Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-06-09
N. " IIl
From the N. r. Herald The Mormons---What Shall be done with them?

The Mormons---What Shall be done with
 them?
 Some of our contemporaries have been pub fishing long letters dated from Utah and con- taining heart rending accounts of the sutferings inflicted on poor helpless women by the bru- tality of the Mormon leaders. It IS perhaps as we'll that the public should know that these letters are made up on this side the Niissssp- pi, and we have no doubt do more credit to the imagination than to the memory of their wri- ters. No journal has correspondent in Utah at the present time. It reflects some credit on the ingenuity of our contemporaries to have be- thought themselves of getting up an excite ment about Utah just as Kansas died out.
 Of the facts of the case, in Utah, it is very difficult to form reliable judgment simply be- cause our most reliable authorities, such as Judge Drummord now in Washington, are tainted with a suspicion of interested motives. Judge Drummond we hear, has no objection to return to Utah Territory as governor, with proper armed force to avoid his quarrel with the Mormons. But 1t may be assumed as fact that the United States authorities have been set at naught there and that polygamy exists to certain extent among the leading members of the Mormon government. We have no idea that poygamy is a common institution, or that, as a general thing the Mormons have more wives than other people, The laws of common sense, economy, and domestic harmony forbid the general practice of polygamy; even in coun- tries like Turkey, Persia, and China wnere the civil and religious law upholds polygamy, it is, we know, a rare occurrence. Nor do we ln- agine that any peculiar dispensation ot nature enables the MormOns or any considerable DOT ton of them to live in mahner winch exam pie, precept, and desire have proved unable to popularze in the most luxurious oriental cOun- tries. With this reservation, then and under standing the polygamic institutions of Utah as being modern convenience for the private luxurious uses of Brigham Young and select few of his associates, we conceive that the case of the Mormons can be grasped in very mode rate compass.
 1 here is no authority in the constitution to justify an interference by Congress or the fede- ral government with such an institution as po- 1 ygamy in a territory. It is clearly without | the pale of Congressional or executive regula- ton as slavery; if Congress may not pass law to govern the one it may not pass law to go- vern the other; if the President cannot interfere to drive slavery out of Kansas, neither can he assume to drive polygamy out of Utah. Mar nage, a civil contract, Is essentially subject to the control of local, municipal or civil laws; the | federal government has nothing to do with II, and Congress can make no laws defining its ture, altering its effect, or prescribing penalties for breaches of its obligations committed by people residing within territory oi the United i States
 Those. therefore, who assumed that Mir. ] Buchanan Was going to carry fire and sword among the Mormous because they were poly gamIsts, and 70 put down poly 5amy by force of arms gave the President very little credit for judgment or knowledge of the instrument un- der which he holds his powers.
 But if the Mormons have really rebelled against the United States authorities, violated the United States courts, and expelled the United States J Judge-as we believe there is ample evidence that they have done-the U. States have the right and 1t is their duty to pun lsh them. They are entitled to send an armed force into the Territory, to inquire into the of- lenses committed, to punish the guilty, to offer security for the future, and to give the United States courts adequate protection. This line ot duty properly cArriei out, will, appr,- hcud, achieve every useful purpose.
 The force required for Utah should consist Of not less than ], 300 men, formed in cDrps F"fmee under propcrle leaders, and provided with arms Ot all Kinds, including light artl,lery.- They should Hot be selected from the present ranks of the army. On the contrary, men for the purpose should be enlisted in the cities and villages; preference being given to young mar ! red men over all others, and few regular so- dlerS being thrown in from tune t. time to eaven the mass. With this army, which ought to be followed by thou,and women, or more, there should be sent to Utah a man of great nerve, 6rmness and legal s>ili as Governor His line of duties should be traced to him so closely as to leave no room for iud screei zeal on the one 1 hand, or tlmoro,ls conce~si0n on the other And hna!ly, with the Governor there should De sent q stAil ot Christian missionaries selected for their 1 skill and bDlduess from the various churches It should be made the duty of these missioua- reS, immediately on their arrival at Utah, to commence d series of discussions On the cArll- hal points ot Mormoui,ln, with a view to show the ab,urdlty of the system and the errors of polyEamy. We apprehend that full and free discussion of the subject would explode it in .Ac cy.s of is nnst IevotvI alhegeuts. And Mi. Brigham Young pr any o.e else were oo lar to forget those c.ausrs iu the constitution winch secure to the c.tzels Of the Ujiled States freedom of speech and of discussions, why, theu 1t would, of course become the 'uy "I the Governor to lay hands on the of fender, and prevent lhc repetition of the oiieu<e
 This policy woali be likely to bring the Momnons to reason; perhaI, ID other presents 50 few objections.