Nashville patriot. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1858-1860, 1858-02-06

~ hi't btCh lHlO Il
ritorial organization, but combined with a
sufficient extent of territory settled by people
of different religious opinions from their own,
which would bc likely, however, to preserve Il
the pfeponderance or control of them; or else
they ought TO he told at once that they were
only TO remain at sufferance; that we would
attempt to organize no government for them,
hut leave them alone untouched, until time,
their own reflection and experience. should
bring them to knowledge of the infatuation
under which they were acting, when they
might either disband or dispprse to different |
parts of the United States, where they would |
not be arranged in any large effective pow
er, or leave our country altogether.
That was my opinion then; and even now,
from any know ledge that has come TO my ears |
of the facts of the case, have not seen the |
Necessity of sending military force there.
1t may be, however, that there il u necessity |
for 1t. do not mean TO find fault with it. for |
| have not sufficient knowledge of the facts. |
should have preferred that We had negotiat- |
ed further with them. l should have prefer |
red that we had taken the step of repeating |
the territorial organization, and have nothing
to do with them, provided we could stipulate
with them that they should permit our cara
vans OF emigrants, or troops. what not,
that we should find it expedient to send to
California, TO pass through their country I'M
molested If they would do this / should be
willing 10 let them remain unmolested on our
part, and govern themselves according to their
own views of right ard propriety.
/ think the Government of the United
States is under some obligation to be lenient
| in it's policy towards these people. Why did
| you give them this Territory Why suffer
| them by such a solemn act on your part. to
make settlements in this region, when it was
known to be likely from the character of the
| people and their pecul ar religious opinions,
hot I'll
ent description in their neghborhood to inter
| rupt them? You held out this encouragement
to them, that they would be protected by your
| Government in the enjoyment of their pecu-
| liar opinions and institutions, subject only TO
| the Constitution of the United States. These
| people are likely to have been greatly mislcd
| by the doctrines which have been prevalent in
] this country for the last two or three years,
supported in high places proclaimed by the
| highest authorities in our land-the doctrine
| that any people, by the inherent right of self
! government, can do as they please in Il Ter
! rltOry. | do not wish to go into any section
| al or party question; | am only speaking of
| the probable effect Of these doctrines on such
a people as the Mormons in Utah. Afttr they
had ii territorial organization provided fer
| them, they had a right to conclude that there
was new era of principle inauguratcd in the
| Government of the United States. which
| would allow them To rest undisturbed forever
| by any foreign influences in regard to their
| peculiar institutions and opinions. and give
| them right To regulate their own domestic
| institutions in their own way and at their
| own discretion. Was il not ! k ly that that
! doctrine would find it's way to their ears many
of them being very shrcwd and acute men
| Was it not likely that they would catch up
! the cry. and say, whatever might have been
| our fears when we were p rmIttCd to max"
| our first settlement here, the Government of
| the Unitrd States has now adopt d in regard
to the Territories principle of policy which
! guarantees TO us forever the right to the in
| diligence Of our peculiar opinions, and we are
| located in the businesses of the Rocky Noun
tains so that il is not likely we shall ever be
| intruded upon by the settlement Of persons of
| of IL religion different from our own; here
| then. in perfect safety and freedom we can
| expand ourselves. enjoy our own principles of
religion, and whatever indulgence of any
! kind may belong 10 it, maintain our own faith
| uninterrupted bv any nation of the Garth:
nov that the United States have avowed prin-
! ciplcs that give us these privileges, they are
obliged to cOnccde them to us!' / do not
know how far these doctrines may have been
propagate among them 30 as to create a feeling
or disposition in favor Of throwing off what
ever yCstigr of the authority of the Govern
ment of the United States might be found
among them--fUr example. the Governor, the
|
authority Of the United States. | will not
stop to suggest tie inquiry whether that per-
feet freedom Of popular sovereignty which we
announced here, might not, in the minds Of
such people these, imaginative. eXcitable
having Il strong interest To adopt such a con-
Clusion. lead them To suppose that to have
| Governor sent To rule over them as a chief
magistrate. judges appointed 10y the President
| to settle the controversies between them, and
| all that machinery belonging to another
! Government, was not consistent with the prin-
| ciplc that they had a right 10 grOvern them
! selves, and regulate their institutions in their
| own way, at least while they were Terri
| tory
| now only express the sentiment that /
| should have been glad if some other steps had
been taken to propitiate these pcople-such
as Withdrawing our Government from them.
STIMULATING that while they retain the terrific
! rial form of government. (and with my vote
! they should never have any other form,) they
| should continue there only on condition that
! they allowed the peaceful passage of our emf
! grants. of our caravans. of whatever descrp-
| ton. cattle, household furniture, what not,
| free from mOlestation. If they did this, they
! might he permitted to remain forever, 50 far
| as | cared.
| Now. sir, am not so bloody minded as my
| friend from New York Mr. SEWARD seemed to
he Yesterday in relation to the Mormons l
| think some indul gence il due to them, p.lrtic-
ulurly from my honorable friend; for what is
| the foundation of the difficulty between them
and the United States at this momenc They
| are the votaries Of "higher law" than our
| Constitution or the laws of the United States,
! and they are honest too. There may be men
among them, as there are in our own coun-
| try, who avail themselves of the infatuation
| OF IA number of followers, To give them
strength TO secure themselves office and emol-
ument and all the advantages which arise
| from the position in which they may be plac
] ed; but il there the slightest doubt that the
! great mass of these Mormons are really thor
| oughly honest in their convictions! Has not
! that feature in their institutions which is de-
nouncCd as sensual, existed from the founda-
| ton of the world in the nations of the earliest
| civilization of which we have any know ledge,
Does it not exist in India and in Turkey ut
! this day, and we may say in all the Oriental
| nations? Theirs is n religious finat;cism.
| They do not consider themselves bound by any
obligations To the municipal and constitution
al law of the country. They are literally
aud honestly the supporters of a higher law.
| They are religious fanatics. My honorable
friend from Michigan [Mr. STUusr1 is often
very acute and ingenious in his discrimi1a-
tons here. aud | should ike to know from
| him will not appeal to any other gentle
man--if he can discriminate between that
species Of tanaticism aud infatuation which
! controls the actions of the Mormon settlers
| from that which controls portion our breth-
rcn at the North. | do not alude to the an
t-slavcry extension gentlemen, but to the
Abolition party proper, which my friends
around me here are rather obliged TO sympa-
thize with, because il brings them strength
How can YOU distinguish the ianaticism of the
Mormons from that at portion Of the north
ern people, found q ON that idea which disrc-
CARDS the obligation Of municipal or organic
Law in political society. have never oppos-
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