The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-06-04
Usnh.

The Affairs in the territory of Utah are D
present attracting considerable attention
from the rejecting people Of the Unaec
States. The condition Of thisgs in tina
sink Of iniquity was always bad enough
but lately il has been growing ten.iOlC
worse. The union Of the temporal and the
spiritual orders, in the person Of one man,
who claims TO be the vicegerent Of heaven
has been the means Of Perpetraling the
greatest oulrSges ever known in any conn.,
munily-c civilized or barbarUss. II is really
disgusting and dislsstelnl 10 cur nature TO
al!ude to their enormi'es in detsil-suck as
sedUcirg men and wCmen rom all parts Of
the globe by ihfusing into them a fSnatical
religious excite ment, and gaini.g possession
of their persons ond property; robbing the
one Of their virtue and the other Of their
means, and making them in every sense oI
the word, degraded beings; the males in
m; ny instcnces almost slavcs--the females,
not only slaves, as common servonts, but
forced to become the Snwilling puramOurs
Of the lcecherous demons whe coatrol the
sect, and " ho, sooner or Liter, die Of disgust
of life and a broken heart. ..
Polygumy, or universal cOncuoinqge, may
be called the corner stone Of Mormon iGsti-
tutions. ALI know that this is contrary to
the law of God and of oil civilized nations;
that X ieads 70 all The most loothsome hab-
its known to civilization; serves to degene-
rate the race; makes boasts Of those created
10 the in.Sge oil God; and is the initiative
TO all other crimes from brutal murd. and
the violation Of person TO civil war and
contempt Of all rieht!ul suhoriiy.
Suth is the state of affairs in Utah terri.
tory at the preselt ,ime. The United States
District Court convened at Great Sat Like
City on the 9Th Of May. A large number OF
crimes had been committed lbat required the
attention OF grand jury. Judge Styles, u
sece ding Mormon, occupied the Bench. I'm
MT diately on the opening Of the court house,
Attorney General Stout arose and said that
no grand jury would be emponnellcG, as there
were no cases Of impoi lance to come before
such body. BY this mOsterIy stroke he
was enabled to hide a great multitude of
Gu.deri, ursons, robberies, &c, which had
been committed since the last term of court.
A petit jury was afterwards summoned from
which all, directly or remotely suspected as
not to be the exclusive and tried tools of Vie
powers that were, were ruled off. The Nor.
mons, contending that the U. s. Court has
no cognizoncc of crimes committed within
the territory, except U. s. suits, inyeigled
Judge Styles into private room, surround
ed him with dilks and revolvers, and com.
mandcd him on pain of instant death to
agree to co nothing contrary to their wishes,
and forced him to adjourn the court. These
and much worse scenes occurred for several
dnys--the whole Mormon population becom.
ing SO greatly aroused as to appear armed.
The court finally adjourned sine die, and
thus undoubtedly closed the last session of
the Supreme Court Of the United Stutes
which can ever be held under the present
social and political condition of the territory.
Our readers well know that the policy, Cor
whatever it may be called) of the Nor
mons is to scout and set ut naught the au-
thority Of the United States in all particulars
and in all respects. This they have thus far
succeeded in doing, and they are at this mo
ment no more under its control than are the |
wild Arabs Of the deserts of Arabia. They
hurl defiance at our laws and officers, arm
their troops, and exhibit unblushingly the
attitude of bold resistance. This power
must be broken and crushed by the General
Government without delay. The universal
sentiment Of the people Of all, religious be.
Ilefs and partisan politics demand it, and
unless the present administration takes most
thorough and effective measures to bring
his rebellious people to subsection, it will
llienate the affections and dsappoiut the
ropes OF its many we'll wishers. But BY
reference to teleigraphic dispatch in ono,h. |
or column it will be seen that the Govern. !
ment is already acting, and that large force
'f troops are on their way there, prepared
o vindicnte the honor Of the natcn andre.
tore peace and harmony. A new Cover.
Tor will be d;spate he'd as soon as q man of
he requisite degree Of ability, prudence and
'erve can be found, who is willing to &C.
ept the unwelcome task, and we hope to
Don see peace, quiet and good order reign.
ng throughout the borders of this fanatical
nd most despicable people.