mormons.

Correspondent of the Washington State.
gives the following sketch of the present state o.
affairs in Utah, rs well rs concu.ive answer
to the plea Of those who derrecate any inter
ference on the part Of the Government Brig
ham Young is guilty of treason, and Utah i,
in stnte Of rebellion, and it is clearly til,
duty of the General Government to punish the
one and repress the other. The obstacle al
present, seems to he to find competent man
for the Govcrnorship. The post is regarded
as ono of peculiar difficulty; and at best but q
thankless Office. The difficulties of the position
however, will be lessened by the dis.entions
The American Mormons it is snid, as soon a,
they are assured of the protection of the Gov.
erninent will co operate with the territorial
authorities to suppress tho Mormon abuses:
Recent accounts from Utah confirm all !
have published concerning the Mormons. The
Federal officers have been driven ont from the
Territory the PUBLIC archives have been burn.
ed by the mob; the United States Court has
been invaded, and the judge in.ulted on the
bench: the Federal Constitution has been
trampied in the dust its authority denied, and
the right to the soil claimed the commissions
Of Government officials have been .auntinyly
thrown back into the fuce Of the President OF
the United Stntea
Added to all these indignitics. We have been
obliged, in the last four yeors 10 record the
massacre of Lieut.. Gunnison and his party,
Judge Leonida, Shnrcr. the mail party in the
winter of ls5+-55. from which Charles Kin.
kaid bnrely escaped with his life,) and ;ol. A.
W. Bnbbitt mud his party.
To day the Federal Government il without
law and without recognition in tho Territory
Of Utah. Brigham is king of his people or
country.
In the fncc of all these facts. asserted by the
best men ever commissioned to TINT Territory,
aud corrotornted by thousands Of private citi.
zens, there arc those who sympathise with
these Mormon outlaws, and WHO have the au.la.
cious insolence to defend them in this city,-thc
nations Capital. This is the place: "rhe gov
eernnient has no constitutional power to inter
ferc with p"lygamy in Utah. or suppress tho
Irregularities of the religious faith pf the Nor
mons.' This is a studied evasion of he point
in issue, as the Government has never ntternpt.
ed to interfere with the above.named points;
nor can it, as they more properly belong to the
municipal regulations of the State. and a.
such. become Legitimate subjects Of judicial
action, and are, therefore, beyond executive or
constitutional control. But is not Brigham
Young guilty of tre1son ag ,inst tile govern
ment of the United Statesf is not Utah in
state of rebelIioni These are the legitimate
points in issue, nnd are questions that should
De promptly met hy the Government and peo.
pie Of the United, States. They are sub jccts
over which the Constitution and Federal Gov.
ernment enjoy undoubtcd and. absolute control.
Will the Government exercise its constitutional
powers in suppressng the rebellioni Will it
order the arrest and trial of Brigham Young
for trcn.oni or will it quietly submit to the
indignities already offered, and allow the
Mormon priesthood to override tho Constitu.
tion and the Republici
Every day adds new accession to their MUM:
bers, and. If unmolested for three years longer
they will increase to mure than q million. and
be capable of. arming hundred thousand men,