Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-05-30


ton? Col. Mccullough, though admirably
fitted for.tbe post, refused to accept the
appointment, doubtless fearing that he
would not be sustained bv the Administra-
tion as he should be in that remote Terri
tory and among people hostile to Federal
authority. The chiefs Of the Saints may
have been slandcred and misrepresented in
many respects, yetit is barely possible that
this should be the case. We are inclined
to the opinion that there is considerable
discomfort among the dupes of Brigham
Young, and that man of nerve tact and
discretion, backed by an ample armed force
| might effect segregation of these malcon
tents from the chiefs In this way, The
remedy would, perhaps, be bloodless and
etfectua. Such Governor, sustained by
| several thousand troops, would open their
eyes, to say the least of it, and their eyes
once opened, their duty as citizens Of q com
mon country might lead to an easy solution
| of the present difficult problem. Jnoues
tionahly the spilIing of blood should be the
last resort 1t is high time that the affairs
| of Utah should be adjusted and disposed! of
in somo way or other The President has.
so far, evinced tardiness in the matter.
which will induce us soon TO place him in
the category of the bunglers who have pre-
ceded him. ~
Some of the newspapers take queer
view of this Mormon affair. They ponncc
! upon the peculiar Institutions of Utah, and
are dreadfully irate because they do not
comport with those of the Atlantic States
Softly, gentlemen. Polygamy and the
Book of Mormon have nothing at all to do
with the political aspect Of thematter. The
question is simply this: shall Brigham
Young and his followers assert and main
tain a higher law than the Constitutions or
shall they becompelled to, respect the edicts
ot thatinsfument, and the laws properly
emanating from. it Shall the Later Day
Saints" while Ctat is in territorial ca
Pacity, select,theif own rulers and defy the
General, Government to depose them, or
shall the President, in pursuance of plainly
vestedepowers, nominate a man fit for the
position; and accordingly place him, to.
gether with the, judiciary and subordinate
officers, 1.-THE administrative officesof Utah3
The Constitution recognizes no particular
religion, but extends its protection alike TO
all. ltguarantees to every person, wheth-
er in a sovereign State or a Territory to
worship God according to the dictates of
his conscience, and 10 hold whatsoever faith
he pleases. Even the Atheist is protested
In his diabolism, although his religion is to
recognize no Supreme Intelligence, and the
Deist who dscards the Bible Religion
was purposcly sepal ated from politics by
the wise trainers of the Constitution, though
the Convention was composed of men of va,
rlous religious. denominations. We know
thHt poiygamy is hcid in adherence by the
Christian world, and Justly so, too, but it
Is feature Of the Mormon faih, and if they
| think it does not violate the DEGREES Of Pro.
yldence, and choose to take the responsible
| lty, their tight TO do so cannot be callej
into question by the political world. diff
ferent view of the subject is all nioorshine
| Why, lock n it.. 1t is assumed thai
Mormonsm is santagonislc TO llepublicapsm
because it may, if permitted to exist, cstab
lish theoclatical government. The Abo.
lltlonsts affirm that our peculiar institutions
are antasonlsllc to epublcanism,and there,
fore. slavery. they say. should be demolish-
ed, utterly anihilated. Now, we contend
that il is not, that our Institutions do not in
the least concern them, and further, that
! we have right to extend it over the Ter
lltories, if the majority of the people there.
IN shall see fit 10 sanction the extension
! The Terrlloiiesare the common property Of
all the Sta,esfand as such, the people, in
the formation of State Governments, shall
determine what institutions they viii have.
The Federal Government has nothing TO say
about it. The great cardinal principle Of
State Rights Is, that The people in tlieirsov-
ereign capacity can ordain institutions TO
suit themselves, acknowledging no power
IN Congress 10 interfere in so doing. The
case OF the Mormons isexactly in point, and
the reader can at once see that we must ac.
cord to them the snme principles in the for
nation OF their State Government which we
demand for ourselves, and that no institution
established in Utah. which does not conflict
with the supreme law Of the land, thouohit
be abborrent TO our sense Of religious pro.
priety, furnishes a reasonfor the non.adfl;s-
sion Of the Territory. ~' @c%t3
We capnot act upon the mere presump-
lion that theocraey in Utah hmeditales the
deslrsetion Of Republcepism. The theory
ofthe Mermons must be practically ,deyel-
oped before VIC can sci 10 work to crush
them. Vague uncertaintiesand theoretical
assumptions viii not 90. .T'he religious con.
dil;on Of the Saints is ,deplorable, GER
tainly, il all accounts be true, but with that
We have no business. The problem 10 be
solved is q political one, and one. too, which
promises TO puzzle the heads of the astute
political mathcmaiicians. Tho. thing is to
supplhnt the political government OF iSr;s,