The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-05-15
A PRECEDENT FOR THE MoRMoNs.

We in common with our felow-citzens, have free
ly condemned the enormities of the Mormons, and
we shall most cheerfuly unite in the support of any
measures calculated to terminate them and secure in
their place those domestic and public virtues which
improve the condition of and tend to elevate the
institutions under which he lives But when de-
nounce their disregard ofthe enactments of Congress-
and setting the national laws at defiance, they make
an answer to which republicans" must find it diff
cult to reply. They point to the course of that par
ty in regard to Kansas and the fugitiveslavc law,
and ask, with an air of triumph, if it is wrong
for them to resist laws than it is for the whole rc-
publican" party to resist the laws we have named 2
They say that political party exists in many Of the
States which claims to include in its ranks MAORI
ty of the voters in the Union, the very essence of
whose political faith and professed creed is resist
ance to the statutes Of Congress. They aege that
this party based its organization first upon opposi
ton to the enactment and then upon resistance to
the fugtive-save law, and subsequently upon OPP
posing and resisting the law organizing the Territory
of Kansas and setting up the Topeka movement and
mock organization as an independent government
worthy of their support. They point to presiden-
tial nomination and organizations in sixteen States to
sustain this opposition to the laws of Congress. Al
though the Mormons cite this broad and striking
precedent involving large and pretending party,
we cannot admit that it forms justification for their
unlawful and reasonable acts. The reference to it,
az justification of the atrocities in Utah. cannot be
received for that purpose STILL it cannot fail to pre-
sent, in strong light the reasonable precedent to
in it burn with shame especially when they fully
tras their own acts with those Of the universally
condemned Mormons They have set precedent in
opposing and resisting the laws, now followed by
Them which they cannot look in the face without deep
modification and shrinking dread
History will place all who resist constitutional
laws upon the same footing holding those who will
fully do so for mischievous ends to the strctest ac
count, at least morally and politically. The "repub-
lican" leaders knew that they were violating, or
urging others do So the laws of Congress constitu-
tionaly enacted for political effect and for no other
purpose They now seeking to thwart the exc
cuton Of the fugtve-save law in the States, and TO
continue difficulties in Kansas Their object is to di
vert attention from their unconstitutional and tyran-
ncal acts wherever in power, and to keep up suil-
cient excitement to enable them to continue their as
tendency as long possible. These the leading
motives with tho Mormon leaders, who follow their
pernicious example Allwell-informed and reflective
people, who appreciate and obey the laws and desire
peace and harmony and the perpetuaton of our nsti-
tutions, must strongly condemn the leaders and
thors of the illegal acts of both the Mormons and
republicans and visit upon both the penalty of
their deep and lasting displeasure. The people are
now daily mfictng this penalty upon them, and viii
continue to do so until they expelled from power
in all quarters of the country