Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-07-17
THE DIFFICULTIES OF ABoLIsHING
M0RM0NISM

The Charleston Mnrcury, in discus
sing the question, raises the follow
ing objections to exterminating the
peculiar religious and social institu-
tons of the mormons by force:
"Polygamy, as it is called among
the Mormons, is only concubinage.-
No form Of marriage is executed be-
tween the parties. Brigham Young,
or one Of the Elders, says 10 o woman
that she Is sealed to such a man.
and she goes and lives with him
Brigham calls oil who are sealed to
him, wives, but they are only concu-
bines. Now, is there any law of the
United States, making concubinage
crime? Some Of the States make
adultery punishable offence in their
courts, but there is no such law en-
acted by Congress for the territories,
nor made by Utah, for the people
who inhabit its territory. The con-
cubinage Of Mormonism may, there
fore, continue in existence, with the
full authority of the Uuited States,
in this territory.
"As to tho other peculiarity--the
quasi government Of their church, all
churches take cognizance of the con-
duct of their members, and tho sub
mission to their behcsts Is entirely
voluntary. So, IL the Mormons think
proper to submit to tho DEGREES of
their church in matters Of personal
conduct, or even in matters Of prop.
erty, as did tho primitive Christians,
how can government interfere? II
the people will not bring suits into
the courts Of the United States, how
can the courts adjudicatei 1t appears
to US, therefore, that the puculiarity
Of Mormonism may co-exist with the
full acknowledgment Of the author
ity and laws Of the United States.
But IL there was an incompatible
ty between them, the remedy Is 80
easy Of making themselves a State,
that We cannot doubt they will use it.
They have upwards Of one hundred
Thousand people in Utah, and prose-
lytes are daily focking into the Ter.
ritory, both from Europe and this
country to swell their numbers. Now,
what is to prevent them from apply.
ing at the next Congress for admiss-
ion into tho Union as State7 What
will the advocates of sqnatter SOW.
reignty say to the proposal? Can they
reject it? Even on the principal
laid down in the Presidents inaugu-
raj address, Utah must be admitted.
The Constitution ofthe United States
prescribes but one condition to the
admission of Territory as State
the constitution shall be Republican;
and by the laws of Congress as well
as the usages of the general Govern.
ment, any territory having q sufficient
number of inhabitants to send a
member to Congress shall be admit.
ted into the Union. That number
is now one hundred thousand, and
the Mormons have this number and
more, in Utah Territory. Once a
State, are not the contracts of marri.
age, ike Bill Qtner contracts, under
the exclusive control Of the State
Can the general Government, or any
other State, dictate what shall be the
laws of marriage in q State, or pre-
scribe or limit the authority of courts
established within its limits by 9
Statef
"For these reasons it appears TO Us
that Mormonism can only be abolish.
ed by the progress of civilization
and the morality of true religion
The force of the United States, EN-.
lployed to establish United States au.
thority, will not touch the peculiari.
ties of Mormonism, and cannot over.
throw its institutions. Force en-.
lployed to destroy the people, or ex.
tirpate their doctrines, would be
worthy only of the dark ages of su.
|perstition." 81 as