Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1858-03-24


Utah, the fact that our great emigration trains
to the Pacific coast must necessarily pass through
Utah, or make a considerable detour to the north
or the south, invests the condition of affairs in
Utah with great practical Importance 10 US: 80
far as the people of Utah are concerned, we
might, without loss to ourselves, abandon them
to their own anarchy OF madness. Inc only
practical aspect of the cuse, of immediate inter-
est, is the necessity we are under OF preserving
undisturbed our communications through the
middle route to our Pacific possessions 1t
seems to me that this is the extent OF our pres.
ent practical interest in the question. II all
Utah were to transform itself into Pandemonlum,
it would not materially affect US, proyidede. our
communications were left undisturDed. Mhlie
we should, of course desire to see order IN otan,
vet no degree of disorder would ut all disturb
us, except in the single matter OF having our
communication disturbed. This is, l think,
fairly stating the extent Of the present practical
interest we have in the Utah question 1t Is to
continue the central route, open and undlsturbed
to the Pacific.
There are two modes of solving the Mormon
ouestion-frst, by peaceful means; second, by
force. There can be no doubt that the hrst
mode is infinitely the best, if it can be made
etficacious. The peaceful mode is more congo.
NAL to the spirit of our institutions. Our Gov.
ernment is and should be, reluctant to draw the
sword against any portion of the people. 1t is
dangerous to naugurate the reign OF the sword
in our Republic. The great leading idea upon
which our Government proceeds, is that all gov
ernment rests on the consent of the governed.
Whilst on the one hand we have not been able
entirely to ignore the sword in enforcing the
laws, vet we should be very careful not to pro-
ceed to this fatal extremity except under the
most imperative necessity. The Spanish Repub.
lies OH this continent could never settle any dis
pute without the sword. The result is they are
all diving out from the fatal effects Of their own
violence. For my part, shall be sorry to see a
question involving the fate of so large portion
Of our population as this Utah question, incapa.
BILE of any other solution than civil war. We
have had two rebelions in our history the first
Shay's rebellion in Massachusetts during the
Confederation, and the Whisky 1nsurrection in
Pennsylvania, since the formation of the exist
ing Constitution. In both of these instances
order was finally restored without the efusion of
blood Massachusetts,, by course OF singular
prudence and 6rmness, succeeded in subjugating
their rebels without q battle; though hostile
armies were actually in the field.
1t became the duty of General Washington,
the then President, to deal with the Pennsylva-
MIA insurgents In reading the history of that
period, we are struck with the forbearance with
which Washington treated the insurgents He
sent commissioners to demonstrate with them
and exerted every possible means to solve the
difficulty by peaceful solution. When all
peaceful means seemed to have failed, he dis.
played strong military force, and advanced
agaiust the insurgents with the power. OF
the Government, still rendering peace. The
result justified the wisdom of Washington. The
supremacy of the law was established without
bloodshed General Washington was man OF
profound wisdom; though it was an easy matter
for the Government to beat down the rebellion,
and extinguish it in the blood of the insurgents,
vet he knew that the Government could not
strike any portion Of the people without wound
ing itself. The same grave consideration which
made General Washington reluctant to shed the
blood of misguided men in Pennsy lvania, makes
me anxious, if possible, to avoid the calamity in
Utah. am unwilling, if it can possibly be
avoided, to put whole community OF our peo-
pie to the sword, great as their errors or their
crimes may be. 1t is dangerous precedent. l
would avoid it if possible. fear its conse-
quences.
Peaceful solution costs nothing; whereas war
will entail an expenditure of the most astonish-
ing amount. 1t will be the most expensive mill
tary expedition, to the force employed, ever set
OH foot in modern times. Utah is eleven hun
drcd miles from the Missouri; a land~passage
through On uncultiyated widernessifa portion
of the way through deserts and difficult noun
tains. Subsistence will have to be carried by
wagons from the Missouri; even the animals
with the army cannot be sustained at all seasons
along the route By the native grasses. The eN.
petition of Napoleon to Moscow has been looked
upon as great folly. Yet Moscow was only
five hundred miles from Napoleon's supplies in
Poland. 1t will take tons of gold to support our
troops in Utah. The expense OF the army there
WILL l believe, amount to $4,000 per man for
the year. The Seminole war cost something in
the neighborhood of one hundred million dollars.
The Seminole war was war with few hum
tred savageS, in q country easily approachable
by sea, and to which supplies could be readily
carried. 4 war with the Mormons will have to
bc carried on at vast distance from our sup.
plies, eleven hundred miles, against people
mad with fauatcism, and able to bring ten thou.
sand fighting men into the field. 1t is true, the
Mormons have not the swamps Of Florida; but
they have the mountains and boundless plains,
and vast desert steppes of Utah. To prosecute
successfully the war in Utah will require al ex-
penditure absolutely astounding. say, then,
that the peaceful adjustment of this difficulty is
great economy.
The peaceful mode of solving the Mormon
question is the most conformable to humanity.
No one wishes to shed the blood of this mis-.
guided people. However great may be their
errors or their Crimes they are still portion OF
our people, entitled to our protection and good
offices. 10 devastate their country and shed
their blood cannot but be a most painful alter
native A government gloriiies itself on the
victories gained by its armies over foreign foe !;
it regrets those gained over its own people. 1t
erectS triumphal arches to perpetuatc the memo
ry of the first it draws Il vail of oblivion over
the second. When we consider the Infinite mis-
cries we shall infict upon the people Of Utah
bv an offensive war, we cannot but deplore the
necessity, and, if possible, endeavor to avoid It,
Ii we could punish the guilty leaders alone, it
would be we'll enough but we cannot reach
them, except by destroying 3 vast number of
their misguided followers. As a matter of hu.
manity, then, we should be glad to escape from
the necessity of making war upon this people.
The peaceful solution of the question, besides
the advantages I have already mentioned, is
store order in Utah without bloodshed, then we
will have accomplished all we desire. Law and
order will reign there; we will have avoided oil
the evils and sacrifices of war, and secured the
object we have in view the rebellion will have
ceased to exist, and our communications will be
open and undisturbed to the Pacific. 1t is evil
c-1 g If